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Top Things to do in Gippsland for a Memorable Getaway
Wild beaches, cave dips, gold-rush towns, long lunches and one very persuasive road trip. This is your guide to the best things to do in Gippsland, plus where to eat, drink and stay while you’re at it.
Gippsland does not arrive all at once. It reveals itself in stretches of coast, folds of farmland, lake light, mountain air and towns with more charm than they need to show off. Part of what makes it so compelling is its range. This is a region for beach days and bushwalks, long lunches and back-road detours, heritage corners and deeply scenic drives.
If Gippsland is on your list, consider this your starting point. We have rounded up the best things to do across the region, from natural wonders to standout places to eat, wander and stay.
Things to do in Gippsland: Explore
Explore the Untamed Beauty of Wilsons Promontory
Wilsons Promontory is where Gippsland turns cinematic: vast beaches, granite headlands, native bush and walking trails that pull you deep into the landscape. As Victoria’s largest coastal wilderness area, it offers plenty of room to roam, whether you are climbing towards the views at Mount Oberon or winding through forest and heath towards quieter corners of the park.
To see the Prom from another angle, take to the water. Guided cruises with Wildlife Coast Cruises and Wanderer Adventures trace the rugged coastline past hidden coves, remote islands and wildlife-rich waters, where fur seals, seabirds and soaring sea eagles add to the spectacle.
Visit Skull Rock
Off the coast of Wilsons Promontory, Skull Rock rises from Bass Strait with a strange, monumental beauty. The granite is sheer and weathered, the surrounding waters alive with fur seals and seabirds, and the whole scene feels thrillingly removed. A guided cruise is the best way to take it in, skimming past Norman Beach, remote islands and the Prom’s rugged shoreline before Skull Rock comes into view in all its drama.
Wander, Sail and Swim through Australia’s Largest Inland Lakes System
The Gippsland Lakes are one of Victoria’s great watery playgrounds, a vast network of lakes, lagoons and marshes separated from Bass Strait by the long dune system of Ninety Mile Beach. The landscape shifts between still water, bird-rich wetlands and wide sandy edges, with Burrunan dolphins, pelicans and other local wildlife adding to the appeal. Explore by kayak, stand-up paddleboard, eco-cruise or boat charter, then let the day stretch out on the water.
Village-Hop Through Loch, Meeniyan and Korumburra
If you like your regional detours with heritage good looks, excellent eating and enough reason to pull over more than once, make time for Loch, Meeniyan and Korumburra. Loch has the storybook appeal, with a historic main street set among the Strzelecki hills that feels almost too pretty to be real. Meeniyan brings the appetite, with artisan offerings, restaurants, cafes and boutique finds giving the town real weekend pull.
Then there is Korumburra, where rolling farmland meets South Gippsland history at Coal Creek Community Park and Museum, a living-history village shaped by the region’s coal-mining past. Better still, the Great Southern Rail Trail threads through this pocket of South Gippsland, making it easy to turn the whole thing into a slower, village-to-village crawl.
Visit Agnes Falls
With its ferny gorge, rushing water and tall eucalypts overhead, Agnes Falls makes a very persuasive case for slowing down. Tucked into the Strzelecki Ranges, the Agnes River plunges 59 metres through a pocket of protected bushland rich with birdlife and that damp, green stillness waterfalls do so well. Bring a picnic, take your time and let the soundtrack of the falls do the rest.
Hike The Big Drift
For something that feels almost surreal, make time for the Big Drift. Hidden just inside Wilsons Promontory, this inland sea of dunes swaps forest and coastline for soft ridgelines, wide sky and a landscape that feels closer to desert than national park. It is especially beautiful later in the day, when the sand turns gold, and the whole place seems to glow. Bring a sandboard if you like, and pay attention to the trail on the way back out.
Walk from Stockyard Camp, Meeniyan-Promontory Road, Wilsons Promontory
Hike the George Bass Coastal Walk
The George Bass Coastal Walk is all wind, grass, cliffs and that big open stretch of Bass Coast sky. One minute you are moving through rolling farmland, the next you are tracing the edge of the coast with sea views opening up beside you. It is a beautiful walk to do with an appetite waiting at the other end, whether that means a pub lunch in Kilcunda or a post-hike swim if the day calls for it.
Swim at The Bluff Reserve and Hike to Basin Creek Falls
For a very good Buchan day, pair a swim at The Bluff Reserve with the walk to Basin Creek Falls. The Bluff is the town’s classic river spot, where the Buchan River deepens beneath a limestone rock face and invites a proper summer dip. Then head for Snowy River National Park, where the Basin Creek Falls walk leads through dry forest and bird-filled creeklines to a striking basalt drop and cool plunge pool. One is easy, one gets the heart rate up, and together they make a very persuasive case for lingering in East Gippsland.
Uncover the Magic of Buchan Caves
Deep in East Gippsland, Buchan Caves brings a very different kind of drama. This remarkable limestone cave system, shaped over almost 400 million years, is all calcite-rimmed pools, vast chambers and intricate formations that feel almost impossibly ornate. Guided tours of the Royal and Fairy caves are the way in, revealing stalactites, stalagmites and the cool, shadowy beauty that has made Buchan one of Victoria’s most memorable natural attractions.
Take the Plunge at Buchan Caves Pool
After a tour through Buchan Caves, the Buchan Pool is the move. Fed by icy spring water and much loved by locals, this open-air pool has a brisk, wake-you-right-up charm that lands especially well on a warm day. There is something deeply satisfying about following the cool darkness of the caves with a swim in the open air, surrounded by bush and limestone country. In summer, it is one of Buchan’s simplest and best pleasures.
Stroll the Ninety Mile Beach
Often described as one of the world’s longest uninterrupted beaches, Ninety Mile Beach stretches from near Port Albert to Lakes Entrance in a seemingly endless sweep of sand. A long dune system separates the beach from the Gippsland Lakes behind it, including Lake King, Lake Victoria and Lake Wellington, giving this part of the coast its distinctive, expansive beauty.
Walk Gippsland’s Cool-Climate Forests
When Gippsland turns green, it really goes for it. This is part of the state shaped by cool-temperate rainforest, giant Mountain Ash, and fern-filled gullies that seem to soften the air around them. Croajingolong National Park is UNESCO-listed as a Biosphere Reserve, while Tarra-Bulga gives you one of the most beautiful ways in, with Corrigan’s Suspension Bridge suspended above the canopy and a network of walks through some of the Strzelecki Ranges’ best remaining old forest.
Visit the Historic Charm of Walhalla
Walhalla feels like a gold-rush town left to glow softly in the folds of the mountains. Once one of Australia’s richest settlements, it now trades in heritage beauty, steep green hillsides and the strange romance of a place that never quite let go of its past. Come for the Walhalla Goldfields Railway winding through Stringers Gorge, the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine and ghost tours after dark, then stay for the old buildings, the weatherboard charm and the sense that the whole town belongs to another time. In every season, Walhalla makes history feel vivid, transportive and wonderfully alive.
Experience Mt Baw Baw
Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort earns its keep in every season. In winter, Melbourne’s closest ski resort draws snow lovers for skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and cross-country trails through the alpine landscape. Once the snow melts, the mountain shifts gears, with hiking, mountain biking and wildflower-filled walks taking over across the resort and the surrounding national park.
Sitchu Tip: For something a little different, book the dingo walk while you are there.
Make Erica Your Base for Mountain Country Adventures
Erica may be small, but it opens onto some of Gippsland’s most rewarding terrain. On the fringe of Baw Baw National Park, it puts Mushroom Rocks within reach, along with mountain-bike trails that cut through tall eucalypt forest and the broader adventure playground of the Walhalla-Mountain Rivers region. It is a handsome little base for walkers, riders and anyone drawn to the cooler, greener side of Gippsland.
Take the Slow Road on Gippsland’s Rail Trails
Gippsland’s rail trails are made for seeing the region at a gentler pace, following old railway lines through farmland, forest and coast. The East Gippsland Rail Trail is the big one, stretching 96 kilometres from Bairnsdale through undulating countryside and Colquhoun forest, with historic trestle bridges adding to the appeal. On the other side of the region, the Bass Coast Rail Trail brings a different mood altogether, pairing open farmland with Bass Strait views on Victoria’s only coastal rail trail. Whether you walk or ride, it is one of the most rewarding ways to take in Gippsland properly.
Explore Gunaikurnai Country on the Bataluk Cultural Trail
The Bataluk Cultural Trail offers one of Gippsland’s most meaningful ways to experience Gunaikurnai Country. Following traditional routes used for thousands of years, it connects a series of sites of Aboriginal significance across the region, from Buchan and Bairnsdale to Cape Conran and Sale. Along the way, you will encounter places shaped by story, culture and deep connection to Country, whether that means scar trees, significant landscapes or sites such as the Den of Nargun. Rather than trying to do it all at once, choose a section near your base and spend time doing it right.
Relax at Metung Hot Springs
Metung Hot Springs is one of Gippsland’s most persuasive excuses to slow down. Set above the Gippsland Lakes, it pairs geothermal bathing with massaging showers, reflexology walks, and a day spa shaped by Larn’wa Aboriginal Lore wellness rituals and native botanicals. For the full experience, book one of the luxurious safari-style glamping tents, where king beds, ensuite bathrooms and private bathing barrels on the deck make it very easy to stay put.
Visit Walkerville
Walkerville has a wilder, more tucked-away kind of beauty. The beach that inspired Alison Lester’s Magic Beach features rock pools, caves, and the weathered remains of historic lime kilns, all pressed into one very memorable stretch of coast. From there, take the Lime Burners Walk between Walkerville South and North, or climb to the lookout for sweeping views across Waratah Bay towards Wilsons Promontory. Add a detour to Cape Liptrap Lighthouse and the whole thing starts to feel like one of South Gippsland’s most rewarding coastal outings.
Things to do in Gippsland: Eat & Drink
Eat and Drink Your Way Through Gippsland
Gippsland eats beautifully. This is a region of paddocks, lakes, ocean catch and dairy country, and the food scene makes the most of all of it. In Warragul, Messmates brings sharp, contemporary cooking and serious wine energy, while nearby Hogget Kitchen remains one of West Gippsland’s destination tables, set amid rolling hills on a winery. On the water, SARDINE Dining in Paynesville still holds its hat and a fiercely good reputation for seasonal, produce-led cooking, while Sodafish keeps Lakes Entrance in excellent seafood form. There is newer pull here too, with Crudo Wine & Provisions recently opening beneath Sodafish as a deli and drinks stop worth knowing.
Inland, Tinamba Hotel continues to set the standard for a country dining room done properly, and Neeri Nuff in Neerim South brings a more intimate wine-bar mood to the hills. For something a little more relaxed, Metung Hotel delivers lakefront lunches with Gippsland produce and a very persuasive view. Add in more than 30 cellar doors across the region, from Narkoojee to Lightfoot Wines and the whole place starts to feel less like a detour and more like a very compelling reason to book the trip.
Things to do in Gippsland: Stay
Stay in an Old Schoolhouse
Found in the foothills of Hallston, The Old School House at Grand Ridge House is the sort of stay that makes silence feel positively luxurious. Housed within a beautifully restored 1920s schoolhouse, it balances old-world character with a deeply comfortable, design-conscious finish. There are lush gardens outside, a fire for cooler evenings, a copper rain shower and a well-equipped kitchen for slower, self-contained stays. Romantic for two and equally lovely solo, it also suits a work-from-anywhere escape with fast Wi-Fi and a dedicated workspace.
Hallston, Gippsland
Spend a Night in a Gippsland Bubble
Bubble Retreats turns a night away into something a little surreal. Set in Agnes with sweeping views towards Wilsons Promontory, these star-gazing bubbles pair wide-open skies with enough comfort to make the whole thing feel far more luxe than novelty. Sleep beneath a transparent canopy, wake to rolling hills and ocean beyond, and settle into the quiet with heating, an ensuite and a private deck. For couples after something a little different, it is hard to top.
Agnes, South Gippsland
Book in a Blissful Weekend Retreat to River Drive Motel
Beckoning beside the Tarwin River in Tarwin Lower, River Drive Motel is a five-room boutique stay that gives the old roadside motel format a far more handsome second life. Lovingly refurbished by Moth Design, the rooms balance nostalgic Australian touches with a polished, contemporary finish, from cork floors and laminate details to kitchenettes, lounges and dining nooks made for slower stays. There is a generous garden outside, plus picnic tables and BBQ areas for easy afternoons. The motel also leans beautifully into local flavour, with a curated minibar and breakfast or aperitivo hampers sourced from South Gippsland makers.
19-21 River Drive, Tarwin Lower
Gippsland has a way of recalibrating you. Between the winding roads, generous paddocks, good food and quieter pleasures, it is the sort of place that reminds you not every escape needs to be complicated. If this has you plotting a Victorian getaway, continue with our edit of romantic stays, rustic farm escapes and dog-friendly accommodation for trips with your four-legged sidekick.
