Events have been created across East Gippsland so each of the towns have an opportunity to showcase their best features as part of a new drive to draw visitors to the state s north-west, where beaches and lakes are a massive drawcard during summer, but can be exceptionally quiet in winter.
The East Gippsland Winter Festival 2021 includes workshops, sunset stand-up-paddleboarding on the lakes and photography exhibitions. There s also plenty of opportunities to show off local produce, including food truck festivals, wine nights, degustations, high teas and burger and bonfire nights.
A series of long winter lunches takes advantage of this produce in an iconic and rather unusual setting which is not accessible by road. Ocean Grange is a tiny piece of land wedged in between 90 Mile Beach and the lakes. To reach it, you must take a boat from lakeside Paynesville, passing tiny islands inhabited by black swans.