Sorrento, Victoria
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Sorrento Melbourne, Victoria |
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Sorrento Beach
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 Sorrento
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| Coordinates | 38°20′20″S 144°44′27″E / 38.33889°S 144.74083°ECoordinates: 38°20′20″S 144°44′27″E / 38.33889°S 144.74083°E | ||||||||||||
| Population | 1,448 (2011) | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 207/km2 (540/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Established | 1830s | ||||||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3943 | ||||||||||||
| Area | 7 km2 (2.7 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Location | 91 km (57 mi) from Melbourne | ||||||||||||
| LGA(s) | Shire of Mornington Peninsula | ||||||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Nepean | ||||||||||||
| Federal Division(s) | Flinders | ||||||||||||
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Sorrento is a township in Victoria, Australia, located on the shores of Port Phillip on the Mornington Peninsula, about one and a half hours by car 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. It was named by the Italian founders after the southern Italian town.
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 Sullivan Bay.
The first settlement site overlooking Sullivan 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.
The town has a number of grand historic homes and hotels which date back to the 1860s, almost all of which have been constructed with local limestone. The Australia ICOMOS charter for the conservation of places of cultural significance in the practice of local heritage protection has listed 30 properties.Mechanics' Institute, Sorrento was built in 1877 using local limestone and the building, which is now classified by the National Trust of Australia, houses the Nepean Historical Society's museum. Other notable limestone buildings still standing include: Sorrento Hotel (1872), Anglican Church (1875 nave, 1889 transept), Athenaeum Theatre (1894), Continental Hotel (1875), Whitehall Guest House (1904). The sandstone Presbyterian Church was built around 1880. Ophir House, opposite the Masonic Lodge, a miniature Whitehall, was replaced by contemporary units. Stringers Store and
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