The Gippsland Lakes:
Deserted beaches, portside cafes, two national parks, three rivers, totally sheltered moorings, pristine ocean beach and abundant wildlife and birdlife. Where else can you easily explore all these wonderful places, by boat, in safety?

The Gippsland Lakes is truly a boating paradise where you can spend your mornings swimming, your days boating, your afternoons sipping espresso, and your evenings watching the most glorious sunsets.

You can be as energetic or as lazy as you like - the Lakes offer both experiences.

And boating on the Lakes is very civilised. It's NOT about having to plan, calculate and worry about dramatic tides and big seas, with little sight of land or contact with civilisation (nowhere to easily buy fresh supplies or top up the water tank).

The Lakes are about easily managed distances between great destinations. They're about buying supplies and enjoying an espresso in the sunshine, picking up the day's papers or the day's fish catch, and making your way to a national park where the jetty mooring and electric barbecues come free of charge for your enjoyment.

There are three lakes that make up the Gippsland Lakes: Lake King, Lake Victoria and Lake Wellington. And there are numerous navigable bays and inlets, such as Bancroft Bay, Duck Arm, Boxes Creek and Reeve Channel.

Three rivers flow into Lake King: The Tambo, Nicholson and Mitchell. All of them are navigable to the Princes Highway bridges; on the Tambo, Riviera Nautic's cruisers can pass under the bridge and go as far as 'The Cliffs'.

THE SEASON
The Lakes are delightful – and suitable for boating – all year. The long hot days of summer are relieved by a sea breeze that sets in at about 11 am and drops out when the sun goes down for perfect calm evenings. When it does get hot, simply drop anchor and enjoy a cooling swim (no sharks!). Summer temperature range 25-38oC.

Winter is another experience altogether. If you like solitude and peace, the winter months are perfect. You’ll rarely share a jetty with another boat, and the Ninety Mile Beach can be all yours. In the evening your boat will be snug and warm – or make use of the roaring log fires at shoreside pubs. (10 to 20oC.)

Autumn is glorious – balmy days with blue skies makes this probably the most relaxing time of year. And in spring, as the days get longer the call of boating becomes stronger. And the Lakes are like a huge nursery for young birds and joeys. (18 to 25oC)

PERFECT BOATING
Why are the Lakes perfect for boating

Safe & easy

• sand/mud lake floor - no rocks, reefs, or tides
• public jetties, and mooring right onto the beach
• always in sight of land
• sheltered inland waterways with ocean beach just beyond the sand dunes
• lots of very sheltered moorings

Natural

• this region is known as Lakes and Wilderness - for reasons that will be obvious when you visit
• two national parks border the Lakes
• over 140 species of birds and Ramsard-protected wetland habitats
• lots of kangaroos, koalas and other native animals
• dolphins, seals and plenty of fish

Uncrowded

• close to Melbourne for easy access, far enough away to escape the crowds
• vast waterways - 400 square kilometres
• plenty of anchorages to hide from the world
• 90 miles of ocean beach, mostly only accessible by water
• national parks mostly only accessible by water

Services

• lake-side towns with pubs and restaurants
• easy to stock up on supplies, and top up the water tanks
• great coffee, internet access, shopping
  
  

For Sailing

• vast open waters
• average wind strength: 10-15 knots
• excellent sea breezes in summer
• no tides

For cruising

• easy distances between one destination and the next
• drop the anchor anytime for a cooling swim