A trip on the Gippsland Lakes - Sale to Lakes Entrance

With Simon on annual leave and Tony enjoying retirement the opportunity for another paddling expedition arose at short notice. Fortunately my boss allowed me to take a week off despite having already approving 5 weeks away from late May. Unfortunately the logistics off taking the kayaks up to the Murray and Tony's social obligations meant that paddling the next leg of the Murray wasn't practical so we decided to tick off another item on my kayaking " to do" list.

The Gippsland Lakes are Australia's largest network of inland water and have been a favourite destination for 30 years. My first experiences there were with friends I worked with in the 1980s. We used to hire yachts and spent long weekends sailing out of Metung and Paynesville. Lisa and I also had sailing trips down there before we had children.


Last year Tony, Simon and I had our 1st weekend paddling trip on the Lakes over the Labour Day weekend. A year later our plans are more ambitious, we are going to paddle from Sale on the Latrobe River to Lakes Entrance.

Simon and I drove to Lakes Entrance in separate cars. We left my car parked next to the Tourist Bureau in Lakes Entrance and then drove back to Sale. Tony will join us after Day 1.

Day 1 Port of Sale to Marlay Point, Lake Wellington

Although we were up early we were in no hurry to get going. We walked up to the shopping centre to find breakfast at a cafe. There was nothing open in Sale but eventually we found a cafe that had just opened its doors for the day. Simon had bacon and eggs and I had scrambled eggs and mushrooms.

We went back to the caravan park and packed up the tents and loaded the kayaks with gear. Then we dragged the kayaks on their trolleys down to the boat ramp in the Port of Sale. At 9.55 am we launched and we were on our way down the Latrobe river in lovely sunshine. The river bank is lined with eucalypts and plenty of dense foliage.

We passed a rower and his coach in a tinnie as we paddled. We frequently saw fish jumping and past lost of anglers. We also saw some cyclists at one point where there must be a bike path.

After 6 km we went under the Swing bridge where the Latrobe meets the Thomson river. From here the river turns east. It was very pleasant paddling. We encountered a convoy of cruisers at one point which seemed to create a swell that lingered long after they past.

After 2.5 hours paddling we found a boat ramp and pulled out for some lunch. While we were there a young bloke and his grandfather pulled up in a runabout. We enjoyed watching the interaction of grandpa and grandson as they got there boat onto its trailer. They had been preparing a bird hide for the opening of the duck shooting season in a fortnight. Grandpa was bit stiff in the joints and slow moving but he could still back a trailer very smartly.

Another boat also arrived. The skippers wife struggled to get a rope around a post. She didn't want my help though and there was some chatter between her and her husband. She seemed to think it was his fault but I wasn't so sure.

After lunch we launched back into the river and quickly discovered Lake Wellington just around the corner. In the river we were well protected from the wind but once on the lake we were hit with a strong westerly wind. We turned into it and paddled hard for about 20 minutes to get the the protection of the western shoreline.

We paddled along the shoreline for about 20 minutes which included a drift past a mob of pelicans so we could get some pictures.

I was lucky enough to catch one pelican just as it took off. The camera captured just as it left the water.

We realized Marlay Point, our destination was off to our right and the shortest way was to cut across the bay. At first we raced along with the wind behind us but as we got further out the swell picked up.

We 30 minutes in 1-1.5 metre swell and were just a little concerned not to get side-on to the waves. Eventually past around Marlay Point and were able to turn toward the campsite arriving about 3.30 pm after 26 km.

Our campsite was just above the water overlooking the lake to east. 

At night the sky was very clear and we could see the Milky Way. Excellent end to a great day kayaking.

Day 2 - Marlay Point, Lake Wellington to Talia Point , Lake Victoria

Although we were wake early we took our time packing up as we were waiting for Tony to arrive. We had a long chat with a bloke from northern NSW who also kayaks. Tony arrived at 9.30 am a little earlier than expected and we were on the water at 9.50 am.

Crossing Lake Wellington was a challenge that concerned me mots on this trip. Wellington is notorius for blowing up very quickly and can be very dangerous for small craft. Fortunately on this morning there was no wind.

We agreed to skirt the northern shoreline rather than paddle directly across. In the ned we cut some corners and reached Plover Point after 3 hours. As we approached we struggled to spot the lead-in markers for the entrance to McLennan Strait. My map showed  showed 4 red markers and 1 green however we spotted 2 red initially and found the green was actually inside the entrance. 

We pulled up on sandy shore just near the entrance and enjoyed cheese and crackers, a hard-boiled egg and a muesli bar for lunch.

We spent 90 minutes paddling down the Strait to Hollands Landing. We saw lots of birds including pelicans, herons and cormorants. There was also some terns that hovered and then dived vertically at the water.

The shop and caravan park at Hollands Landing has closed. Simon and I were disappointed as were looking forward to a shower after 2 days of paddling. 

We decided to continue onto Lake Victoria to find a campsite on Spoon Bay. After an hour of paddling we pulled up on a shelly beach near Talia Point. As it was 4.30 pm it was time to set up camp.

Dinner was Cup-A-Soup, Shapes and pasta with sardines followed by some dark chocolate. There were lots of mosquitoes so it was a early night in the tent.

 Day 3 - Talia Point to Paynesville

Last night we decided to paddle down to Lochsport before breakfast hence we were on the water early despite boiling the billy for coffee and then taking too long to pack up.

We arrived at the Lochsport Yacht Club jetty after an hour. At the general store/petrol station we were directed to the supermarket a kilometer away. Lochsport seems to have grown a lot since last time I visited and seems more attractive as a holiday destination.

Back at the jetty we wandered over to the yacht club seeking water to replenish our supply. There was a committee meeting going on however we were welcomed in for a cup of tea and a chat. We declined the tea and bickies but enjoyed 20 minutes chatting with the committee members. The next day the club was hosting 70 paddlers from the Sale to Sea Disability Challenge.

Back on the water we paddled down Lake Victoria aiming for Sperm Whale Head. By 1.00 pm we were still well short so we pulled up on sandy spit near Trouser Point for lunch.

Hard to believe that we get to these beautiful places all to ourselves. Kayaks definitely allow us to get to places that most people will never see..

After lunch the wind picked up and we were assisted by a gentle swell that pushed us along. Nearing Sperm Whale Head we were seduced by the attraction of Paynesville and our need to shower after 3 days paddling so we altered course.

Half way across Lake Victoria Tony and I noticed that Simon had drifted further down the lake and was not paddling strongly. It seemed that he would missed the entrance to Paynesville.  We paddled down to him to see if he was okay. In cycling terminology he had "bonked" and had run out of energy. I had a sachet of peanut butter in my life-jacket which he ate and then we paddled to Paynesville together.

I used my phone to find and book into a caravan park. We had to drag our kayaks up the hill to the Resthaven Caravan Park. It was very neat and compact with good facilities. We enjoyed hot showers despite signs suggesting that the hot water was not working.

We finished the day with a beer at the Old Pub and then ate fish and chips.

Day 4 - Paynesville to Metung

I had the best sleep of the trip so far. It seems my body is getting used to sleeping on the sleeping mat on the ground. It was cooler and we woke to the news that Simon had decided to catch the bus back to Bairnsdale and then catch the train to his car. He felt he hadn't recovered enough from yesterday. We did offer him the option of shorter day over to Bunga Arm and to spend the rest of the day relaxing but he decided to stick to his pla. We were disappointed for him but there will be other opportunities to explore this part of the lakes in future.

Tony and I packed up and dragged our kayaks down the hill to the beach near Progress jetty and then went to the bakery and bought some sandwiches to take with us for lunch. Instead of going over to Bunga Arm we decided to exit Payneville on the Lake King side and paddle alongside Raymond Island. It only took an hour to get to Point King. We we amused to see a yacht putting up its sails, almost go the wrong side of a marker and the fall slowly behind in the very light wind as we paddled a more direct route.

From Point King we aimed for the entrance to the Tambo river however I misjudged its position because I hadn't checked the map. My mistake meant we were about 2 kilometers south of the entrance.Our paddle across Lake King had been very pleasant and calm but after a few minutes on the beach the wind picked up significantly causing a big waves to be pushed up.

Instead of heading up to the Tambo we decided to run to Metung around Tambo Bluff. There was now a rolling swell and we were bouncing around. Tony opted for an inshore route while I prefer to further out relying on my sailor's instinct not to be caught on a lee shore. Once around the bluff the swell was consistent and it was not unpleasant being bounced around. Closer to Metung I was able to use the swell to bring me around to the entrance to Bancroft Bay.

While out on the water I tried to keep an eye on Tony. As we sit very low on the water it was hard to spot him in the waves and concentrate on my own paddling. Fortunately neither of us trouble and we came around Shaving Point close together and then pulled up near the Metung Pub.

We went to the Tourist Office to find accommodation. The bloke there said there was no campsites in Metung but to try the pub for a cheap room. Unfortunately the pub had no rooms available so we have to go elsewhere. As we were leaving the pub I ran into James and Winnie Kong who I worked with in the 1980s. James also sailed with me on the Lakes many times. It was great to catch up.

Tony and I ended up at Metung Waters (motel?), a bit upmarket for us but we were happy as the weather had turned cooler. After showering and putting on fresh clothes we BBQ'd sausages for lunch on the electric BBQs in the park near the Pub.

Later we walked around to Chinaman's Creek past the old mineral spa site. Annoyingly we discovered we could have free camped there as it is an official RV stop. Pity the tourism guy didn't know this or maybe his job is promoting the paid accommodation.

Day 5 - Metung to Lakes Entrance

I was awake early and anxious to get going early. The retired gentleman was a bit slower having gotten used to lying in. Never less we were on the water at 8.00 am after dragging the kayaks around to Shaving Point.

The morning was grey and cool but the wind had dropped and Bancroft Bay was calm as we paddled away from Metung around Mosquito Point. Cunningham Arm is particularly beautiful with the green hills on the north side overlooking the water. We passed Nungurner and Nyeramilang before passing between Fraser Island and Rigby Island to get over to Barrier Landing. Once there we pulled out and walked over the sand dune to see the 90 mile beach and just a short distance away "the Entrance" to the lakes.
There surf was rolling in in clean waves.

Paying heed to the current we paddled back between to the island to Cunningham Arm so we could paddle down the north side towards lake Entrance. We did not need to worry as the current was weak and we turned into North Arm and past Bullock Island without any excitement.

A short paddle and our trip was over

Postscript to the 1st leg of our Murray River journey

Tony's kayak has fully recovered, a credit to the kayak manufacturer and the time and effort Tony put into reshaping the hull. He also had to plastic weld the hole in the side where the crease had pinched.

Simon and I were happy and tired at the end but already looking forward to other adventures. The next leg of the journey is expected to be in November 2015 but may be earlier if circumstances permit. Joe Lionnet

Day 6 Elvish Island to Lake Hume Holiday Village (40 km)

Our last morning of the trip was overcast. Unlike the day before the wind was behind us now. The previous evening we thought we could see the Wymah ferry ahead in the distance. As we paddled towards it turned out to be further than we thought and what we could see was a house. Before long we were past the cable ferry and were negotiating areas with lots of dead trees.

At one point there was a tree with a very large nest. Simon wanted to see the bird that made the nest but it appeared to have been abandoned.



As lunch approached it started to heat up. The cloud had cleared and we could see lots of condensation trails from planes on the Melbourne Sydney flight path.

We pulled up around a point on the lake confident of our navigation but when we set off again we went in the wrong direction. After speaking with some fishermen we discovered we had overshot the turnoff to Hume Weir by 3 or 4 kilometers.

After backtracking we found ourselves heading toward the finish but not before we pulled up and had a swim.

The final stretch toward and under the Bethanga Bridge seemed to take forever. The detail of the bridge gradually filled in as we approached and we started to hear trucks driving over it. As we closed on the bridge Simon was ahead so I raced to catch up however he slowed to get a picture as we reached the bridge. Shortly after we finished near the weir at the holiday village.

Final night was pizza and beer. Lets just say that Joe is far quicker at eating pizza but Simon is ahead in the beer drinking stakes.

What will the rest of the Murray hold for us? Hopefully not a lot more willows.

Day 5 Burrowye Reserve, Murray River to Elvish Island, Lake Hume ( 40 km)

The 1st few hours this morning we were paddling anticipating arriving on Lake Hume. The river gradually widened and we were probably in the upper reaches of the Lake although the countryside was still riverine and Simon would not agree that we were on the lake until it looked like a lake.

At one point we pulled over for morning tea on sandy edge below a higher river bank. While we were there a couple of cars suddenly arrived on top of the bank. The family of the property owner had come down to the river to fish at the very spot where we had pulled up.


After that we pushed on and found ourselves on the lake itself. We paddled on until lunchtime which we had on a lakeside field that had both pelicans and sheep grazing.


Our 1st potential stealth campsite offered some protection from the elements but Simon wasn’t happy so we paddled on. Simon’s comment about this campsite "If it looks like rocky ground and feels like rocky ground you can better your bottom dollar it will be rocky when you go to lie down on it" (What a softy!!).

The wind picked up and we had to push hard into the wind. Although we had been paddling for a long way it was good to work into the wind. we must be getting a bit fitter at this kayak business.

Following the map we pushed up the north side of the lake until our progress was blocked by a mud bank connected to an island. We turned back and paddled around the other before deciding the wind was too strong and we should pitch out tents on the island.

There wasn’t much protection but the wind dropped later and the island turned into the best campsite of the trip. To send messages to our families we did have to climb up to the highest part of the island.

The almost full moon above the lake with hundreds of dead trees was a beautiful evening scene.

Day 4 – Jingellic to Burrowye Reserve (45 km by river)

Immediately on launching this morning we had to negotiate the gravel race just under the bridge. We dragged the boats past and launched downstream. There was a series of gravel races which we were surprised by as we had been told there were none below Jingellic. It's seems to be the kayak version of “non-cyclists” advice where you are told the road is flat only to find there is bloody big hill!


There were a couple of moments of drama, there were some rapids that we went over because that was where the current took us and there was a gravel race where we were both tipped out when the current split and then rejoined further down. Our kayaks are vulnerable to tipping when hit side on by the current. I was tipped out and looked up to see Simon heading straight at me then he was tipped out too. So the score to date, Simon 3 capsizes, Joe 2 and Tony 1. Unfortunately for Simon each time he went over he seemed to loose something. Any one seen a pair of sun glasses or any number of drink bottles.

It was a long day and it seem to take forever to paddle to our destination. Our original plan was to have lunch at Burrowye Reserve but this ended being our eventual campsite.
Our actual lunch spot was just past a riverside property where we yelled out to a man tidying in the garden. He told us we were at Tamalmo. We later found that Tamalmo Station covers about 14 km of the northern bank of the river.

The lunch spot was picturesque gravel bend in the river. The willows covering the river banks made the scene very serene.

We reached Burrowye late in the afternoon. There were a couple of young Asian girls fishing from the bank when we pulled up and showed them our map to confirm our location. Apparently it was their 1st time fishing and they were not quite sure what they were doing.

We set up our tents away from their camp and then dragged our kayaks up the beach. This was an ideal camp spot. You could come and stay here for a holiday, just sitting back and reading a book after a good day paddling.

Later in the evening we had a chat with a woman who brought 2 horses down to the river to drink. She lived on a local farm and as able to tell us about growing up in the area.

Day 3 – Tintaldra to Jingellic (45 km by river 10 km as the crow flies)

It was chilly overnight and we woke to a foggy morning. The campfire from last night was still smouldering and was brought back to life. We stood around drinking our coffee and chatting until it was time to head back to the river.

Much of the paddling today was similar to the previous day. Cautiously approaching river bends and gravel races and enjoying the beautiful scenery. At one point I took a series of photos of Simon coming downstream towards me. Unfortunately when I put the camera back in the day hatch I didn’t close the dry bag. This meant that when I was tipped out a few minutes later my camera and 2 mobile phones drowned.

The drama happened where the river narrowed and rushed between 2 willows. As I went through the current forced the kayak against some branches which caused me to tip out. The kayak became caught up but fortunately I had hung on and was able to kick it clear and then float downstream with to a gravel bank. Simon came through unscathed even though he did practice his backward paddling style and helped me tip the water out and we continued on.

Eventually we reached a caravan park near Walwa where we pulled out hoping to find some lunch. Unfortunately the office was closed which meant no can of coke for Simon and we were left to our limited supplies. We were only 5 km short of Jingellic so we pushed on and shortly after sighted the old bridge pylons and then the pub. It is a picturesque spot and the pub was excellent. The campground out front was free of charge and well populated with grey nomads.

Day 2 – Farrer’s Lookout to Tintaldra (35 km by river 8 km as the crow flies)

It took a while for Tony to get to us in the morning as he had to wait until he could get petrol. Once he arrived and we had finished packing I towed his kayak over to the other side where he hauled up it the bank to his car. A bit like the solo man only back to front.

Simon and I then set out for Tintaldra. It was a beautiful sunny morning and the scenery was gorgeous. Every bend in the river revealed a new vista with mountain backdrops.

For about an hour we had Pine Mountain in view. It is a monolith 1.5 times the size of Uluru although not as spectacular as it does not dominate the landscape.

We paddled for a couple of hours before taking a break on a gravel race in a river bend. We has some boiled eggs and some muesli bars. Our thanks must go Tony who supplied most of the supplies. Who would have thought 12 boiled eggs would go that far. We were still eating them on the last day.

After the break we paddled on until we eventually sighted the Tintaldra Bridge where Tony was waiting for us. We hauled the kayaks out and made our way to the caravan park. A great little park. Can't imagine how they would make any money as they only charged us a few dollars to stay the night. Tony decided not to stay so he headed off to visit friends in Benalla on his way home.

Simon and I wandered up to the General Store where 85 year old Betty had opened the shop so we could purchase some drinks. The store was part museum and had a fantastic position above a bend in the river. Betty told us that when she moved to Tintaldra with her husband 40 years earlier there, had been no willows on the banks of the Murray. Now there is scarcely 50 metres of bank that doesn't have a willow in it.
Weekly Times article about Betty Walton of Tintaldra General Store

Simon wanted his picture taken next to this flood marker. Not sure why?

Back at the caravan park we met some interesting characters. One was an itinerant candle seller who lived in his van and spent time fishing along the river. Another was a Kiwi mural artist who spends half his year in the Himalayas.



We had pasta and sardines for dinner (for those of you who are avid readers of Joe and Tony’s cycle touring blogs you will know that sardines are a staple part of the diet) despite discovering that we could purchase a Bbq and salad dinner pack from the caravan park. Simon was amused at the look on my face which registered disappointment on that discovery. Simon did mention something about me being a vegetarian. In the interests of accuracy I am pescatarian although when on these trips I do eat meat as in many places non-meat meals can be hard to find.