About Us
Venues
The Sorrento Writers Festival is fortunate to have access to some of the town’s most beautiful spaces. We have rooms with views, rooms with character and buildings that date back to the late 1800s. We thank our friends from those community organisations that support our Festival with a ‘come and use our space’ welcome. From the bowls club to the RSL, the spirit of Sorrento is alive and well. Don’t forget a visit to Antipodes, Sorrento’s own indie bookstore and a highlight for all book-lovers.
The Continental Sorrento and InterContinental Sorrento
Our Festival Hub is The Continental Sorrento, one of the Mornington Peninsula’s architectural gems. Built in 1875 by Melbourne theatre impresario George Coppin, The Continental’s two main Festival spaces are the Halcyon Hall and the Grand Ballroom.
Our Festival bookshop, run by Avenue Bookstore, will be located in the Coppin Lounge on level one of The Continental Sorrento. You will find the Festival Box Office on the ground floor just near the stairs in front of the Barlow Room. With the InterContinental Sorrento next door and a selection of bars, restaurants and coffee spots, The Continental Sorrento will be buzzing with activity over the Festival weekend.
The Continental Sorrento and InterContinental Sorrento are our treasured Festival partners and once again we thank them for their support. We look forward to staging together another remarkable four-day event. If you are looking for a place to stay, The InterContinental Sorrento offers luxury accommodation at the heart of the Festival.
The Continental Sorrento
1-21 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
The InterContinental Sorrento
23 Constitution Hill Road, Sorrento
Hotel Sorrento
Built in 1872, Hotel Sorrento is one of the Mornington Peninsula’s most-loved watering holes. Owned by the Pitt family, we are delighted to be including their newly built conference centre as a Festival venue this year with several sessions also to be held in their Salt Bar.
Hotel Sorrento also offers many options for eating and drinking as well as Marlo Spa, a restful retreat away from the excitement of Festival events.
5-15 Hotham Rd, Sorrento
Sorrento-Portsea RSL
Founded in 1919, the Sorrento-Portsea RSL brings together a strong community to honour the spirit of service and mateship. The building, tucked down below George Street, has a long tradition as a local hub for celebrations, commemorations and community support. It is home to the generations-old Tom Katz Live Music and Entertainment venue as well as the fabulous Sorrento Thai Restaurant, Jack’s Bar and Lounge and The Terrace.
Sorrento-Portsea RSL is a proud community-based volunteer-run and not-for-profit organisation. There are no gaming machines and club members are proud to tell you its operation is supported by the hard work of members.
3 Hurley Street, Sorrento
Ellen Grant Hall and St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
The limestone St Andrew’s Church was built in 1888 (it is one of only three intact limestone churches left on the Peninsula) and is one of Sorrento’s finest buildings. Next door, the timber Ellen Grant Hall – a popular Festival venue – was built in 1937. Both buildings are a three-minute walk from The Continental Sorrento Festival Hub.
43 Kerferd Avenue, Sorrento
Sorrento Museum
The Nepean Historical Society established its museum in the Mechanics’ Institute, a National Trust-classified building built of local limestone, in 1876-77. The museum is home to the Heritage Gallery, multimedia and lecture facilities, an extensive photo collection and documentary archive. Research and copying services are available on request, and visitors can search some open indexes and material online.
827 Melbourne Road, Sorrento
Sorrento Bowls Club
Sorrento Bowls Club is an iconic destination on the Mornington Peninsula and offers barefoot bowls sessions year round, plus competitive pennant and social bowls from September to July. It is the oldest bowls club on the Mornington Peninsula and has been welcoming locals and tourists alike since 1934. Festival events are held in the clubhouse, which can be accessed via Hotham Street or the football oval, the David Macfarlan Reserve, where our Rotary friends will operate carparking over the Festival weekend. The Sorrento Bowls Club is a 7-10 minute walk from the main street.
35 Hotham Road, Sorrento
The Baths, Sorrento
The Baths restaurant is located on the Sorrento foreshore with breathtaking views across Port Phillip Bay. The fully licensed restaurant offers casual relaxed dining every day for lunch, dinner, snacks, weddings and corporate events. Each year, The Baths is the venue for our Political Lunch. It’s just a five-minute walk down the hill from The Continental Sorrento and a great place for a coffee or meal.
3278 Point Nepean Road, Sorrento
Sorrento Community Centre
Sorrento Community Centre aims to create a healthy, connected and vibrant community.
Through consultation and collaboration, the centre delivers community-driven programs, which include social, educational, recreational and support activities.
With seating for up to 350 people, it is the Festival’s largest venue. You will find the centre at the bottom of the supermarket carpark – a brisk 5-7 minute walk from The Continental Sorrento.
860-868 Melbourne Road, Sorrento
Antipodes Bookshop
Antipodes Bookshop & Gallery is a beautiful retail space in Sorrento’s main street, and a year-round hub for book and literary activities and art exhibitions. We encourage our Festival visitors to drop by Antipodes and enjoy the peaceful environment of a truly local indie bookstore.
138 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento
Portsea Surf Life Saving Club
Perched above the dramatic back beach, Portsea Surf Life Saving Club offers sweeping coastal views and a uniquely peninsula atmosphere. A cornerstone of the local community since 1949, the club is dedicated to keeping beachgoers safe while fostering a strong spirit of volunteerism and connection. Festival sessions at Portsea Surf Life Saving Club combine big ideas with fresh sea air – an inspiring combination! PSLSC is a short drive from Sorrento’s main street.
Back Beach Road, Portsea
Portsea Village Resort
Portsea Village is a light-filled community precinct in the heart of Portsea, surrounded by local shops and just minutes from the foreshore and iconic Portsea Pier. Modern and welcoming, the Village offers an intimate setting for Festival conversations. Portsea Village is a short drive from Sorrento’s main street.
3765 Point Nepean Road, Portsea
Sorrento Activity Centre (Senior Citizens Club)
The Sorrento Senior Citizens Centre is a much-loved local gathering place and home to our vibrant Family Afternoon program. Warm, accessible and community-focused, the centre provides the perfect setting for children’s storytelling and creative activities. The Senior Citizens Centre is an 8-10 minute walk from The Continental Sorrento.
823 Melbourne Road, Sorrento