Sorrento, Victoria
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Sorrento is a town on the
Mornington Peninsula The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located in the south of Greater Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. It is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to ...
approx. 100km south of Melbourne
Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
, Victoria,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, south-west of Melbourne's
Central Business District A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...
, located within the Shire of Mornington Peninsula
local government area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a federated state, state, province, division (politica ...
. Sorrento recorded a population of 2,013 at the 2021 census. Sorrento is known for its appealing weather, limestone buildings, and its world-class day-spas, which take advantage of the local water pressure to provide an unparalelled scrub. It is thought that the name 'Sorrento' (after the Italian seaside town) was conferred upon what was known as Sullivans Bay when the area was first opened for housing development in 1869.


History

The
Boonwurrung The Boonwurrung, also spelt Bunurong or Bun wurrung, are an Aboriginal people of the Kulin nation, who are the traditional owners of the land from the Werribee River to Wilsons Promontory in the Australian state of Victoria. Their territory ...
people occupied the area now known as the
Mornington Peninsula The Mornington Peninsula is a peninsula located in the south of Greater Melbourne, Victoria (state), Victoria, Australia. It is surrounded by Port Phillip to the west, Western Port to the east and Bass Strait to the south, and is connected to ...
for tens of thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. The area now known as Sorrento is traditionally known to the Boonwurrung as ''Bullanatoolong''. In February 1802, Lieutenant John Murray of led the first British force to enter
Port Phillip Bay Port Phillip ( Kulin: ''Narm-Narm'') or Port Phillip Bay is a horsehead-shaped enclosed bay on the central coast of southern Victoria, Australia. The bay opens into the Bass Strait via a short, narrow channel known as The Rip, and is comple ...
. Murray chose to anchor ''Lady Nelson'' off what is now known as Sorrento Beach. On 17 February the crew landed ashore and were greeted by about 18 local Boonwurrung. The crew, with their dinners in hand, showed how they ate bread. While one of the crew was handing out bread to everyone, they were ambushed. In response, several Boonwurrung were shot at by musket fire, with three receiving likely mortal wounds. Murray then ordered grapeshot and
round shot A round shot (also called solid shot or simply ball) is a solid spherical projectile without explosive charge, launched from a gun. Its diameter is slightly less than the bore of the barrel from which it is shot. A round shot fired from a lar ...
to be fired from the
carronade A carronade is a short, smoothbore, cast-iron cannon which was used by the Royal Navy. It was first produced by the Carron Company, an ironworks in Falkirk, Scotland, and was used from the last quarter of the 18th century to the mid-19th cen ...
s aboard the ship at the fleeing men. This occurred at a place Murray named Bowen's Point which is now referred to as the Western Sister headland on the Sorrento foreshore. After exploring the southern part of the bay, Murray formally took possession of the area on 8 March 1802 for King
George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
of
Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the north-west coast of continental Europe, consisting of the countries England, Scotland, and Wales. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the List of European ...
in a small ceremony at a place now known as the Point King Foreshore Reserve in Sorrento. A few days later Murray sailed out of the heads and returned to
Sydney Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
. In 1803, the British returned and established a convict settlement under the command of Lieutenant Governor David Collins at the Eastern Sister headland of Sullivan Bay in Sorrento. The site became the first British settlement on mainland Australia outside of the Sydney region. Within a few months, the settlement of around 500 people was abandoned and subsequently moved to
Hobart Hobart ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the island state of Tasmania, Australia. Located in Tasmania's south-east on the estuary of the River Derwent, it is the southernmost capital city in Australia. Despite containing nearly hal ...
in
Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...
. The famous convict, William Buckley, escaped from the Collins Settlement and went on to live with Aboriginal people in the
Geelong Geelong ( ) (Wathawurrung language, Wathawurrung: ''Djilang''/''Djalang'') is a port city in Victoria, Australia, located at the eastern end of Corio Bay (the smaller western portion of Port Phillip Bay) and the left bank of Barwon River (Victo ...
area for over thirty years. The Collins Settlement in Sorrento saw the first
magistrates' court A magistrates' court is a lower court where, in several Jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions, all criminal proceedings start. Also some civil matters may be dealt with here, such as family proceedings. Courts * Magistrates' court (England and Wales) ...
,
public hospital A public hospital, or government hospital, is a hospital which is government owned and is predominantly funded by the government and operates predominantly off the money that is collected from taxpayers to fund healthcare initiatives. In almost al ...
,
postal service The mail or post is a system for physically transporting postcards, letters, and parcels. A postal service can be private or public, though many governments place restrictions on private systems. Since the mid-19th century, national postal sy ...
and government printing office to be established in the region later known as Victoria. The first Victorian wedding, christening and funeral services were also held at the Sullivan Bay site. Sorrento Post Office opened on 10 January 1871; the heritage-listed Sorrento Post Office building (now used for retail and a cafe) dates from 1904 to 1905. From the 1870's actor and entrepreneur George Coppin who had a holiday home there invested heavily in making Sorrento a popular destination, through both transportation and accommodation. In 1874 he founded the Sorrento-Queenscliff Steam Navigation Company, which operated the paddle steamer ''Golden Crown'' between Port Melbourne, Sorrento and Queenscliff, making the town much more accessible, and built the Continental Hotel in 1875 on what was then called Ocean Amphitheatre Road (now Ocean Beach Road). Then in 1889 he founded a company that built a steam powered tram which ran between the ferry terminal and the back beach, where he built a large hotel, the Back Beach Palace, in 1890 (demolished 1965). The tram operated in the summer months, and out of peak periods became a horse tram, the line eventually closing in 1921. Through his efforts the town became a popular destination, with more hotels and holiday homes, sometimes quite grand, built into the early 20th century, as well as shops lining Ocean Beach Road. The town has a number of grand historic homes and hotels which date back to the 1860s, almost all of which have been constructed with local limestone. The Australia ICOMOS charter for the conservation of places of cultural significance in the practice of local heritage protection has listed 30 properties. Mechanics' Institute, Sorrento was built in 1877 using local limestone and the building, which is now classified by the
National Trust of Australia The National Trust of Australia, officially the Australian Council of National Trusts (ACNT), is the Australian national peak body for community-based, non-government non-profit organisations committed to promoting and conserving Australia's Ind ...
, houses the Nepean Historical Society's museum. Other notable limestone buildings still standing include: Sorrento Hotel (1872), Anglican Church (1875 nave, 1889 transept), Athenaeum Theatre (1894), Continental Hotel (1875), Whitehall Guest House (1904, on the bank beach). The Koonya Hotel and Morgans (both on the foreshore, currently known as Italico restaurant) were built by the Skelton/Clark family (1876). The sandstone Presbyterian Church was built around 1880. Ophir House, opposite the Masonic Lodge on Cooper Street was a smaller version of Whitehall (demolished). The Sorrento Park, established in 1870, contains a variety of trees, including an
Aleppo Pine ''Pinus halepensis'', commonly known as the Aleppo pine, also known as the Jerusalem pine, is a pine native to the Mediterranean region. It was officially named by the botanist Philip Miller in his 1768 book ''The Gardener's Dictionary''; he pro ...
grown from a seed of the Lone Pine of
Gallipoli The Gallipoli Peninsula (; ; ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east. Gallipoli is the Italian form of the Greek name (), meaning ' ...
. Situated above the beach and overlooking the bay, Sorrento Park has a children's playground, BBQ facilities, and public toilets. The town continues to be a popular destination, with regular ferry services to Portsea and Queenscliff.


Population

In the 2016 census, there were 1,592 people in Sorrento. 78.0% of people were born in Australia and 86.8% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were No Religion 29.0%, Catholic 24.7% and Anglican 19.3%.


Tourist attractions

Charter fishing boats operate from Sorrento Pier. A regular ferry service links Sorrento with Queenscliff in summer.


Sport

The town has an
Australian Rules Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an Australian rules football playing field, oval field, often a modified ...
football team, The Sorrento Sharks, competing in the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League before winning flags in the PFA in 1929 and 1933, then the MPFL in 1935, 1953, 1964, 1969, 1979, 1980 then the MPNFL in 2004, 2008, 2010, 2011 (seniors and reserves) and 2012. Former St.Kilda footballer Troy Schwarze coached the four grand finals between 2008 and 2011, before Nick Claringbold took over for 2012 so Troy could follow his dream coaching St.Kilda's mid-fielders at their new facility in Seaford and on match days. Troy played with Sorrento in about 9 matches during 2012 when not required in the AFL, and the finals series. Ben McCormack took over the captaincy from Dave Lawson when Dave was appointed coach at Crib Point 3 years ago. The Sorrento Cricket Club, coached by former Melbourne CC player and mystic guru Nick Davern, also known as "Tin Hat", competes in the Provincial Division of the Mornington Peninsula Cricket Association, having won the Sub-District in 1989/90 and 2002/03, District Division in 2005/2006. It also won senior premierships in the Southern Peninsula Cricket Association (1922-1965) six in succession between 1946/47 and 1951/52, under Bill Clark and Arthur Robertson (3 each), then again in 1955/56 under Jack Mullen and 1957/58 under Derek Minter. Its first and only Provincial First XI premiership was 1971/72 under ex-Northcote and Collingwood player Graham Burt. Forty years on, the seniors had their next opportunity in a Provincial Grand Final losing to rivals Baxter in 2011/12. Season 2012/13 looked promising with the inclusion of ex-Victorian batsman Nick Jewell who scored 3 centuries before the Christmas interval, going on to win the Club Championship with 706 runs and 7 catches, including an opening partnership with Jedd Falck of 205. A second consecutive grand final appearance failed. In 2010/2011 Ryan O'Connor became the first player to win the W. B. Wedgwood medal for Sorrento but it didn't take long for the club to win another with Captain Anthony Blackwell winning in 2011/2012. Season 2023/24 Sorrento Cricket Club have appointed former Victorian state player and Melbourne Stars player Sebastien Gotch and also recruited former Victorian U/17 & U/19 player Luke Kranzbruhler in what shapes up to be an exciting season for the Sharks. The original Macfarlan Reserve pavilion was erected in 1935 with a terraced grandstand upstairs. It was demolished and completely rebuilt in 1984 and re-opened as the Robert (Bob) Keegan pavilion in 1985. Several balconies have been added since. Plans exist to add a gymnasium when funds are available. The Sorrento Tennis Club originally occupied the land beside the Museum and is a sunken garden today. It was relocated to its current site in the 1960s followed by the Scout Hall and fire track a decade or so later. Netball courts, a skate park and basketball stadium followed creating a single sports complex together with the lawn bowls rinks. Golfers play at the course of the Sorrento Golf Club on Langford Road.


Sorrento Cemetery

Dame
Nellie Melba Dame Nellie Melba (born Helen Porter Mitchell; 19 May 186123 February 1931) was an Australian operatic lyric coloratura soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early twentieth century, and was the f ...
sang to raise funds for cemetery gates which rusted over time and were taken down and dumped at the tip where they were souvenired and used as a garden ornament. Notable interments include Federal Senator John Button, Member of the
Legislative Assembly of Victoria The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the state lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria (state), Victoria that follows a Westminster Sys ...
, Vin Heffernan, actor Sophie Heathcote, naturalist Edith Coleman, cricketer
Shane Warne Shane Keith Warne (13 September 1969 – 4 March 2022) was an Australian international cricketer whose career ran from 1992 to 2007. Warne played as a right-arm leg spin bowler and a lower-order right-handed batter for Victoria, Hampshire ...
and Dame Zara Bate, the wife of former
Prime Minister of Australia The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister is the chair of the Cabinet of Australia and thus the head of the Australian Government, federal executive government. Under the pr ...
Harold Holt Harold Edward Holt (5 August 190817 December 1967) was an Australian politician and lawyer who served as the 17th prime minister of Australia from 1966 until Disappearance of Harold Holt, his disappearance and presumed death in 1967. He held o ...
who disappeared at nearby Cheviot Beach. Ronald Joseph Walker AC CBE was an Australian businessman best known for his work in managing sporting events. As well as serving as Lord Mayor of Melbourne from 1974 to 1976.


See also

* Shire of Flinders – Sorrento was previously within this former local government area. * Port Phillip Bay Bridge proposals


References


External links


Sorrento
– Official state tourism site
Sorrento Museum and Heritage Gallery



Sorrento Visitor Guide – Sorrento.com.au
{{authority control Coastal towns in Victoria (state) Suburbs of Melbourne Suburbs of the Shire of Mornington Peninsula Ports and harbours of Victoria (state)