East Gippsland

East Gippsland (dead link: January 2023) is part of the Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia.

Cities

Bairnsdale 📍 commercial hub and gateway to the Gippsland Lakes
Bruthen 📍 small town on the Tambo River
Buchan 📍 in East Gippsland — small hamlet famed for its caves
Cann River 📍 – convenient stopping point at the junction between the Princes and Monaro Highway
Lakes Entrance 📍 — mouth of the Gippsland Lakes and popular coastal destination
Mallacoota 📍 – small coastal town in Gippsland's far east
Orbost 📍 — local regional centre in Snowy River country and a good place to explore the Snowy River (made famous by the Banjo Patterson Poem).
Paynesville 📍 – boating resort on the Gippsland Lakes

Other destinations

Croajingolong National Park 📍 – a remote coastal wilderness including beaches, tall forests, heathland, rainforest, estuaries and granite peaks.

Understand

Get in

East Gippsland is usually a five hour drive from Melbourne via the A1 Princes Highway and a seven hour drive from Sydney also via the A1 Princes Highway. V/line operates trains up to Bairnsdale, but does not any further east of that.

Get around

See

Ninety Mile Beach is the longest uninterrupted beach in Australia and considered to be the third longest in the world. Lakes Entrance is the most accessible point along the beach, but other parts of the beach are accessible by boat on the lakes, or by road to some of the bushland hamlets along the beach. It isn't hard to find 10-20 miles of beach for yourself here.
Gippsland Lakes

Itineraries

The Princes Highway, National Route 1, cuts through the region and its major towns. Most of the sights of the area are accessible from the highway, or with short diversions from it.

East Gippsland railtrail

The East Gippsland railtrail, runs from Bairnsdale to Orbost. The old railway line that used to extend Bairnsdale into Orbost has now been converted into a track for walking, cycling or horseriding.

Commencing from Bairnsdale, the track commences just east of the Mitchell River in Bairnsdale Park. You can see the old railway bridge across the Mitchell River, but it is only half standing and clearly unsuitable for traffic. The track starts just east of it. There is plenty of parking, and across the Princes Highway there are toilets and water fountains for filling water bottles etc. There are no facilities along the track for 10km. The first section of track from Bairnsdale to Nicholson is paved.

The track continues across mostly agricultural land for the first few kilometres, until it crosses the Princes Highway. At the point of crossing, about 200m to the left of the junction along the highway there is a mini-golf and archery centre. The mini-golf is quite unique, and they sell ice-cream and drinks there.

Continuing on across the highway, the trail crosses some small creeks largely on the original rail bridges before coming into Nicholson. The trail crosses the Nicholson river on the original high level rail bridge, and is really quite spectacular. Cycle down just prior to the bridge along the river to a park and play area by the river. There are electric barbecues here. Across the road there is a pub, and 50m back away from the river there is a general store, selling hot food, drinks and ice-creams. There is water and toilets available in the park.

After the Nicholson River Bridge the track is no longer paved, but is a nice fine gravel well suited for cycling, but a hybrid or mountain bike would be best. The track continues another 12km onto towards Bruthen, leaving the alignment of the Princes Highway. At Bruthen the track goes through an original rail tunnel, and then crosses the original rail bridge over the Tambo River, another spectacular crossing. It is a short signposted diversion from the trail into Bruthen, the park in the centre strip of the road has toilets, water, and there is also a take-away store and a cafe on the main strip.

After Bruthen the track starts to go through the Colquhoun State Forest. It is a steady uphill gradient for the first 5km or so (or a very nice cruise into Bruthen, depending on your direction). The next section into Nowa Nowa continues through the forest, now on a gradual downhill. If cycling you can have a 2-3km stretch here with no pedalling required. The track passes a large trestle bridge over Stony Creek before Nowa Nowa - possibly one of the largest trestle bridges in Australia. Nowa Nowa has a general store and a cafe.

From Nowa Nowa the trail runs through the Waygara State forest to Newmerella. There is a service station in Newmerella. The trail follows by the side of the road and across the bridge the final 5km into Orbost.

Do

East Gippsland Aboriginal Arts Corporation, 222 Nicholson Street, Bairnsdale, +61 3 5153 1002. Learn about the Aboriginal Dreamtime (the Dreamtime are Aboriginal stories and legends of how their land was created). Observe traditional Aboriginal dance. Participate in a traditional Aboriginal festival. Take a self guided tour of sacred or historical Aboriginal site.
Buchan Caves, +61 13 1963. Near the township of Buchan, lies a honeycomb of caves full of spectacular limestone formations. Tours are available to the Fairy Cave and Royal Cave.Special cave tours (some of which involve donning a helmet and light) for small groups are offered during the school holidays and may be organised by prior arrangement. $13.50 adult
Spray Cruises, Metung, +61 428 516 055. Sail aboard a 75 year old 45ft gaff rigged ketch through the Gippsland Lakes. Walk on the 90 Mile Beach, observe water birds, dolphins, seals and historic sites. Expert commentary included. Groups to 35. Adult $35 2022-08-02
Blue Pool Walking Tracks, Freestone Creek, 10 kms north of Briagolong. Set in natural bushland, Blue pool is a crystal clear pool at Freestone Creek. Freestone Creek is a part of Gippsland’s forgotten goldfields and a short walk from Blue Pool. Several short walks commence from the Blue Pools.