Category: Escape

Escape to Gippsland and Visit and Experience the Amazing

Escape to Gippsland, making up the vast eastern corner of Victoria, visit and region and you be rewarded with natural landscapes of breathtaking beauty, state of the art farming and lovingly created farm-gate produce. Take your pick from distinct regional pockets and break up your journey with visits to quaint seaside villages, alpine towns and farming communities along with some of the countries best wineries and breweries. Relax on unspoilt beaches, fill up on farm-fresh produce and get active on the region's lakes, rivers and mountain ranges. Parts of Gippsland make up the countries food bowl, leading farming practices and unparalleled tourism.

West Gippsland

The western part of the region around Western Port Bay and the Bunyip River is mostly flat (much of it having been reclaimed from the drained Koo Wee Rup Swamp), while the eastern part consists of low rolling hills.

To the north these hills become steeper as they merge into the Great Dividing Range. Relatively fertile, the lowland areas are mainly given over to dairy farming, but are also noted for their niche agricultural produce, giving rise to the term "Gippsland Gourmet Country".[citation needed] In the mountainous north around Noojee logging remains an important industry, while a small winter resort is located to the northeast at Mount Baw Baw. Further to the east are the small township of Erica and the historic gold mining town of Walhalla.

Nature reserves in the region include Bunyip State Park, Mount Worth State Park and Baw Baw National Park. Principal towns of West Gippsland include (from west to east along the Princes Highway) Pakenham, Drouin, Warragul and Trafalgar.

Channel your inner adventurer, and spend a weekend exploring a region full of bushwalking trails, untouched forests and waterfalls. Only a 75-minute drive from Melbourne, West Gippsland will inspire you to seek out the many potential adventures the region has to offer.

The natural abundance of West Gippsland has also long attracted graziers, vintners and vegetable growers, as well as chefs and producers keen to harness their produce.

Pack your walking shoes and discover the most photogenic spots on foot, or strap your bike to the roof and spend an afternoon pedalling along a local trail. After adventuring around, refuel with some of Victoria's best produce at one of the many spectacular dining options, before setting in to fall asleep to the sound of nature.

Central Gippsland

Located just over two hours east of Mel­bourne, Welling­ton Shire in the heart of Gipp­s­land is the third largest munic­i­pal­ity in Vic­to­ria. With an area of over 11000 square kilo­me­tres, Welling­ton Shire hosts some of Victoria’s great­est nat­ural beauty along­side a boom­ing indus­trial and agri­cul­tural indus­try.

Gippsland's waterways
The Gippsland Lakes are fed by the waters of five major rivers and fringed by Ninety Mile Beach. They provide ample opportunities for swimming, fishing, boating and sailing. Dine al fresco at a lakeside restaurant or pub, have a family picnic by a river, or take a stroll through the waterfront villages of Paynesville, Metung or Lakes Entrance.

Victoria's far east
Continue east to Croajingolong National Park, a World Biosphere Reserve. With more than 100 kilometres of pristine coastline and hinterland, it is a great place to go bushwalking, surfing or spotting various species of bird and plant life. Mallacoota is a good base for exploring the park and also offers excellent fishing and boating.