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FEATURE
Spotlight: Lakes Entrance
There’s plenty to get your teeth into at this popular beachside tourist spotBeloved by generations of visitors as a quintessentially Victorian beach holiday destination, Lakes Entrance is around four hours drive from Melbourne and is well known for its safe, patrolled surf beaches and the vast surrounds of the Gippsland Lakes with all the options of swimming, fishing, kayaking, boating and touring.
Best visited outside peak tourist season unless you enjoy the crowds, Lakes Entrance has a permanent population of just 4500 that swells to 25,000 over summer as families’ flock to enjoy the many water activities, abundant wildlife, including seals and Burrunan dolphins, and tasty local produce and seafood bought straight off the boat.
But the coastal waters off Lakes Entrance offer far more than that – particularly for those who wish to catch their own.
“Lakes Entrance is really building its reputation as a great destination for game fishing all year around, especially for adventurous fishers who like to hunt large species, such as broadbill swordfish, which can be found about 80 kilometres offshore,” Tony Kemna, of Far Out Fishing Charters, said.
“Improvements in technology mean more boats can travel further offshore to reach the Continental Shelf. We also have a safe harbour and dredged channel to support a variety of boats.”
Largest inland lakes system
Situated at the entrance to the Gippsland Lakes, the largest inland lakes system in Australia, Lakes Entrance was settled by Europeans in the 1850s and the entrance created to allow ocean-going vessels access between the ocean and the lake.
Other fish species found in the area include big-eyed tuna, southern bluefin tuna, mako shark, striped marlin and albacore tuna, while snapper and gummy shark are commonly caught off Ninety Mile Beach.
The Gippsland Lakes, and neighbouring Lake Tyers, are renowned for prawns and fish such as flathead, bream, trevally, tailor and whiting.
“The region has always been popular with recreational fishers but even if you don’t fish yourself, you’re never far away from the freshest local seafood,” said Karly McCaskill of East Gippsland Marketing Inc.
“The Lakes Entrance fishing fleet brings its catch in from Bass Strait where you can buy it straight from the local fishing co-op.”
The region also is popular for people who love to go crabbing or to collect fresh shellfish, such as mussels, on the rocks, walls and jetties around town.
“Crabs are really popular among Chinese visitors and can be found throughout the lake system, and particularly around Bullock Island in Lakes Entrance. They’re caught by placing bait in a crab pot, similar to the way you’d catch lobster.”
You’ll need a fishing licence to drop a line, and quotas and sizing applies.
Seafood delicacies
Those who prefer to stay land-based can still wash down a meal of freshly caught seafood with a matched local wine in waterfront restaurants, such as Miriam’s Seafood Restaurant or Ferryman’s Seafood Restaurant.
Or pick up supplies to cook yourself at Off the Wharf, the retail outlet run by the Lakes Entrance Fishing Cooperative on Bullock Island, where you can watch the boats unloading their catch while you wait.
Lakes Entrance will host its second annual Hooked on Lakes Entrance Seafood Festival on Sunday March 11, 2018.
Camping options
Not surprisingly, there are plenty of spots to park your caravan or pitch a tent – from the higher-profile holiday park chains like Top Parks, NRMA and BIG4, to more basic caravan parks and other low-cost and free camping options away from the hordes.
If you’re touring the area around early-November the annual Omeo High Country Caravan & RV Muster, about an hour and a half drive from the coast, is worth a visit. The three day festival takes place at the Omeo Golf Club and includes live music, fireworks and a small RV display.
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Written byCaravancampingsales Staff
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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