Words and photos by Richard Cornish
East Gippsland is known for its green rolling hills, forest-clad mountains, countless kilometres of pristine beaches and cool clear rivers. It is also one of the nation’s food bowls, producing much of the soft-leafed vegetables we buy from the greengrocer. The port at Lakes Entrance is where some of the best seafood in the country is landed; people will drive for hours just to buy the stone fruit grown in this region.
East Gippsland forms the eastern tip of Victoria and starts around 300km east of Melbourne just west of the town of Bairnsdale, and extends to the NSW border and north to the Great Dividing Range. It is one of the most beautiful places in the nation and well set up for visitors, with excellent accommodation from hidden camping grounds to five-star motels.
Seek out the best local produce with this farmgate itinerary, that includes a 100km detour to an olive grove (it’s worth it for the views alone).
