7 Best Family Photoshoot Locations on the Mornington Peninsula
So you’ve booked your photoshoot, and now you need to decide on the details. Like WHERE to have your photoshoot… The good news is, if you’re on the Mornington Peninsula then you’re spoilt for choice!
If there’s one thing the Mornington Peninsula does best, it’s raw, wild, beautiful nature. I just love watching my clients step foot in one of our magical locations and seeing their stress melt away and their kids eyes light up with a sense of adventure. Whether your family loves splashing at the beach, wandering through bush tracks, or simply soaking up time together in the backyard, this coastline is full of magic waiting to be captured.
Here are my favourite family photoshoot locations across the Peninsula — from calm, glassy bays to wild ocean cliffs.
1. McCrae Beach
This is my local and my favourite. Calm, crystal-clear aqua water and white sand — McCrae is perfect for families with little kids. There is a rustic banksia forrest to wander through and sweet bunny tail grasses in the sandy dunes at certain times of the year. Being a west facing beach, this one’s great for sunset, all year round. It’s often protected from southerly sea breezes and is a great for spotting the occasional stingray or seal.
2. Back beaches of Rye, Blairgowrie and Sorrento
Raw, wild, and rugged — the back beaches make you feel alive. With an incredible variety of backdrops, from tea tree forests, cliffs and caves, to sandy beaches, rock pools and spectacular clifftop views. Low tide is ideal, revealing soft sand and shallow rock pools where little ones can explore. Then head to the top of the headlands to watch the sunset, with gorgeous pale blue-green shrubs and rocky outcrops, for a perfect background setting. Kids love the adventure while parents get to be have fun and be present with their little ones.
3. Shoreham Pines & Somers Beach
Where the forest meets the sea. This stretch of coastline is pure magic — golden light filtering through tall pines and Banksia trees, soft sand underfoot, and calm water just beyond. It’s a dream spot for families who love both nature and ocean backdrops. These beaches are perfect for an early sunrise session, as they’re facing south and east. Often there is seaweed on these beaches, which adds to a rustic and earthy feel.
4. Seawinds Gardens, Arthurs Seat
Expansive, peaceful, and drenched in golden light. In autumn, the leaves turn a red and make everything feel extra nostalgic. It’s perfect for families who want space to run, climb, and play surrounded by nature.
5. Mount Martha: South Beach or the Briars
Depending on the kind of story you want to tell, Mount Martha has options. If you’re dreaming of sand, calm water, pastel skies, and those iconic colourful beach boxes, Mount Martha South Beach is a timeless Peninsula favourite. It’s relaxed, easy for little ones (with car parking close by), and effortlessly beautiful.
Or, if wide open spaces and a little more earthy charm feel more like you, The Briars offers something different. From leafy trails to golden grassy meadows, to fruit orchards, every corner offers a beautiful backdrop that feels natural and relaxed. It’s the kind of place where kids can run, laugh, and be themselves.
6. Mount Eliza Beaches
Closer to Melbourne, Mount Eliza is perfect for families wanting that dreamy Peninsula feel without heading too far down the coast. The beaches here have a more earthy, red-toned coastal palette — soft golden cliffs, rocky outcrops, and calm, clear water that feels gentle and inviting. Daveys Bay is delightfully small and often quiet, with sailboats sometimes drifting in the background. Ranelagh Beach brings a softer, more classic feel wild grass backdrops, rock pools for exploring, calm shallow water, and those iconic beach boxes that line the shore.
7. At Home or In Your Back Garden
Sometimes the most meaningful place is the one you already live your life in. Your home holds the rhythm of your days — kids running barefoot through the house, morning chaos in the kitchen, quiet couch cuddles when everything finally slows down.
These sessions are about capturing life as it really is. The favourite chair everyone ends up in, toys left mid-play, drawings on the fridge, and the backyard cubby that’s seen a hundred imaginary worlds. It’s relaxed, honest, and deeply personal — documenting your family exactly as you are in this season of life.
Perfect for the cooler months, when staying home, warm and cozy is the easiest option.
Timing Tips
Best Light: One hour after sunrise or one hour before sunset for that soft, glowy magic. Or midday for full sun bright, sharp and high contrast images, or for underwater maternity.
Best Tides: For rock pools or back beach access, aim for low to mid tide. Calm bay beaches (like McCrae or Somers) are beautiful at any tide.
Best Season: For outdoors, summer, splashy fun, summer - early Autumn. For fewer crowds, warm wooly clothes and wild adventures, choose mid Autumn - winter.
Choosing Your Perfect Spot
Every family has a different energy — some thrive in the chaos of waves and wind, others love quiet moments under the trees. The best location is the one that feels like you.
If you’re dreaming up your own family shoot on the Peninsula, I’ll help you find the perfect place (and time of day) to match your vibe. Whether that’s chasing your kids through the dunes or cuddling up on your back deck at sunset — let’s make photos that feel like sunshine.