Boasting all kinds of wonder, Gippsland is a diverse region located to the east of Melbourne, stretching to the New South Wales border. The region is known for its expansive coastline and the Gippsland Lakes, Wilsons Promontory National Park and a cluster of charming villages, including Walhalla, Loch and Metung. It’s also known for great food and wine, and a chance to see wildlife in the wild. Gippsland offers a myriad of holiday location options between the Victorian/New South Wales border and Melbourne.
Gippsland Lakes
The East Gippsland region is abundant with visitor experiences. Few places in the world offer the diverse waterways and fishing opportunities of the Gippsland Lakes. With over 600km of coastline, Gippsland is spoilt with its choice of beaches. The Gippsland Lakes provide a water-lovers sanctuary as the largest inland waterway in Australia. The Lakes are comprised of Lake Wellington, Lake Victoria and Lake King fed by mighty mountain rivers of the high country.
The Gippsland Lakes provide the ultimate water playground for visitors. Stretching over 400 square kilometres the Gippsland Lakes offer secluded inlets, tranquil rivers and sheltered anchorages all year round. Visitors swim, sail, boat, kayak, fish and stand-up paddleboard in its sheltered waterways. Local boat hire businesses teach visitors how to operate a yacht or cruiser, no license required. Fishing in the region is a limitless adventure, with a long list of fish and shellfish on offer. Enjoy a guided fishing tour of the lakes or take to the open water in search of some really big fins.
Learn how to sail, stand-up paddleboard or kayak or take to the ocean from a deep-sea fishing charter. Eleven world-class national, coastal and marine parks and reserves are here to explore. And Croajingolong National Park hugs the Coast for 100km north of the Lakes Region and is the gateway to Mallacoota.
Mallacoota may well be Victoria’s best-kept secret. Visit Searchandstay.com for a beachside holiday house where you can spend lazy days on the beach in this relaxed and largely undeveloped coastal village, on the fringe of one of Australia’s most beautiful places. Go to SearchandStay.com when looking for holiday accommodation at Mallacoota or around Gippsland Lakes.
Wildlife in the wild
Kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, emus, koalas, possums and echidnas are all commonly sighted Australian animals found in Gippsland. The Gippsland Lakes in the east abound with native birds and over 280 species of birds co-exist at Croajingolong National Park. Raymond Island, just off Paynesville is home to a large koala colony and is the best place in Victoria to see koalas in the wild.
Lakes Entrance
Lakes Entrance is a water-loving town has plenty to give and is a must for anyone who is a slave to the tides. Stunning swimming beaches, a thriving water sports scene, glistening lakes, world-class fishing and swoon-worthy sunsets has kept Lakes Entrance at the top of the holiday destination charts for decades. This lively family-friendly town is set at the eastern edge of Ninety Mile Beach, where the Gippsland Lakes, Australia’s largest inland waterways, breakthrough to the Southern Ocean.
Set along Cunninghame Arm Inlet, take a stroll along the lakeside Esplanade, lined with attractive parklands and studded with wooden carved sculptures. One side of the Esplanade brims with waterfront eateries, ice cream shops and accommodation, and on the other, hundreds of boats bob gently in the marina, including Australia’s largest fishing fleet.
The section of foreshore beside the rotunda is where you’ll find the Lakes Entrance Surf Club Foreshore Market on the first Sunday of the month. A short walk over the footbridge and through the dunes gets you to the golden sands of Ninety Mile Beach. At the western end of town is the Griffiths Sea Shell Museum, boasting one of Australia’s largest collections of sea life, from displays of coral reefs, rare fish and oodles of shells. Take an unforgettable camel ride along the shores of Ninety Mile Beach with Lakes Entrance Camel Rides, a great family experience.
For Lakes Entrance holiday accommodation and places to stay in the Gippsland Lakes and holiday houses in Mallacoota, visit Searchandstay.com