The Sorrento Tramway Company was established in 1889 and enabled passengers from the steamships to enjoy a comfortable ride through town to ocean swimming at the Back Beach.

The Sorrento pier was constructed in 1870 mainly for vessels engaged in transporting lime to Melbourne.

By 1886 the regular steamship service was capable of carrying well over 3,000 passengers a day on the paddle steamers Ozone, Hygeia and Weeroona. Over 4,000 trippers were known to arrive on some days. Many would then take the steam or horse-drawn tram to the Ocean Beach.