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What's On at The Briars

Markets, music, performances, education, tours, plants, workshops and self-guided programs are all on offer at the Briars. Explore below for more information or drop in at our Visitor Centre, open every day (except Christmas Day) from 10am to 4.30pm.

Special events

Briars Geocaching

24 Mar 2023 Want to take treasure hunting to the next level? Then the Briars site-wide geocaching is for you! We're putting a Briars spin on traditional geocaching with themed 'caches' or boxes hidden onsite.

The Briars - Event Lawn, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha 3934

50 more dates

Tagged as: , Online, Community, Family Friendly, School Holiday Program, Shire Events

Games on the Deck

25 Mar 2023 Challenge your family to a game of chess and backgammon, or another of our fun free Games on the Visitor Centre Deck. Available every day during Easter school holidays and on the weekend.

The Briars - Visitor Centre Deck, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha 3934

29 more dates

Tagged as: , Online

Mount Martha Briars Market

26 Mar 2023 Purchase the freshest produce from across the region and engage with our talented stallholders. Soak up the fun market vibe whilst exploring the beautiful grounds of the Briars.

The Briars, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha 3934

1 more date

Tagged as: , Community, Family Friendly, Food & Wine, Markets

Briars Junior Ranger - Mini Ecologist

12 Apr 2023 Can you think like an ecologist and help our rangers create safe spaces for our wildlife? Come and join our rangers as they share stories of our Wildlife Sanctuary. Meet various animals up close and hear what their roles are in keeping our natural spaces healthy.

The Briars, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha 3934

Tagged as: , Environment, Family Friendly, School Holiday Program, Shire Events

Calling all wannabe Ecologists! After Dark wildlife survey & encounter

12 Apr 2023 Our rangers manage the animal population in the Wildlife Sanctuary to ensure the health and happiness of wildlife. Join them in the Wildlife Sanctuary after dark as they demonstrate several research techniques. Assist in wildlife spotting and just for one night pretend to be an ecologist. In addition, take the opportunity to get up close and personal with a native animal encounter.

The Briars, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha 3934

Tagged as: , Environment, Family Friendly, School Holiday Program, Shire Events

Briars by Night

13 Apr 2023 Briars by Night is a free, non-ticketed event, which includes live acoustic music, games, food trucks and a projection trail.

The Briars, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha 3934

9 more dates

Tagged as: , Arts & Culture

Luminosity

13 Apr 2023 An immersive theatrical night walk in the Briars Wildlife Sanctuary. Four beautifully crafted acts pull you into the world of wildlife. Start your evening with dinner, music and games on the Event Lawn.

Part of the Drift Festival.

The Briars, 450 Nepean Highway, Mount Martha 3934

29 more dates

Tagged as: , Arts & Culture

Australian Native Plant Sale

29 Apr 2023 The Australian Plants Society Mornington Peninsula group is hosting its annual sale of Australian plants suited to Peninsula growing conditions. Local and regional growers will give you a great opportunity to buy from a wide range of native and indigenous plants; also short talks on planting, pruning, propagating and attracting wildlife, plus book sales.

The Briars, 450 Nepean Hwy, Mount Martha 3934

Tagged as: , Community, Environment, Markets

Build a Bat Box

06 May 2023 Learn all about the seven species of microbats that are found on the Mornington Peninsula and then build a microbat box for your garden.

The Briars, 450 Nepean Hwy, Mount Martha 3934

1 more date

Tagged as: , Community, Environment, Family Friendly, School Holiday Program, Shire Events

On all year

Scavenger hunt

Grab a scavenger hunt map from the Briars Visitor Centre and follow the clues to find the secrets held within the Wildlife Sanctuary.

Choose your own adventure

Why not take a walk around the Briars? Grab a 20 Things to Do at the Briars map(PDF, 3MB) from the front of the Visitor Centre and head off on your own adventure!

Wildlife Sanctuary

Wander through the Wildlife Sanctuary and you may encounter koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, emus and more! View the Wildlife Sanctuary Map(PDF, 1MB) to plan your next visit.

Walk - Mount Martha to the Briars

Due to storm damage the walk from Mt Martha to the Briars along the Balcombe Creek Walk is currently closed. View the Mt Martha Boardwalk(PDF, 842KB) map to plan your visit.

Picnics and BBQ's

There are plenty of beautiful lawn and garden spaces for you to enjoy a picnic in the outdoors. The BBQ and picnic areas are free and open to the public during daylight hours. If you are planning a special occasion, you can book out the BBQ area for your group. Please give us a call to discuss on 5974 3686.

Shire Nursery

The Shire Nursery is open Wednesday to Friday 9am to 3.30pm. Offering a range of indigenous and native plants, more information is available at the Shire Nursery page.

Give the Nursery a call to discuss your plant needs, what is suitable to grow in your area and any large orders.

Trade sales available.

Contact: 5974 8417 | nursery@mornpen.vic.gov.au

Heritage Gardens and Farm

Immerse yourself in the past as you wander through the grounds of the Briars Heritage Homestead.

The beautiful formal gardens create lovely walks and picnic areas.

Head into the Heritage Seed Garden to discover heritage varieties of vegetables and then wander down to say hello to the heritage pigs and chickens.

Tours of the grounds are available. Please call 5974 3686 to book.

Other things to do at The Briars

Angus and Rose Coffee & Creativity

Offering children’s workshops and parties as well as daily coffee and cake.

Opening Hours
Monday to Friday 9am to 3pm
Saturday to Sunday 10am to 4pm
Phone: 5974 4833
Instagram: @angusandroseatthebriars

Eco Living Display Centre

See first-hand how you can reduce your water, energy and waste to decrease your bills, make your home more comfortable and save the environment. The Centre also runs monthly sustainable workshops and school education programs on demand.

Opening Hours
Friday 1 to 4pm
1st Saturday of every month 9.00am to 1.00pm
Website: Eco Living Display Centre
Email: environmentaleducation@mornpen.vic.gov.au

Briars Outdoor Ed Camp

Locally owned and operated camp, popular with schools during the week, sporting and community groups on the weekend.

Phone: 5974 8333
Email: info@briarscamp.com.au

Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society

The Mornington Peninsula Astronomical Society welcomes the public to viewing nights and special events throughout the year, including observing the skies using modern telescopes at the Peter Lowe Observatory. MPAS volunteers provide fascinating experiences for all ages in their purpose-built viewing facility.

The MPAS “Astronomy on the Move” program has supported local schools and interested community groups across the Peninsula and surrounding regions for over 50 years. National, State and local conferences are regularly held by the MPAS, with its members becoming internationally recognized and published for their contributions within the global amateur astronomy community.

Visitors are always welcome and membership details are shown on the website at www.mpas.asn.au. Public Viewing Nights are held on the first Friday of every month. Bookings and information about special events can also be found on the website.

The Briars Astronomy Centre is a registered designated (DO3-1) observatory to preserve its heritage significance on the peninsula.

Phone: 0419 253 252
Website: www.mpas.asn.au
Instagram: @mpas_astronomy

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