Gippsland Lakes Travel Guide

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The Marina Hotel at Loch Sport sits right on the shores of picturesque Lake Victoria and is only a stones throw from the majestic Ninety Mile Beach. Outdoor tables are basked in sunlight and make a fabulous place to stop for a feed on a nice day while taking in the views. The indoor area is a little noisy when crowded, but with its floor to ceiling windows and fireplace it makes a great escape form the wind and cold on those not so nice days. The hotel serves everything from takeaways to full three course meals for both lunch and dinner. We tried the battered flake fillets served with fat chips and salad and were certainly not disappointed. The meal had to rate as the best pub served fish'n'chips I've had anywhere and it only cost AU $15.90. Give it a try you won't be disappointed!

The waters of the Ninety Mile Beach are pristine and inviting and offer paradise to the local fishermen, but swimmers should take great care because of strong undercurrents and rips.

I haven't tried this, so have no photos. Maybe when we get around to that short holiday we have promised ourselves I will be able to remedy that!

I was pleased to read though that the old railway line from Bairnsdale to Lakes Entrance has now been transformed into a cycle track, rather grandly called the "Gippsland Lakes Discovery Trail". The Trail covers a distance of 66km, apparently through an interesting mixture of scenery, much of which is the Colquhoun State Forest, and including tunnels. So yes, you too can make noises like an old steam engine as you puff along the route of the old railway (I know I would!).

Actually, it appears that this is a new link into a larger cycle trail, on old rail lines, now running from Bairnsdale to Orbost (see the map in "general" tips).

Favorite thing: Long ago, ocean levels rose after the last ice age, forming Bass Strait. Prevailing winds and ocean currents then deposited sand which formed sand spits, islands and dunes along low-lying areas of the eastern coast of Victoria. Eventually these joined to form the 90 mile beach as a barrier to Bass Strait. Meanwhile, the rivers bringing water, sand and silt from the inland ranges divided the area into lakes and swamps. The lakes now cover an area of about 350 sq km.

White settlement of the area began after 1840, followed in the 1850s by gold discoveries. With development the need for a port increased – roads were nearly non-existent. Work began in 1869 on a permanent entrance to the lakes, continuing for twenty years until a large storm completed the task in 1889, scouring out the half-completed entrance near the village of Lakes Entrance. Commercial shipping then operated through the lakes to towns in the area until 1935, when roads were adequately developed, but the entrance still is maintained by a dredge and is used by the fishing fleet.