National Parks

National Parks, Reserves and Heritage Areas in and around the Lakes Entrance area provide excellent locations for walks and bike rides. Some of these include:

The Lakes National Park

Lake Tyers Forest Park

Buchan Caves Reserve

Mitchell River National Park

Gippsland Lakes Coastal

Nyerimilang Heritage Park

Oriental Claims Historic Area

90 Mile Beach National Park

The Gippsland Lakes boasts two - the Lakes National Park and the Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park. Most of the park areas are only accessible by water, keeping them pristine and full of wildlife and birdlife. You can hire a day boat to visit some areas.

There are two world-famous parks - Croajingolong National Park (a world biosphere reserve) and the Snowy River National Park. These are both easy day drives from your accommodation, and really worth exploring.

Other favourites are:

Cape Conran Coastal Park with its fabulous beach and very good walking tracks

Errinundra National Park with its tall stands of old growth mountain ash trees

Buchan Caves Reserve is well worth a visit. There are regular guided tours through the caves, and the picnic area is lovely, especially in autumn. Some caving is available. Contact Parks Victoria for more information about caving, or about anything to do with these national parks: phone 131963.

The Lake Tyers State Park has some really good bushwalking tracks that pass through a range of environments from dry scrub to temperate rainforest, and along the water's edge.

The Colquhoun Forest between Metung and Lakes Entrance also has some excellent walking trails.

Another popular destination for walks and bike rides is the East Gippsland Rail Trail which starts on the east bank of the Mitchell River at Bairnsdale, continues past farmland for 10 Kms to Nicholson (sealed surface) with its spectacular bridge over the river. Then 22 Kms on to Bruthen and across the Tambo River, up into the Colquhoun forest en route to Nowa Nowa and Lake Tyers at the 59 Km mark.