Welcome to our guide on things to do in and around Lakes Entrance, Victoria. Located on the picturesque Gippsland Lakes, Lakes Entrance is a popular tourist destination offering stunning natural beauty and a wide range of activities for visitors of all ages. Whether you’re looking for a relaxing getaway or an action-packed adventure, there’s something for everyone in this charming coastal town, with or without your 4 legged fur babies. From water sports and fishing to hiking and wildlife watching, we’ve got you covered with our list of top things to do in and around Lakes Entrance. Let’s dive in and explore the best of what this stunning region has to offer!
We are an easy 5 minute walk over the footbridge to the beautiful 90 Mile Beach. Pet Friendly on leash all year through.
Slipway is a partnership of local businesses serving up local dairy, seafood, beer and art. This project is one of our newer additions to the community and is bringing local businesses together to provide our town with a great little hang out spot and a space for local creatives to show off their work and on occasionally, conduct workshops!
Keep up to date with their facebook and/or instagram page for any workshops or events while you are in town!
Free fully fenced off leash dog park located 10 minutes out of town is a place where you and your four-legged friend can play in the beautiful bush setting or even enjoy a walk out the back gate in the Colquhoun State Forest.
Open 7 days a week – Daylight hours only
Glide across the smooth sands of the ninety mile beach and embrace the wind in your hair with Lakes Entrance Segway Adventures. There are a variety of adventures on offer, including the option of a winery tour – you can even enquire with the team about doing a more customised ride.
If you’re travelling west from Lakes Entrance, or want to go exploring more of East Gippsland we always recommend stopping at Paynesville and catching the ferry across to Raymond Island to go for a walk along their koala trail. It is an easy, flat walk and you will get the chance to see some Koalas sleeping up in the trees as the koala population thrives here thanks to the safety of the island. You could also see some kangaroos and echidnas along with native birds and if you’re extra lucky, you may be able to spot some dolphins playing in the lake!
The ferry timetable and fees list are available on the East Gippsland Shire Council website: https://www.eastgippsland.vic.gov.au/community/raymond-island-ferry
Ride the trails or paddle the Lakes with Venture Out Lakes Entrance. No equipment? No worries! Venture Out rents out all the gear you need to start your land or water based adventure. Visit their page to book an adventure!
Lakes Entrance and its surrounds are full of beautiful nature walks for you to choose from! A few of your options within town include:
The Entrance walk, a 5km loop walk that follows along a coastal bush track, takes you to The Entrance where you can often see seals playing, and sometimes dolphins! In total this walk takes about 2 hours – if you don’t stop to take in the views! You can either return via the beach, or turn back and go the same way that you came.
The Kalimna Jetty walk is a 4km return walk which takes you down to Kalimna Jetty, providing incredible undisrupted views of our town and its beautiful waterways. In total this walk takes about 1 hour, making it one of the easier nature walks in town.
The Esplanade walk is a 5km one way walk will take you along the footpath from Bullock Island, all the way to Eastern Beach on the other side of town. This walk is flat all the way, making it a nice easy option without sacrificing on the view! If you are not looking to walk the whole stretch, you can always stop off for a coffee in town or a picnic by the water.
Want to go for a walk and socialise at the same time? On the first Sunday of each month, join a team of walking enthusiasts for their trek along the ocean entrance to the footbridge with this program organised by iceworks.3909! Visit their facebook page for contact details to find out how to join in and get your free water taxi booked!
If you want to traverse through beautiful rainforests and be met with a waterfall to finish off and are thinking of exploring outside of town Gippsland offers many beautiful options.
Basin Creek Falls in Buchan is the closest waterfall to us here in Lakes Entrance, but it is well worth the trip. Go for a dip at the base of the waterfall, or sit down and enjoy the view while you eat lunch at a nearby picnic table.
If you are willing to travel further there are countless options to choose from! Click our more info button to be taken to a trip advisor page with the best rated waterfalls around.
Enjoy a splashing great time as you tackle the inflatable courses that Lakes Entrance Aqua Park has to offer. Challenge yourself to make it from one end to the other without falling in! Located at 429 Main Beach Walk, Lakes Entrance VIC 3909. Just head down Myer Street to the Cunninghame Arm footbridge and you’ll see it on the lake.
Open daily from 10am to 8pm over the Summer months. Sessions start on the hour, and the final session for each day will commence at 7pm.
Located between the Colquhoun Forest and North Arm, only 10km from Lakes Entrance, this family owned and operated winery and restaurant offers casual, no pressure wine tasting, honest, heart warming, comfort food and a relaxed, rustic bush setting. Perfect for lazy lunches, cheeky afternoon wines, weddings, Christmas parties or even a leisurely cruise. The winery has a dog-friendly area where you can sit and enjoy the wine tasting with your pooch.
Open for lunch 7 days a week
Open for wine tasting from 9-4
Open for Mexican Dinner Friday and Saturday nights
Use lakes Entrance as a base and make sure you visit the famous Buchan Caves only 40 minutes drive away. Tours alternate between the “Fairy” and the “Royal” caves every day.
Bookings MUST be made online 24 hours in advance.
Along the Esplanade are several large carvings made from the stumps of Monterey Cypress trees planted in 1924 and 1925 to commemorate the 26 local men who died during the First World War. John Brady, a Gippsland chainsaw sculptor, has created images to depict the era and ensure the memorial tribute continues long after the trees were taken down. They are very intricate and well worth a walk past to view each of them, as they lend a bit of character to our lovely town.
If you are a fan of visiting historic sites, we recommend going to check out the Trestle Bridge. The Stony Creek Trestle Bridge was built in 1916 when the existing rail line from Melbourne to Bairnsdale was extended to Orbost. This 97km Bairnsdale to Orbost extension through rugged terrain was reputed to have been the most difficult rail project undertaken in Victoria.
It is the largest standing bridge of its kind in the State, standing at At 247m long and 20m high and is listed on the Register of Historic Sites.
Griffith’s Seashell Museum and Marine Display is one of Australia’s largest private collections of natural sea life featuring over 90,000 shells and sea creatures. They have a Coral Reef room displaying hundreds of corals under special lighting and aquariums featuring local sea creatures and fish. Looking for a unique experience during your stay at Prime Adult Only & Pet friendly Tourist Park? Don’t miss the BIG Octopus, listed as one of Victoria’s BIG attractions, perched upon the museum’s roof.
Open daily 10am-4pm
Located just down the road from Prime Tourist Park, Footbridge Mini Golf offers both indoor & outdoor options and is the perfect day out if you’re looking for a fun activity to do in town- with the bonus of ice creams and lollies available on location.
Open daily 9am-5:30pm & dog friendly.
A meal of fresh Fish & Chips is a must for anyone visiting Lakes Entrance, and there are 5 shops serving locally sourced fish and plenty of choices for outdoor locations to enjoy the scenery.
Lookout from Kalimna township shows a clear view of the entrance to Australia’s largest inland lakes system, covering 600 square kilometres.
See the Gippsland Lakes from above.
Select from a range of Scenic Flights and enjoy the stunning scenery of the Silt Jetties, Lakes Entrance and Ninety Mile Beach coastline.
CLOSED FOR WINTER, BACK LATE SPRING
From December, and throughout the Summer holiday period, Lakes Entrance will host Bandicoot Adventure Flights. Two flights are on offer – the Serenity Flight in a Tiger Moth and Scenic flights in a conventional aircraft.
If you’re looking for a spa day out visit Metung Hot Springs – set on a natural undulating site overlooking the magnificent Gippsland Lakes with choices from spending an entire day complete with a massage or just a few hours in the pools.
Open 7 days a week 8am-8pm
Located on the tranquil Gippsland Lakes, Koho Sauna offers an immersive, nature enriched, wellbeing experience. Facilities include a modern, spacious wood-fired sauna, complete with cold shower for the chance to alternate between hot and cold immersion. There is also lake access for the more adventurous to jump into.
Open
Thursday 6am-10am, 4pm-9pm
Friday 6am-10am, 4pm-9pm
Saturday 6am-9pm
Sunday 6am-9pm
During school holidays & public holidays open 7 days 6am-9pm
Experience nature on the Gippsland Lakes with Lonsdale Eco Cruise; A great casual cruise through the Gippsland Lakes with an expert commentary from your Captain, onboard the historic Lonsdale. On this cruise there is the possibility of seeing dolphins, seals, birds, wildlife, flora and fauna.
Dog Friendly if you book early.
Enjoy a wonderful afternoon cruise from Lakes Entrance sailing around the Gippsland Lakes aboard the historic Pearl Lugger “PAM”, Australia’s oldest commercially operated sailing ship; built in 1901. Cruises depart from the Myer Street Jetty beside the footbridge in Lakes Entrance, depending upon weather and demand.
Peels Cruises are the longest serving cruise company on the Gippsland Lakes. Departing from Lakes Entrance daily. Whilst cruising the beautiful Gippsland Lakes your Skipper will give you a full expert commentary on the Gippsland Lakes. Passengers may see abundant bird life, fish, colonies of seals and the rare species of Burrunan Dolphin, and when passing the Islands, you’ll see Kangaroos in their natural habitat.
Peels Cruises offer a range of cruise options departing Lakes Entrance daily.
The Saltwater Creative Co is a waterfront art studio / gallery / creative design company / home decor hub in Lakes Entrance. Drop in to browse their wares or book one of their weekly workshops and try your hand in resin art, clay or even join one of their paint n sips!
The Saltwater Creative Co is open
Wednesday – Friday 10am – 5pm
Saturday 10am – 2pm
or by appointment
Keep an eye out when you’re in town for any markets or exhibitions happening at local art studio, Iceworks! Pop down Carpenter Street when you’re exploring the esplanade and poke your head in to see if anything is on, find the local artists showing off their wares for sale, along with coffee and artisan food, and overall good company!
Float 3909 is a floating art studio and residence on Lake Tyers. They hold an artist in residence program and display the artwork for public viewing. Keep up to date with their events on their social media pages so you don’t miss out!
This is a 26 meter long mural displaying a variety of the things you can do in Lakes Entrance ranging from local businesses, iconic spots around the area, and beautiful views. The mural includes a QR code to direct visitors to a list of things to find on the wall, for an added interaction with this huge piece of art. If you’re looking for inspiration to explore the area, head on over and admire the enormous mural that our local artists worked so hard on.
If you’re a keen golfer looking for a picturesque course to play on, surrounded by native wildlife, visit our local golf club for the day! Lakes Entrance Golf Club are open 7 days a week so you can enjoy the water views while you putt any day that you desire.
Want to play golf but the weather is looking questionable? Or maybe you’ve never played and don’t want to be chasing your golf ball everywhere. Lakes Clubhouse is Gippsland’s first commercial golf simulator. Make a booking with them the next time you visit us!
Open 7 days a week by bookings.
If you’re in town on a Friday or Sunday and feeling active go ahead and try your hand at pickleball for free at the Lakes Entrance Tennis Club, located behind the Aquadome! All equipment is provided and experience is not necessary. If you would prefer to stick to tennis you can hire one of the eight courts from the tennis club!
Free pickleball is on 10am-12pm Fridays, and 2pm-4pm on Sundays.
The Lakes Entrance Bowls Club is located in the centre of town and is renowned as one of the regions premier clubs. Whether you are visiting to play, join one of their events or just eat, you have plenty of options all in the one place!
Their cafes and restaurants are open daily, offering lots of onsite brunch, lunch and dinner options.
Looking for a new sport to try? Ever considered trying your hand at some croquet? The Lakes Entrance Croquet Club is open to visitors for the low price of $5 per day! All equipment is provided by the club, so all you’ll need is yourself and some comfortable enclosed shoes.
The club is open Tuesday (for singles only), Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday morning at 9am.