Taxonomy Term

Sorrento is a township in Victoria, Australia, located on the shores of Port Phillip on the Mornington Peninsula, about one and a half hours south of Melbourne. It is a largely upper-class, seaside resort area, but is also a quiet seaside township in the off-peak months of the year. In 1803, 30 years before the founding of Melbourne, Sullivan Bay in Sorrento became the site of Victoria's first mainland European settlement. Due to a lack of fresh water the settlement was short lived and subsequently moved to Hobart in Tasmania. Victoria's first magistrates' court, public hospital, postal service and government printing office were established in Sorrento. The first Victorian wedding, christening and funeral services were held at Sullivans Bay. The first settlement site overlooking Sullivans Bay includes graves believed to be of first settlers. Sorrento Post Office opened on 10 January 1871. A horse and steam powered tram which ran between the foreshore and the back beach opened in 1890 and closed in 1920. Source: Wikipedia