MORNINGTON has been ranked the fourth-best destination in Victoria for shopping small, according to a new national survey of more than 4,000 Australians.
The AMEX Shop Small Destination Index placed Mornington behind only South Melbourne, Geelong and Ballarat, ahead of Fitzroy, Richmond, Brunswick, Bendigo, Camberwell and South Yarra, which rounded out the top 10.
The Mornington Business Collective (MBC) committee member, and Farrells Bookshop owner, Kate Horton, said the town’s accessibility and variety were key to its appeal.
“I think it’s a good, easy driving distance from Melbourne and even Greater Melbourne,” said Horton.
“You can park for free, then take your time walking up and down what is quite a diverse but appealing retail strip, with a lot of interesting, unique small businesses, but also the attraction of having some of the bigger chain stores around as well.
“There’s lots of great food and variety in cafes and restaurants, and in summer you’ve got the proximity of the beach.”
Horton said Sunday visitors in particular came to Mornington to slow down and explore, with laneways such as Empire Mall giving the strip added character as they walked the length of Main Street.
Speaking as the owner of Farrells Bookshop, which has traded on Main Street for 50 years, Horton said sitting on the MBC committee had put her in touch with people she otherwise would rarely cross paths with.
“We’re all struggling with the same stresses of being business owners and dealing with economic downturns and those kinds of things, so it’s good simply to have support in that regard,” said Horton.
She said winter remained quieter than the summer peak, though Mornington’s sizeable permanent population meant trade did not disappear altogether.
“It can be a challenge to even out that revenue stream across the year, but there’s lots of businesses doing interesting things to offset that, whether that’s shopping promotions or winter menus,” said Horton.
Farrells has worked to keep interest alive over winter through a busy events calendar. A recent crime-writing panel, which grew from a single author appearance into a four-author event, drew such demand it had to move from the shop to a studio on Wilsons Rd.
The bookshop is also gearing up for its annual kids’ story writing competition, which wraps up with a visit from author Fiona Wood on 22 August for Book Week, and a September literary lunch featuring Holly Ringland that is close to selling out.
The MBC recently held a networking night at Rattlers Saloon, one of Main Street’s newer venues, and is now turning its attention to end-of-year celebrations, with the return of a volunteer-run street decorating project that struck a chord with the community last year (Volunteers needed to spread Mornington Christmas cheer, The News 24/07/26).
“We really had no idea how extensive and incredibly creative their offering would be,” said Horton.
The Destination Index sits alongside Shop Small, an annual American Express campaign that encourages people to support independent businesses and includes grant funding for traders around the country.
American Express Australia managing director, Corrina Davison, said the campaign was, at its heart, about recognising the people behind local businesses.
“Every time someone shops small, they’re backing the passion, hard work and ambition of a local business owner,” she said.
Horton said that same enthusiasm was echoed by visitors.
“I find it endlessly entertaining meeting people. So many of them say, ‘I love Mornington, we love coming down there for a weekend, or just to get our fix of the sea air and good shopping,’” said Horton.
Find out more about the MBC’s work on Instagram:
@mainstreetmornington
First published in the Mornington News – 11 August 2026
