The Entrance Walk, Lakes Entrance, Victoria Australia (A Short iPhone Set)

Sailboats and fishing boats moored on the waterfront, Lakes Entrance, Australia.

Boats on the Waterfront
The boats at Lakes Entrance, Australia, have their choice of endless protected inland waterways, or the wilder waters of the Tasman Sea and Southern Ocean

Lakes Entrance is a delightful coastal town in eastern Victoria, Australia. It is known for its long, beautiful beaches, recreational and commercial fishing, and bushwalking and water-based activities. It sits at the meeting point of the Southern Ocean and the Gippsland Lakes – a vast system of inland waterways.

Being only 320 kilometres (200 mi) east of Melbourne, Lakes Entrance is usually a popular weekend and holiday destination for the urban residents there.

But, these were not usual times… I was heading to Melbourne to stay on the Mornington Peninsula (see: Balcombe Estuary And Coolart Homestead), with the hopes of getting into the CBD to see a special art exhibition. But, Melbourne was in the grips of a Covid19 lockdown, and I spent an unexpected extra day in Lakes Entrance waiting to see if the restrictions would be lifted.

So, I had no real plans, except to get out for a morning walk.

I was lucky enough to be staying near the footbridge that crosses Cunninghame Arm and leads to the Entrance Walk (see: Walking Maps). This gorgeous walk is along well-marked paths through coastal bush, along beaches, and over boardwalk. There are historical buildings and the occasional explanatory sign-board as you work your way along the shores of Lake Cunninghame to the actual entrance into the Gippsland Lakes.

I heard and saw many birds that were too quick for me to photograph. According to one website, you ‘alway’ see Australian fur seals here; I didn’t. I did, however, enjoy the sight of a pod of dolphins surfing the strong currents through the tidal narrows. I had left the cameras behind, and did what I could with the iPhone.

Join me for a short and easy, but very pleasant, walk around a portion of Lake Tyers Coastal Reserve.

Ninety Mile Beach, Lakes Entrance, Victoria Australia

Endless Golden Sand
Lakes Entrance Beach stretches out before me: we are near the top end of Ninety Mile Beach – a 151 kilometre (94 mile) stretch of sandy beach facing the Bass Strait. It is the fourth longest stretch of uninterrupted beach in the world, and is also considered one of the most natural and unspoilt expanses of waterfront sand anywhere.

Lakes Entrance from Lakes Entrance Beach, Victoria Australia

Lakes Entrance Beach
As I walk along the beach, I am looking across Cunninghame Arm and back to the township. These are tidal waters, so if you want en extended beach walk, you need to check the tide tables.

Working Boats on the Waterfront
The walking track takes me up into beautiful coastal scrub of banksia, tea trees, and boobialla. I get glimpses of the boats along the waterfront in the township.

Nature’s Artwork : A Textured Stump

Private Jetty, Carpentertown
Talk about location! Carpentertown was established after it was decided, in 1870, to build a permanent opening between Gippsland Lakes and the ocean. The settlement included workmen’s cottages, a boarding house, and a school. Today there are a few cottages left which are still occupied by lucky descendants of those workers.

Retaining Wall on Cunninghame Arm
The original project took 19 years, and the Entrance finally opened in 1889. However, it wasn’t up to the power of the elements, and many of the timber piers were destroyed by teredo worms. The second stage of project to rectify these problems was unimaginatively named the New Works.