Gday all,
I am thinking of taking the trailer sailer down to have a look at the Gippsland lakes in January. Does it get awfully crowded with powerboats? Is it a nice place to cruise for a while? I like natural areas and looking at birds and other critters if possible - I think Raymond Island has some koalas I can see. I have been going to Broken Bay in January for about 40 years and was thinking of a change. Broken Bay is great, but I know it very well now. As a teacher I have a great wad of time off over summer, but there is no use popping up north in the summer to Queensland - it has been almost 7 years since our last QLD trip. (sigh)
We don't mind pushing the trailer sailer up some shallow parts if there are some nice out of the way spots. I have never sailed on the lakes and thought it could be good to have a squiz.
cheers
Phil
Many years ago I sailed in a regatta at Yarawonga at the lake there. It's part of the Murray. There were plenty of trailer sailers there and they just pulled into the bank and camped. Might be a consideration on your way South.
If you have not already joined trailersailer place forum do it now. The Lakes is the sailing mecca for Victorian ts . Some forum members have holiday homes on Raymond Island.
We go to the lakes most years over Christmas and early Jan in our Castle 650 TS. These are peak times but there is generally somewhere to stay on the bank or a jetty.
From about 10 Jan it's much less busy. Depressingly so if you own a Cafe down there. That's been my experience anyway.
Certainly the best cruising area for TS anywhere.
Hi Phil,
We've been sailing on the lakes for 6 or 7 years now, first in a time-share Rob Legg 34 and now in Kinora. FabulousPhil on this forum also sails in the lakes.
The weeks around Christmas, New Year and Australia Day tend to be quite busy but in between these times it is not too bad. Our measure of "busy-ness" is being able to pick up a swing mooring in Duck Arm, getting onto the jetty at Steamers or finding a berth at the Metung pub. If you can stretch to late January and February, after the school holidays, then it gets very quiet. On the main days themselves, pretty much everywhere is popular with power boats.
Bird life seems best in March or April, especially around Aurora Channel on the way to Ocean Grange and Steamers, mainly pelicans, shags, ducks and black swans. Boole Poole Peninsula and Sperm Whale Head (Point Wilson) are State parks with walking tracks, toilets and barbeque areas (you'll need to be aware of fire bans). There can be good fishing off 90 Mile Beach when the salmon are running. If you draw less than 1.2 - 1.3 m then with a bit of care you can get the whole way up Bunga Arm east of Steamers Landing and that is beautiful. The Tambo and Nicholson Rivers are also accessible with this draught, Tambo is a great place to wait out bad weather.
Major towns are Lakes Entrance at the eastern end of the system but watch tides and winds so you don't get carried out the entrance. Metung has a good pub and berths within staggering distance of the bar, Paynesville has supermarkets, fuel and showers (free) at Progress Jetty and Loch Sport has another good pub but too far away to stagger. Fuel and showers (paid) are also available at Riveria Nautic in Chinaman's Creek near Metung. Sewerage pump out is available at Paynesville, Duck Arm, Steamers and maybe elsewhere.
There are public jettys at all of the major towns with a colour coded system for the length of stay but as long as you keep off the permit (red) and loading zone (yellow) areas these are not heavily policed in the quiet times. The Police will check your license and PFD if you're single-handing so make sure you have them and are wearing the PFD. There are also public jettys at Barrier Landing close to Lakes Entrance, Steamers Landing and Ocean Grange, close to Paynesville and Hollands Landing at the western end of Lake Victoria plus a few others. Public swing moorings are available at Duck Arm, Waddy Point, Steamers and the small cove east of Nungurner. Most of the lake system is steeply shelving and sandy, we used to lift the keel of the RL34, nose onto the beach, put out the ladder and step ashore.
It is worth checking out Plover Point at the eastern end of Lake Wellington via the channel (I forget its name) from Holland's Landing. We've never ventured into Lake Wellington (it was forbidden in the RL34), it has a reputation for sudden weather changes and short, sharp seas (it is shallow) but the Marley Point Overnight Race does it every year.
Get a copy of "Creeks and Harbours of the Gippsland Lakes" by Richard Hawkins. It has some fabulous places to explore if you have a shallow draught.
Holland's Landing (western end of Lake Victoria) to Lakes Entrance (eastern end of the system) is 45 nm. Good day's sail with a pub meal at the end if you're inclined. I'd recommend the trip down.
Cheers,
Kinora
The busiest time is certainly the week between Christmas and New Year, with busyness trailing off after that as industry goes back to work. In the busiest times you can still access the multiple free public jetties and swing moorings, but it's best to occupy a spot by about 3pm. However if you have a trailer boat, then tying up to a beach is fine, common and normal. Tidal range is about 20 cm. Most popular spots to tie up are Duck/Picnic Arm, Dawson's Cove (Paynesville/Newlands Arm), and the Bunga Arm just across the sand dunes from the ocean.
The Gippsland Lakes are not next to a metropolis, thus there are multiple free (24 -48 hrs) jetties, picnic grounds with green grass, free water (BYO tap connection and hose), free rubbish, free hot showers (4 minutes of hot water), and free gas barbeques in the most popular spots and some stick barbeques as well, and toilets & pump-out spots. The water is usually algal green or slightly brown now due to rain. Free and secure public car& trailer park, or you could pay for parking somewhere (caravan park/boat storage?).
Without a hassle you can sail from Lakes Entrance town to Metung, Paynesville, Loch Sport and through the strait to the start of Lake Wellington (Plover Point) as Peter wrote, with many side arms, bays, etc. New Years eve will see fireworks mostly at Paynesville, but at other towns also. There are at least 3 rivers to navigate a good 10 - 20km (Nicholson, Tambo and Mitchell), and villages at Lakes Entrance, some small spots near Nurngurner, Metung and Chinaman & Boxes creeks, Eagle Point, Paynesville and Loch Sport. A small village at Ocean Grange, plus towns on the 3 rivers above, so you can shop/go to pub and have a free jetty.
The maps seem only online now:
gippsports.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=b0359988ca3241729e331f284f44587c¢er=147.6,-37.99&level=11
TrailerSailerPlace forum has lots of posts for the lakes: trailersailerplace.com.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17125&p=211932&hilit=Gippsland+lakes#p211932
Overall it's quite a nice place, not crowded, free jetties and swings, showers, etc. Worthwhile.
Wow - what an amazingly exhaustive analysis of the lakes. Thank you all so very much. I have only ever kayaked for one day on the lakes. I talked to my wife about it and we are all keen to head down after about the 8th of January. It should be fun to cruise somewhere new, and fun to get the trailer sailer out.
cheers
Phil
What type and model TS do you have as well as the big cat. How many boats/yachts do you have....one for every day of the week?
Select to expand quoter13 said..
What type and model TS do you have as well as the big cat. How many boats/yachts do you have....one for every day of the week?
I had an idea of a folding cat when I was cruising my 38 footer . I was stupid and built two. I have just got them nice and sorted now. Here is a video of the newer one I can take down to the lakes. I built all my own boats (and built another 38ft tri as well). I had big dreams of selling plans or getting builders interested but I missed the trailer sailer boom and boats are getting bigger, not smaller.
Hi Phil,
Marley Point Overnight Race is on 12th to 13th March 2022, see mponr.com/. Leave the boat at Paynesville after your January visit and then come back for the race in March.
Cheers,
Kinora
Select to expand quoteKankama said..r13 said..
What type and model TS do you have as well as the big cat. How many boats/yachts do you have....one for every day of the week?
I had an idea of a folding cat when I was cruising my 38 footer . I was stupid and built two. I have just got them nice and sorted now. Here is a video of the newer one I can take down to the lakes. I built all my own boats (and built another 38ft tri as well). I had big dreams of selling plans or getting builders interested but I missed the trailer sailer boom and boats are getting bigger, not smaller. really have to sell some. I don't do as much sailing as tinkering. The big one has done a few cruises north and a trip to Tassie as well as multiple trips along the coast a bit. Vanuatu is the aim in a couple of years for her but the little ones suit getting away while I am working. If you include kayaks and sailboards I go over the one for every day of the week, but I have three sleep aboard boats.
cheers
Phil
Top shelf design and build effort right there, congrats.
