Lakes Entrance Trip

This post covers our visit to 'Lakes' on 2-3 August 2021.  This kept us within Victoria so road works were to be expected.

That lot were OK as there was actually work going on.  A later section, of about 3km of "traffic hazard" marked down to 40 or 60 kph, was not acceptable and ignored by everyone.  Obviously Rural Roads Victoria have not absorbed the meaning of one of Aesop's Fables.

A 3 minute delay happened at Cann River where some Police checked that we were not breaching the Health Reguations.  This was no surprising and a good idea as one road block covered both Princes and Monaro Highways.  Our situation was non-standard but the officer worked it out quickly and was very pleasant and sensible.  

Down the road a bit (just before Nowa Nowa) an unusual looking vehicle tagged on behind.  I couldn't initially work out if it was a Police car or not but rigorously obeyed all speed limits.  Eventually I was able to become certain it was.  It followed us right into Lakes Entrance!
We went to the Visitors Centre and used their services to check into a cabin at a caravan park.  This saved us from having to drive around - especially as the one we had picked out was full.  

After a brief foray into Aldi (next to the VC) we then found (what I thought was, based on the sign above the window) a bakery.  The food vendor turned out to be  a cafe and the 'bakery' next door was now a furnishings shop with a semi-revised sign!  Whatever: they sold me a pastie: this was a bit difficult to rate on the official pie scale but I end up with 8+ which isn't bad.

Then on to the sewage works and Lake Bunga.  The sewage works were a tad difficult to see into but Australian Shelduck was the top pick.  The Lake Bunga Nature Trail was a good idea but as often the case sorely undermaintained.  The beach at the mouth of Lake Bunga was quite plaeasant and enabled 2 immature Pacific Gulls to be ticked.  I think this image shows Mile 1 of the 90 Mile Beach.
Back in town we went across the footbridge to the main beach.  They go in for flashy accommodation for the surf patrol.  I would imagine that in Summer there are a squillion punters on this beach spread over quite a distance.
We then headed off along the Entrance Walk.  As time was wearing on, and the walk was ~5km return we didn't expect to complete it.  This let us look back to the footbridge,
There were a few flowers along the way.  Acacia longifolia.
A Leucopogon sp.
Banksia integrifolia: one of these hung over the path and sconed me as I tried to enter up a bird sighting. 😡😡😰😱😭
Lathyrus latifolius is an introduced vine, which I have also seen in Mullet Creek at Mallacoota.  Quite a few specimens on this walk.
Alyxia buxifolia.
This post shows a humungous Cycad near the start of the walk.  
An adult Pacific Gull sat on a sandbar.
Another flew by, helpfully showing the black band on the tail.  Thus it wasn't a Kelp Gull which has a white tail.
3 Adult and one immature Pacific Gull (and a Little Pied Cormorant for size comparison).
Part of the fishing fleet.
An informative sign (seen the following morning walking on the town side of the Inlet).
Boats on the town side.
Men at work.
Unloading the fish.  There are some biggies in that net.
There are a number of carvings by John Brady, a chainsaw carver, along the Esplanade.  They commemorate people in WW1.

There are a couple of Simpson and his donkey.
A useful jet ski!
The carvings were organised by the RSL.  This is actually their Motel: the Club and meeting rooms are some distance along the Esplanade.
Looking down from the Lookout on the Highway after the North Arm bridge gave good views over the entrance etc.  A nce flock of Great Cormorants.
Looking East.
The Entrance.

Looking West, down the guts of the Gippsland Lakes.
A boat coming in
I had never realised that the closest oil/gas rig would be visible from the town!
One of the several very useful signs at the lookout.
Overall the visit was very enjoyable.  I, and possibly we, had very low expectations as the only previous time we had been to Lakes was by mistake - we were heading from Canberra to Melbourne and didn't realise the direct road actually went via Bairnsdale.  We found the 10 km of reduced speed limits and wandering pedestrian a great nuisance on that trip!  This time, as tourists, we found the place to be making a great effort to make a stay pleasnat.  I still reckon it would be Hell in Januaruy!


 

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