Loving our Lakes on foot

The Gippsland Lakes are an incredible asset for our region, and apart from their national and international environmental significance, they have high economic and recreational value.

As residents and visitors to the Lakes, we love to make the most of them, and while that often means heading out in the boat, being on the water isn’t for everyone. But a network of walking tracks around the Gippsland Lakes and their surrounding catchment, make it just as easy to love our Lakes on foot.

All options are covered, from easy strolls along the shore to more involved multi-day hikes, as well as a wide range of difficulty levels.

For those keen to take on an over-night hike, a little away from the Lakes themselves, the 17.6km Mitchell River Walking Trail is a great option. For experienced hikers, the trail could be covered in a day, but it is a challenging walk with many steep climbs and descents, and with an abundance of outstanding views, taking things a bit more slowly makes for two very enjoyable days.

Located within the Mitchell River National Park, 45 minutes from Bairnsdale and 300km from Melbourne, the semi-remote trail follows the west bank of the Mitchell River (one of Victoria’s 18 Heritage Rivers) from the Angusvale camping area, downstream through the Den of Nargun Gorge, which is lined with remnant temperate rainforest.

Fantastic views the whole way, and a great sense of achievement at completion make this walk well worth consideration.

At the other end of the spectrum, www.walkingmaps.com.au features a half hour, 1.8km stroll along the foreshore of Lake Victoria at Loch Sport. This website is a great resource for finding trails in your area, and you can easily upload your own favourite walks to share with others, an excellent way to promote your local area.

In Paynesville, every Saturday from 9am to 10am, you can join a Happiness Hunter walk, enjoying the magic of the Lakes and keeping your eyes peeled for the iconic Burrunan Dolphins. Join a like-minded group to walk the Sunset Cove track and return via the Esplanade to enjoy a coffee together. The walk is free but participants are asked to book at http://thehappinesshunter.com/walks so organisers know you are coming.

There are countless other options, and you don’t have to look far to find them. So get out and enjoy the fresh air, cool breezes and diverse scenery of the Gippsland Lakes.

In fact, it’s easy to go from being a passive observer, to contributing to the health and sustainability of the Lakes and just by taking a walk in the region, and reporting what you see, you can add the title Citizen Scientist to your resumé!

One of the great things about the Gippsland Lakes and their surrounding areas is that you are highly likely to spot wildlife or interesting plants, just by taking a walk – whether it’s the unique Burrunan dolphin, or a cheeky platypus feeding in the rivers.

But have you ever thought to report these sightings? There are a number of organisations that rely on ordinary people to let them know when they spot particular plants or wildlife. You don’t have to have any real interest in science to be a Citizen Scientist, you just have to know what you’re looking at when you see it, take a photo if you can, and let the experts know.

To find out more about becoming a Gippsland Lakes Citizen Scientist, click here, and you could help researchers find out more about the Burrunan Dolphin, the Australian native water-rat, platypus, Green and Golden Bell Frog or Growling Frog.

You can also help keep the Gippsland Lakes beautiful, by ensuring you always take your rubbish with you, and picking up any litter left by others, picking up after your dog, and keeping your dog on its leash, for the safety and comfort of wildlife and other visitors.

Happy trails!