So you fancy mixing up a bit of coast and country, wandering wild beaches and checking out niche wineries shoreside with pals? Luckily, that’s why God invented Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, an effort-free hour-and-a-half’s drive from Melbourne. Divine intervention must be responsible for style-savvy Portsea holiday house Zealandia, perhaps the chicest spot on the Peninsula, bookable via boutique hotel collection Mr & Mrs Smith.

Design fans will be in heaven at this restored Fifties beach house, tucked inland in pretty Portsea village, midway between the bay and ocean shores. Retro mid-20th-century furniture classics mingle with vintage accessories and a striking collection of modern Australian and Aboriginal art, with indigenous fish traps, baskets, ceremonial sticks and animal figurines lending the place a quirky, hand-crafted touch.

This hip holiday home sleeps six, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and three living spaces, so works well for couples or intimate groups of friends. It’s all about self-catering in style, so make the most of the ‘cook’s kitchen’, loaded with quality gadgets, and the enticing entertaining areas inside and out. The Peninsula’s gourmet rep is no idle boast, so stock up on fresh regional produce en route (try Darriwill Farm’s delicious deli in nearby Sorrento, at 51 Ocean Beach Road). Smith members who book Zealandia receive a free hamper including a bottle of local wine, Haigh’s chocolates and seasonal fruit to get the party started.

Outdoors is cute too, with a simple garden surrounded by tea-tree fences and dotted with minimalist succulents. There’s a lounger-flanked pool out by the deck, but with surf-friendly waves beckoning at Portsea’s dramatic ocean ‘back’ beach and sheltered swimming bayside, you’ll be tempted to forage further afield. Wander Portsea Pier, take a quick dip or line up some sea kayaking, scuba diving or dolphin spotting with Bayplay Adventure Tours.

Prefer to frolic on dry land? Pop to Port Nepean National Park, just west of Portsea on the tapering tip of the Peninsula, for views across the Rip to the Bellarine coast. Once military land, this rugged spot is brilliant for short bush walks or hire a bike at the entrance for two-wheeled forays (there’s even a transporter vehicle that offers drop offs and pick-ups around the park if you’re feeling lazy). Explore the old Quarantine Station, the kooky assortment of military bunkers and the memorial to PM Harold Holt, who drowned in mysterious circumstances off the coast here.

Take a picnic or treat yourself to fish and chips at Portsea Hotel  afterwards, washed down with sexy sea views.

To book Zealandia or any of Mr & Mrs Smith’s boutique holiday houses visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or call the Travel Team on 1300 89 66 27 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            1300 89 66 27      end_of_the_skype_highlighting, 24 hours a day, five days a week.