SORRENTO Sorrento is a short Ferry ride from Queenscliff. Hence the visit. When in Queenscliff it is recommended our travelers take the ferry trip to the other side of the bay to Sorrento this is a three hour return journey. Just enough time to enjoy lunch or a few refreshments. Sorrento itself is home to the blue blood of old Victoria and exudes wealth. In 1803, 30 years before the founding of Melbourne, Sullivan Bay in Sorrento became the site of Victoria's first 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’s Bay. The first settlement site overlooking Sullivan’s Bay includes graves believed to be of first settlers. 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 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. The Sorrento War Memorial has a waterfront outlook. The Sorrento Hotels are grand tourist venues. The Sorrento United Church is a century plus structure. There is much to offer from Sorrento including the famous back beach. Heritage diary