• Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
  • Read Our Newspapers Online
    • Read the Latest Western Port News
    • Read the Latest Mornington News
    • Read the Latest Southern Peninsula News
    • Read the Latest Frankston Times
    • Read the Latest Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News
  • Competition
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Catch of the decade
  • Season on the line for Seagulls
  • Pythons face an uphill battle, Redlegs stumble
  • Ketch blown ashore in Dromana
  • Early morning hit
  • Boxing world mourns loss of a champion
  • Successfully navigating the path of anxiety
  • Ryman abandons Mt Martha centre
Facebook Twitter
MPNEWSMPNEWS
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
MPNEWSMPNEWS
Home»News»A Pearl makes a visit
News

A Pearl makes a visit

By Stephen TaylorMarch 2, 2015Updated:March 30, 2015No Comments4 Mins Read
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email
The Pacific Pearl sits off Mornington. Picture: Cameron McCullough
The Pacific Pearl sits off Mornington. Picture: Cameron McCullough

WHAT a difference a day makes: the weather at Mornington pier on Monday at 10.30am was wet and cold with a blustery southwesterly whipping up Port Phillip. Not the day for a visit…

By Tuesday morning, the sun was out, the water calm and passengers from the cruise liner Pacific Pearl could walk comfortably up Main St in shirtsleeves to sample the town’s delights.

Thank heavens for Melbourne’s changeable weather.

Mornington Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Kim Rowe said most of the 1500-odd passengers to disembark stayed in the town rather than being bussed to tourism hotspots around the peninsula. “They landed here and they will probably stay here,” Ms Rowe said. “There’s a lot to see and do in the town and they’re going to make the most of it.”

Pacific Pearl was the first cruise liner to call at Mornington, with expectations of five more P&O visits over the next 12 months. On Wednesday 18 March the cruise ship will again visit, steaming straight from Sydney and returning over a four-day cruise with another 1800 passengers.

Next January, the new Pacific Eden will call at Mornington twice and Pacific Jewel will visit in March.

Regional ports Esperance and Busselton in Western Australia will join the growing line-up of stopovers in the months to come. Others places to be visited include Port Lincoln in South Australia, Mooloolaba on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, and Burnie and Port Arthur in Tasmania.

Mornington Peninsula mayor Cr Bev Colomb welcomed the passengers’ arrival on Tuesday. She visited the harbour and Main St, saying the area was a popular spot for both locals and the visitors. “The town was really vibrant, and felt alive,” she said.

“We should be very proud of what our town has to offer and the activities that were presented for our day visitors. The market atmosphere and welcoming ambience was really wonderful to experience.”

She also acknowledged the chamber of commerce, and the broader business and tourism sector on the peninsula, for helping make the visit of a success.

“I hope the visitors to the beautiful Mornington Peninsula from Pacific Pearl enjoyed all we have to offer on the peninsula.

“Cruise visits are a great way to showcase our destination and the activities and attractions of the Mornington Peninsula.

“On behalf of the council I look forward to welcoming Pacific Pearl and her passengers when she visits again in March.”

Ms Rowe said the overall effects of the visit might take years to impact on the town, as liners make return visits and word-of-mouth recommendations among passengers spreads.

“It will be slow and steady but it will be positive,” she said. “There may be other boats from different cruise lines coming and we will welcome them all.

“Also, there will be different demographics on board who will have different spending patterns.”

Mornington Peninsula Regional Tourism board chairman Tracey Cooper said from all accounts the day went very well. “The Tourism Victoria team was glowing in praise of the effort businesses went to welcome the passengers,” she said. “It is a wonderful thing to have such a passionate and open group of businesses. We are now looking at ways to improve the experience and ensure the next visit is even better.”

Some Main St traders had mixed views of the visit’s tourism benefits, commenting on the high average age of passengers. Most shops reported little to no extra activity “with the exception of St Vinny’s, which had a record day selling out of woollen jumpers as passengers didn’t bring enough woollies with them”, one Vinny’s staff member said.

Popular tours were reportedly Mornington Explorer bus tour, Peninsula Hot Springs, Enchanted Adventure Garden, sand sculpting, and Manyung Gallery in Mt Eliza.

Mornington Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Kim Rowe. Picture: Gary Sissons
Mornington Chamber of Commerce spokeswoman Kim Rowe. Picture: Gary Sissons
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Early morning hit

August 8, 2022

Ryman abandons Mt Martha centre

August 8, 2022

Saving on power costs

August 8, 2022

Opportunites for baristas

August 1, 2022
Add A Comment

Comments are closed.

Weather
Aug 12, 2022 - Fri
Mornington, Australia
10°C
broken clouds
broken clouds
1 m/s, N
73%
759.81 mmHg
fri08/12 sat08/13 sun08/14 mon08/15 tue08/16
overcast clouds
12/10°C
light rain
12/10°C
moderate rain
12/10°C
moderate rain
11/9°C
light rain
12/12°C
Peninsula Essence Magazine

Click here to read

July 25, 2022
Peninsula Kids Magazine

Click here to read

May 26, 2022
Council Watch

Shire ‘committed’ to aged care

August 8, 2022

Shire not forced to drop aged care services

August 1, 2022
State Elections 2022

‘Justice’ for animals and climate

August 8, 2022

Peta Murphy wins second term in Dunkley

May 23, 2022

Shire accused of being off track with pledges

May 17, 2022
Interview

All aboard for murder mystery

July 25, 2022
Property of the Week

14 Lynch Court, Mt Martha

July 26, 2022
100 Years Ago This Week

Ketch blown ashore in Dromana

August 8, 2022
Contact
Street: 63 Watt Road, Mornington, 3931
Mailing: PO Box 588, Hastings, 3915
Menu
  • Home
  • News
  • Sport
  • Entertainment
  • Local History
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • About Us
  • Subscribe
About

Established in 2006, Mornington Peninsula News Group (MPNG) is a locally owned and operated, independent media company.

MPNG publishes five weekly community newspapers: the Western Port News, Mornington News, Southern Peninsula News, Frankston Times and Chelsea Mordialloc Mentone News.

MPNG also publishes two glossy magazines: Peninsula Essence and Peninsula Kids.

Facebook Twitter
© 2022 Mornington Peninsula News Group.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.