Lakes Entrance

Lakes Entrance Vic 3909 (Pop 5 500)
Pic: by Fir0002

Lakes Entrance is a pretty holiday resort on the Gippsland Lakes 317 km east of Melbourne. This safe harbour is home to one of Australia’s largest fishing fleets. Original inhabitants were the Kurnai Aborigines and European settlement began in 1850s. Oil was mined nearby between 1924-45 and today Lakes Entrance still services a number of offshore oil rigs, together with a prosperous fishing industry and growing tourism. Lakes Summer Festival (Jan), International Festival of the Lakes (Oct) NY’s Eve Fireworks (Dec).

Tourist Attractions & Info:
Wooden Sculptures, along the promenade depicting images of Australia at war.

Nearby:
Jemmy Point Lookout (1 km west) overhanging bluff with excellent water views and rich in Aboriginal folklore. Gippsland Lakes are a group of coastal lagoons with the main lakes being Wellington, Victoria & King spanning 320 coastal km. This area incorporates The Lakes NP, Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park and Ninety Mile Beach and is Australia’s largest navigable inland waterway covering 400 sq km fed by 5 major rivers. The wetlands are a habitat for over 40 000 waterbirds with parts are used for commercial and recreational fishing. Additionally, there are numerous Aboriginal shell middens, sacred burial sites and scarred trees. Nyerimilang Heritage Park (10 km n-w) features an historic homestead (1892), original farm buildings and the ornamental grounds of the East Gippsland Botanic Gardens. Lake Bunga (3 km east) scenic foreshores nature trail. Lake Tyers (6-23 km n-e) ideal fishing, swimming and boating conditions. Lake Tyers Forest Park (20 km n-e) great camping and bushwalking with good wildlife variety. Walks include Lake Reeve, Lakes Entrance (2.3 km), Lake Bunga.

Accommodation:
Lakes Entrance has many motels, a hotel, resort, holiday cottages/apartments, 3 B&Bs and about 20 caravan parks. Visitor Information Centre: Cnr Esplanade & Marine Pde. Tel (03) 5155 1966 or 1800 637 060.