We made a trip to East Gippsland during the Christmas to New Year holiday break and stayed at Kalimna, which is a stone-throw away from Lakes Entrance. The following is our itinerary and I will cover each place in greater details later on.

Monday 24 Dec 2012

  • Depart Altona in the morning.
  • Lunch break at Lake Guthridge, Sale.
  • Visit adjacent Lake Guyatt, Sale Botanical Gardens and playground.
  • Check in holiday unit at Kalimna.
  • Visit Griffith’s Sea Shell Museum at Lakes Entrance.
  • Do grocery shopping at Safeway, Lakes Entrance (closed on Christmas Day).
  • Return to holiday unit due to raining.

Tuesday 25 Dec 2012

  • Cross the Cunninghame Arm Footbridge at Lakes Entrance to the Main Beach (90-mile Beach).
  • Visit Lake Tyers Beach, Beacon Reserve Lookout and Red Bluff.
  • Return to Lakes Entrance (with a detour to Eastern Beach) prior to lunch.
  • Stroll along the Esplanade, taking photos of wooden sculptures, piers and watching people catching crabs and picking mussels.
  • Drive to Bullock Island and see the pelicans at North Arm Boat Ramp, Lakes Entrance.
  • Photo shots of Lakes Entrance from 3 lookouts at Kalimna.
  • Visit Nyerimilang Park and Homestead and unexpectedly met the owners of the childcare centre where our kids are being placed in. They told us Cape Conran and Marlo are worth visiting.

Wednesday 26 Dec 2012

  • Visit Forest Park and Slab Hut at Orbost.
  • Saw the Paddle Steamer Curlip on the Snowy River (too bad as next run is on Fri 28 Dec).
  • Visited Marlo – Jetty, Marlo Hotel and a few lookouts such as French Narrows.
  • Arrived at Cape Conran Coastal Park – spent time at Salmon Rocks and East Cape Beach.
  • Did the mistake of trying to visit Yeerung River Gorge – where the roads are unpaved and difficult to drive on and the walk path to the Gorge is too steep to proceed further.
  • Repeated another mistake of visiting Cabbage Tree Flora Reserve, where the roads are again full of pebbles.
  • Toilet stop at Nowa Nowa and failed to find the Cosstick Weir.
  • Visited the Stony Creek Trestle Bridge.
  • Headed back to Lakes Entrance for dinner and grocery shopping.

Thursday 27 Dec 2012

  • Brief visit to Metung with stops at a jetty and Shaving Point and decided to return the following day.
  • Self-cooked lunch at Kalimna holiday unit.
  • Boarded the Thunderbird Cruise by Peels Cruise for a 2.5 hour afternoon cruise to Lake King, Lake Victoria, Metung and through the canals of Paynesville and Raymond Island.
  • Drive along Seaview Parade at Kalimna for a view of Lakes Entrance.

Friday 28 Dec 2012

  • Kalimna – Visit Jemmy’s Point Lookout, Seaview Parade and Kalimna Jetty.
  • Revisited Metung, walking along its boardwalks at Bancroft Bay and seeing the Legend Rock, Metung Hotel and jetties.
  • Drive on the Great Alpine Road and along the Tambo River, passing through towns such as Ensay.
  • Toilet stop at Swifts Creek.
  • Visit Omeo and its historical park. Took pictures of Livingstone Creek Park and the Cuckoo Clock shop.
  • Gave up the original idea of visiting Oriental Claims, Benalla and two lookouts near Omeo.
  • Buffet dinner at Zephyr Restaurant at Lakes Entrance Bowls Club.

Saturday 29 Dec 2012

  • Check out of the holiday unit at Kalimna.
  • Visit Bairnsdale – courthouse and St Mary’s Catholic Church.
  • Visit Eagle Point – Bluff Lookout and the Silt Jetties.
  • Ferry to Raymond Island on the Koala Trail.
  • Paynesville – Esplanade and looking at the canals.
  • Head home to Altona, with a detour for dinner at Hoa Tran Restaurant, Springvale.