What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 9am - 5pm

The Briars

Situated on the Mornington Peninsula, The Briars is a beautiful homestead and conservation park. Opening Hours

The Briars Precinct is open every day.
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The Briars is a public park, owned and operated by the Mornington Peninsula Shire, for people of all abilities and all ages to learn about heritage, enjoy a range of activities and enjoy close encounters with Australian native animals. The Visitor Centre is open every day 10am to 4.30pm, except Christmas Day. The Wildlife Sanctuary is closed today, Wednesday May 3 due to strong winds. The Shire Nu

rsery is open Wednesday to Friday 9am to 3.30pm and the first Saturday of the month 9am - 1pm. It is closed on Good Friday April 7, 2023. The Balcombe Estuary boardwalk to the Briars has extensive damage and is closed until further notice. The Heritage Homestead is closed due to extensive restoration. Guests can book a tour of the Heritage Homestead gardens and outbuildings. Please call or email to check availability. There is no charge to go for walks, use of the BBQs or to wander through the homestead garden.

11/06/2026

Ever wanted to volunteer at the Briars?

There are currently opportunities available for:

🌹 Homestead Garden Volunteers
🏡 Homestead Guide volunteers
🪞 Homestead Collection Volunteers

To discover what's involved, and to register your interest, head to ➡️

https://bit.ly/3RZSMji

or feel free to give the team at the Briars a call on 5950 1221 to learn more 😊

04/06/2026

Briars Wildlife Sanctuary & Community Forest – Closed Today - Thursday 4 June
Due the severe weather and for the safety of our visitors, staff and animals, the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary and Community Forest will be closed today.
We appreciate your understanding and will provide an update once conditions improve. Please check our page or give us a call before planning your visit.
Stay safe and thank you for your patience 🌿

03/06/2026

Keen to get into the garden this long weekend? 🌱🪴

The Briars nursery will be open this Saturday from 9am - 1pm for all your native and indigenous plant needs ☀️💚

If you're after some advice on plants for certain soil types, or spots in the garden, the nursery team are more than happy to help you out.

If you have any plastic pots at home, you can also bring these along to be recycled 🫶

📅Saturday June 6th I 9am - 1pm

The nursery is also open, Wednesday - Friday, 9am - 3.30pm

📍450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha

02/06/2026

Briars Wildlife Sanctuary & Community Forest – Closed Today - Wednesday 3 June
Due to strong winds and for the safety of our visitors, staff and animals, the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary and Community Forest will be closed today.
We appreciate your understanding and will provide an update once conditions improve. Please check our page or give us a call before planning your visit.
Stay safe and thank you for your patience 🌿

29/05/2026

Market lovers, are you ready? 🌺🌻🌺

A magical day in nature, filled with handmade wonders! 🍃✨

Delivered by Craft Markets Australia head down for a curated collection of local artisans, yummy food, and unique treasures 💕

📅 Sunday, 31st May | ⏰ 10AM – 3PM
📍 The Briars, 450 Nepean Hwy, Mt Martha VIC

Tag your market loving friends and make it a perfect Sunday meander ☀️ It's the last market until spring, so make the most of it!

20/05/2026

Exciting news this week for the 𝗡𝗴𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗸 𝗕𝗶𝗶𝗸 – 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 that was awarded Highly commended in the 2026 Keep Australia Beautiful Australian Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards Young Legends Award ✨👏✨

Ngawak Biik [Naa-wuk Beek] Junior Ranger Program is empowering First Nations young people through culture, Country and connection.

This Indigenous-led initiative brings students together to learn land management, cultural practices and environmental stewardship on Country.

With participation exceeding expectations and strong improvements in engagement and attendance, the program is also creating pathways into future careers, showing the powerful impact of culturally grounded learning led by community🖤💛❤️

Congratulations again to our incredible team who deliver this amazing program 👏

19/05/2026

Sending the biggest shout out to our AMAZING volunteers 🤩🥰

The knowledge, passion and energy they bring to the Briars, we're all so grateful for 🙏

From the Nursery, through to the Heritage Seed Garden, site maintenance and more, they turn up for us and leave a lasting impact across the site. ❤️💚💙

Do you have an interest in volunteering?

In the lead up to the Briars Homestead reopening, in conjunction with the National Trust, there are currently opportunities available for garden volunteers, guides and historic collection cleaners.

Curious? Head to, https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/about-us-vic/volunteers-vic/ for all the details

15/05/2026

Our heritage seed garden is loving the autumn sunshine 🔆🍂🍁

Don't forget, if you want to create your own heritage seed garden, there are seeds available to purchase in the Briars Visitor Centre. There is also a full catalogue you can browse that provides information on the plants and growing tips 🌱🌱

We're open all weekend if you want to stop by for some autumn planting 👍

08/05/2026

Mark your calendars 🥂🍷VineHop at the Briars lands Saturday 21 November.

Turning it up this year with:

🍷 Craft drinks, boutique wines & festival vibes all day long
🚌 Hop-on-hop-off buses across the Peninsula
🎶 3 SUPERSTAR DJs ready to boogie all day long

Tickets on sale soon:
🎟️ Friday 3 July, 12PM — VIP Presale
🎟️ Monday 6 July, 12PM — General Public (any remaining tickets)

Some ticket types will sell out during presale - so be on your game, VineHoppers 🤩

Want early access?
Join the VIP list via the link 🔗
https://arep.co/m/vinehopfestival2026

04/05/2026

🌿 Supported Playgroup at The Briars 🌿

Come and enjoy a free Supported Playgroup in the beautiful bush setting of The Briars. Families can relax, connect and explore nature together in a welcoming and inclusive environment 🌱🐨🍂

Led by experienced smalltalk facilitators, this fun playgroup supports children’s learning and development while providing parents and carers with connection and guidance 🦋

Groups are running each week. Eligibility criteria apply. If you are interested, please get in touch on ☎️ 5950 1099 or email 🤳 [email protected]

🔗 Learn more ➡️
https://www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/Community-Services/Children-Family/Supported-Playgroups

01/05/2026

📣 Nursery open this weekend 📣

It's the first Saturday of the month which means the Briars nursery is open 🌱💚🌿

Browse the range of a beautiful native or indigenous plants and get some planting advice from the team.

Autumn is the perfect time of year to get plants into the garden. 🍂🍂

Whether you’ve got a big backyard or something smaller, there are plants for all spaces.

🗓️ Open 9am - 1pm
📍450 Nepean Highway, Mt Martha

20/04/2026

🐟🌿 A tiny fish making a BIG comeback at The Briars! 💚

Beneath the surface, a quiet conservation success is unfolding…
The endangered eastern dwarf galaxias has bounced back from around 40 fish to over 400 in just one breeding season! 🙌✨

💧 Thanks to careful wetland management
🤝 In partnership with ecology experts
🌱 Creating the right conditions for breeding and survival

For a species with a lifespan of just one year, getting the conditions right is everything — and it’s working!

This incredible recovery is part of the Briars Arc Program, helping protect vulnerable species and strengthen our local ecosystems 🌏

A powerful reminder that with the right care and science, even the smallest species can thrive 💙

Ecology Australia

🌿

17/04/2026

🌳👵👶 Grandparents & Grandkids: Nature’s Perfect Pair! 🎨🐦

Each week at The Briars, grandparents and grandkids bond over bush walks, bird watching, scavenger hunts, mud kitchens, and more! 💚

This much-loved free playgroup is running in Term 2, so don’t miss your chance to create cherished memories together.

Now on Monday mornings from 10am – 11:30am, starting on the 20th of April.
Places limited Bookings essential.

📅 Learn more: https://www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/Community-Services/Children-Family/Supported-Playgroups
📞 5950 1099
📧 [email protected]

14/04/2026

Looking for something fun to do with the kids before the school holidays finish?

Our last Sanctuary Twilight Tour is this Thursday ✨✨

Fun for families who love wildlife 😍 discover a magical time in the sanctuary, as dusk sets, twilight begins, and many of our animals are starting to wake...🦘🦉🌙

⏰
Thursday April 16
5.30pm - 7pm
Tickets start from $25

To book head to ➡️ https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/briars-sanctuary-twilight-tour-tickets-1984167534508

11/04/2026

Briars Wildlife Sanctuary – Closed Today - Sunday 12 April

Due to strong winds and for the safety of our visitors, staff and animals, the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary will be closed today.

We appreciate your understanding and will provide an update once conditions improve. Please check our page or give us a call before planning your visit.

Stay safe and thank you for your patience 🌿

11/04/2026

Strong Winds - Wildlife Sanctuary closed

Briars Wildlife Sanctuary – Closed Today

Due to strong winds and for the safety of our visitors, staff and animals, the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary will be closed today.

We appreciate your understanding and will provide an update once conditions improve. Please check our page or give us a call before planning your visit.

Stay safe and thank you for your patience 🌿

07/04/2026

What's On - School Holidays - Week 1! 🥳

👨‍🚀🚀🤸‍♂️
Inspired by the NASA Artemis adventure, Mission to the Moon continues this Wednesday and Thursday. Plus, kids can learn circus skills with the performers after the show!

Show $25pp
Circus Workshop $10pp

10am - 12pm
Wednesday + Thursday, April 8 + 9

🦘🐨✨🐾
Join us for a guided bush adventure during the beautiful twilight hours. Discover a magical time in the sanctuary, as dusk sets, twilight begins, and many of our animals are starting to wake...

Thursday April 9, 5.30pm
Tickets start from $25pp

For all the details, head to ➡️ https://thebriars.eventbrite.com 👍

05/04/2026

How does a circus workshop with astronauts sound 🤩

Let the kids blast off into a world where space travel meets circus thrills! 🚀🤸‍♀️

Fresh from the Adelaide Fringe Festival, Mission to the Moon offers a fresh, imaginative take on our fascination with space, blending circus artistry, clowning, and real space science 🌕👩‍🚀

Following the show, children can learn circus skills and tricks in a workshop with the performers of the show! ✨

Enjoy the moon mission, then let the kids join in on the fun!

Dates 🗓️
Tuesday April 7
Wednesday April 8
Thursday April 9

Times ⏰
Show 10am
Workshop 11am

To book, go to ➡️ https://thebriars.eventbrite.com
*Circus workshop ticket must be bought with a show ticket.

04/04/2026

It's always a good day at the Briars 🥰

02/04/2026

Easter weekend - What's on 🐰🐣

We are open every day over Easter, including Good Friday.

Bring the kids to our special moon event Saturday night. Perfectly timed with the NASA Artemis mision, Mission to the Moon is circus meets space travel. Then see the full moon for yourself with special telescopes from Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society - MPAS 🔭🌕 plus learn cool facts from the society members too!

Looking further into the Easter holidays, we'll have day time shows of Mission to the Moon, plus circus workshops with the performers.

Our guided sanctuary twilight walks are always popular too ✨🦘

Bookings are essential.

For all the info, head to ➡️ https://thebriars.eventbrite.com

31/03/2026

This is the smallest of sneak peaks at our Wildlife Eco Explorer Program 🔎 Kids will also enjoy

🐨BEHIND THE SCENES adventures
🐨Spending time with different different BRIARS team members including First Nations, Nursery, Wildlife and Conservation.
🐨Explorers take home every day something they've made or created, to use again or remember the program by.

“Their days were filled with fun activities and learning opportunities, which they talked about non stop at the end of each day.
They felt really special to get some behind the scenes access and the feedback from staff showed how engaged they had been. It was truly a joy to see.” Parent feedback 😊💚

If you’re thinking about how you’re going to juggle the school holidays, this could be just what you’re looking for 👍

🗓️April 13, 14, 15.
🕓8.45am - 4pm

For all the details, including program activities and registration, head to ➡️https://www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/explorers

30/03/2026

This week, NASA will be launching Artemis II, the first mission to take humans around the Moon in more than 50 years 🌕🚀

The 4-person mission is expected to take 10 days, travelling over 1.1million kilometers! 👨‍🚀👨‍🚀

Our school holiday performances, Mission to the Moon is inspired by this upcoming lunar mission! ✨

If you want to hear some cool space facts, have some fun along the way, plus see the full moon through the Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society - MPAS telescopes make sure you don't miss the performance Saturday April 4th.

We also have daytime performances, plus circus workshops with the performers, April 7, 8 and 9.

For all the event details, head to ➡️https://thebriars.eventbrite.com

📷 Image Credit: NASA Artemis
Michael DeMocker I Sam Lott I Joel Kowsky

29/03/2026

Half way there 😊 It's been a great first week of the resident plant giveaway, talking all things plants and gardens with our local community. 💚🌱

📅 The nursery is open this week Tuesday - Thursday, 9am - 3.30pm, for the final days of the giveaway.

Don't forget:
🌿3 native tube stock plants per household
🌿Bring along your proof of residency.
🌿Free plants available until giveaway stocks run out

28/03/2026

Check out the Briars and other Mt Martha faves tonight on Postcards 🤩🦘
Sunday 29th March at 5.30pm on Channel 9📺🤳

26/03/2026

The Briars Wildlife Sanctuary and Community Forest are closed due to a severe weather warning in place for damaging winds and heavy rainfall for today, Friday March 27th.

We will provide further updates here when the sanctuary and community forest reopens or you’re welcome to give the Visitor Centre a call on 5950 1221.

Stay safe everyone. 🌳💚

Address

450 Nepean Highway
Mount Martha, VIC
3934

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm
Saturday	9am - 5pm
Sunday	9am - 5pm

Website

https://www.mornpen.vic.gov.au/Environment/The-Briars

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