Superb local seafood, Fine local wines,Tranquil waterfront views 40 Wharf Street, Port Albert. For bookings call 5183 2007 www.wildfishrestaurant.com.au
PAGE 2 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Autumn Edition, 2011
Enjoy Easter and beyond By Tourist News co-ordinator, Simone Naismith.
THERE is no better time than now to
think South Gippsland when you consider your holiday break this Easter period or in the future.
The devastating rain event at Wilsons Promontory recently, resulting in the closure of roads and access to most of the park, has affected visitor
numbers and consequently some businesses will be suffering. The Easter Long Weekend, this year a five day break including Anzac
Day, is usually a booming tourist time for our region. Whilst it will still be busy, it is up to our ‘locals’ to take up any shortfall. You can help in this
way by continuing your support of the cafes, galleries, B and Bs, markets as well as festivals and events taking place in the region over the coming days and weeks. Coal Creek in Korumburra has Ghost Tours on Easter Saturday, April 23 and a big Easter egg hunt on Easter Sunday, April 24. Stony Creek racecourse hosts a special
Easter race meeting, also on Easter Sunday. The 12-page South Coast Tourist News, published by The Star, is well worth a look to see what’s on and where in our region. Get in the car and take a drive or jump on your bike and hit the rail trail. Whatever you do, get out and explore. Enjoy the read!
Happy holidays: Tourist News co-ordinator, Simone Naismith.
“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Autumn Edition, 2011 - PAGE 3
WHETHER it’s outdoor activities, shopping, hitting the road or simply relaxing with a glass of wine whilst enjoying the breathtaking surroundings, South Gippsland is the ultimate destination for everybody. While the weather is still fine there are endless tracks and trails just waiting to be explored. The Great Southern Rail Trail is accessible from a number of townships and consists of 50km of track, beginning in Leongatha and finishing up near Foster. With the journey being wheelchair accessible it can be travelled by foot, bike or horse, a fantastic way to visit some wonderful towns and appreciate the rolling, green countryside. The rail trail is only one of many walks scattered throughout the area and the Prom Country Walks brochure has all the information you need about all the tracks and trails in the area.
Up high: see the Tarwin River from the bridge near Meeniyan. The northern end of Wilsons Promontory is also open for visitors, with walks out to Cotters Lake and Millers Landing. It’s a great chance to discover a different part
of the park and the Prom’s northern wilderness and conservation areas offer unique opportunities for day visitors and walkers. Find yourself more of an indoors person?
South Gippsland offers a feast of taste sensations and shopping experiences. The region boasts several wineries producing coolclimate red and white table wines, while funky cafes, fine restaurants and fresh produce merchants are also very common, with almost every town boasting a culinary delight or two for you to enjoy. And with many rustic pubs throughout the region, you’ll never be too far from a nice beverage. You can also browse through a wide range of boutique retail stores selling gifts, homewares, arts and craft, clothing, produce and much more. With the help of the new Prom Shopping and Dining Guide, you won’t miss a thing in South Gippsland. And finally, for those who want to stay warm and still enjoy the sights, a number of scenic drives connect the townships and tourist icons. Cover large distances at once and enjoy experiencing all the incredible things South Gippsland has to offer.
Outdoor fun: wandering the Great Southern Rail Trail is an ideal way to combine exercise and sightseeing.
PAGE 4 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Autumn Edition, 2011
Sandy Point: just a stone’s throw from the Prom.
Gems along the coast SOUTH Gippsland Gi l d is i blessed bl d with i h beautib i ful, clean beaches. For the length of the mainland coast from San Remo to Wilsons Promontory, are beaches that are ideal for swimming, boating, fishing, relaxing, meditating or picnicking. The Cape Liptrap Coastal Park stretches from Point Smythe to the sheltered waters of Waratah Bay, which is peaceful and secluded. Waratah Bay has a kiosk, caravan park, playground, boat ramp, picnic area and walking tracks. The Waratah Bay Surf Lifesaving Club patrols the several beaches at Waratah Bay during the season. The clubhouse is actually at nearby Sandy Point and the lifesavers always create a convenient surfing and body boarding spot near their headquarters.
Because there’s off room at Waratah B h ’ plenty l W h Bay, B the beaches are never crowded. Between Sandy Point and Yanakie is Shallow Inlet. The inlet was declared a marine coastal park in 1986, because of its rich habitat for shore and migratory wading birds. The spot is ideal for young families because of its safe swimming and shallows for paddling. Boating is permitted in the shallow waters of the inlet and it’s a popular fishing spot. Common catches include King George Whiting, flathead, trevally and some Australian salmon, but there are bag limits on some species. Perhaps you’d like to cook your fish on one of the barbecues at Western Beach.
The Th area is i ideal id l for f picnics i i andd generally ll just j relaxing and enjoying the views. There are large Aboriginal middens along that part of the coast containing charcoal, stones and remains of shellfish. The Brataualung Aboriginal clan used the area up to 6000 years ago. Slightly inland from its beach is the little township of Toora. Toora is on the South Gippsland Highway between Leongatha and Yarram and only 10 minutes from Foster, Port Franklin and Welshpool. The Toora Caravan Park is geared for families with its indoor pool, spa and giant trampoline. If you’re looking for good coffee and home cooking, The Windmill Café and Toora Bargain Centre is the place to go. The bargain centre is full of antiques
andd collectables ll bl which hi h are interesting i i to see. You’ll also be served a great meal at the Royal Standard Hotel. Toora hosts a popular Heritage Pear Orchard, the Carol Linton Art Gallery, a lavender farm, a park and gas barbecues. Welshpool is inland from Port Welshpool; the two separated by a distance of 6kms. The first stage of a walking track to link them has been constructed. There’s a park next to the main shops which include a fish and chip shop, pub and supermarket with an ice cream stand. Welshpool is just one more place where visitors can relax and breathe in some fresh country air while basking in the tranquillity.
“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Autumn Edition, 2011 - PAGE 5
So much to do COAL Creek is set to be very busy this autumn. From Easter through July, the heritage park will be inundated with visitors at various events. The first will be the massive Easter Egg Hunt, which will run on Easter Sunday. There will be 1200 Cadbury eggs available on the day, with children limited to three each. Children will have a chance to hunt in age groups to find gold blocks redeemable for eggs. Free activities including Easter craft and old fashioned games, train rides and family fun races will be run throughout the day. But of course it wouldn’t be Easter without everyone’s favourite bunny, who will appear around noon. Children will have their chance to have their photo taken with the Easter bunny after the meet and greet. Families are urged to book in advance. With 763 people in attendance at last year’s event, this year’s is expected to be just as big. For those more daring or in need of a night out then Coal Creek can provide. Ghost tours, run once a month, take guests through the park to meet those who call Coal Creek home. Ghosts don’t only haunt buildings, but may also be attached to objects, people or a site significant to them. To experience the haunting atmosphere of the village, and even enter some of the buildings, book ahead to ensure some of the best possible entertainment the park has to offer. Ghost tour times are as follows: April 23, March 14, June 18 and July 16. Another attraction just recently added by Coal Creek is the Farmers Market, which runs on the second Saturday of every month. The line-up of produce changes each month
but always includes fresh, local and organic fruit and vegetables from Allambee South, Lang Lang, Kardella, Thorpdale, Warragul and Korumburra surrounds. Then there’s goat’s cheese from Bena, freshly caught fish from Port Franklin, sourdough bread from Yarragon, olives and olive oil from Jumbunna and Fish Creek, handmade preserves from Koonwarra, wine from Leongatha South, free range pork, beef, lamb from Yarragon, venison from Neerim South and eggs from Grantville plus fresh pasta, frozen berry sorbets, chilli sauce and salsas, freshly blended spice mixes, homemade pies and apple strudel, honey, vegie seedlings, David Austin roses, plants, flowers, heritage apple trees and more - all from Victorian growers and makers direct. The market has been a massive hit since its initiation. Mothers Day will be celebrated at Coal Creek too. A free coffee will be given to all mums who bring their children along to the park on her special day. The Australian Masters Exhibition will be making its way into Coal Creek’s community gallery during May. An information session will be held to teach guests about art collection and appreciation.
Easter bunny: the egg deliverer will be back this year for some more Easter fun at Coal Creek.
โ SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWSโ , Autumn Edition, 2011 - PAGE 7
PAGE 6 - โ SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWSโ , Autumn Edition, 2011
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PAGE 8 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Autumn Edition, 2011
A market for all seasons KONGWAK becomes a hive of activity on a Sunday, no matter the weather. The Kongwak Market is held every Sunday from 10am to 2.30pm, and goes ahead in rain, hail or shine, drawing crowds from all around. Amongst the stalls, both inside and outside, you will find collectables, retro, vintage and secondhand items and clothing, plants and books. While rummaging between old vinyl records, your eye may be caught by a unique pair of shoes that you could never find in another store. Yummy food including curries, a sausage sizzle and coffees are on offer while fresh fruit and vegies along with wine from the local wineries are there to buy. A musical act entertains the crowds at intervals from 11am until 2pm which is a great way to see many up and coming musicians. With just a gold coin donation, which goes to the CFA, for entry why not check out the Kongwak Market this Sunday or any Sunday for that matter, for a fun and friendly day out. While in Kongwak why not check out the serene Pioneer Reserve, which includes 100 acres of remnant vegetation and overlooks the town. The reserve has many well laid out walking tracks which wind in and out of the vegetation, and are waiting to be explored. With an abundance of wildlife, this unique area hosts an extremely diverse range of native flora and fauna.
Market day: Rona Black enjoys a coffee at the popular Kongwak Market. Photo courtesy of Rachel Dennison.
“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Autumn Edition, 2011 - PAGE 9
Hop to it: the Easter Bunny helps children during the egg hunt at last year’s festival.
THIS year’s Churchill Island Easter Fun Festival is set to be action packed with entertainment for all ages. Come and celebrate the pioneering past amongst the picturesque setting of Churchill Island. The two day festival held over the Easter weekend (Saturday, April 23 and Sunday April 24) is jam packed with traditional heritage farming including working horses from the Victorian Working Draught Horse Association, delicious foods to delight the taste buds and old fashioned games that will keep the whole family
entertained. The Easter Fun Festival is now entering its third successful year and organisers hope to see you at this year’s bonanza. Activities to look forward to over the two days will include wagon rides, puppet shows by Punch and Judy, stilt walkers, clowns, Octopus Garden, face painting and craft activities. Step back in time to see Clydesdale horses ‘strutting their stuff’ in the paddocks as they demonstrate ploughing, hay making and generally show off their strengths and skills. Stop for a pat and a chat with their owners as you wander through the festival.
Punch and Judy: the puppets will keep the children entertained.
Watch out for the Easter Bunny, who will be handing out free Easter eggs for kids on Sunday! There will also be spinners, woodcrafters and blacksmith demonstrations. Working sheep dogs, bakers’ oven, hand sheep shearing and much more. Enjoy live music and entertainment, talk to the animals, and, when it’s time for a meal, select from a great range of food stalls or enjoy a glass of wine as you look across the bay from the Churchill Island Café. All entertainment is included in festival entry. With spectacular scenery, plenty of space to
relax, plenty to entertain the kids, there is no better place to enjoy this Easter weekend. Entry is $10.90 for adults, $5.45 for children, $27.25 for families and $7.65 concession or free entry with a valid three parks pass. Tickets are available at all Phillip Island Nature Park outlets and Information Centres. Ask about the Three Parks Pass. Tickets will also be available on www.penguins.org.au. For more information call 5951 2800 or visit the website.
PAGE 10 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Autumn Edition, 2011
Foster’s for everyone LOCATED between the Strzelecki Ranges and Wilsons Promontory is the town of Foster. It is a great base for exploring the natural beauty of the coastal areas in the locality, including Waratah Bay and Sandy Point. Offering a variety of stores including two supermarkets, a hotel and newsagency, a shoe shop, cafes, bakeries, clothing and beach goodies, Foster has everything you need. In town, there is a museum, art gallery and
library to tour on wet days and a nice walk through Pearl Park and across a bridge over Stockyard Creek. Peaceful bush walks can be enjoyed around town. There is the 900m Hayes Walk from the middle of town over Kaffir Hill and past the site of the Victory Mine. Foster was founded with the discovering of gold in 1870 and Victory Mine is the largest gold mine in town which still remains. The surrounds of Foster are spectacu-
lar, with the Foster North lookout providing breathtaking views over Corner Inlet with the mountain ranges of Wilsons Promontory offering an attractive backdrop. The surrounding undulating farmland makes for magnificent views when taking a scenic drive through the area. For those who wish to take in the sights of the old railway line, explore The Great Southern Rail Trail which winds 43km all the way up to Leongatha from Foster.
Great view: lookouts around Foster offer breathtaking views of the surrounding area.
“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Autumn Edition, 2011 - PAGE 11
Walks and wetlands THEY call it the mini Great Ocean Road.
And Dennis O’Connor loves it. He volunteers at the Wonthaggi Information Centre in Watt Street and names the scenic Bunurong coastal drive from Cape Paterson to Inverloch among his favourite tourist destinations in the area. Dennis doesn’t think it’s at all far fetched to liken it to the Great Ocean Road. It’s not nearly as long, but the views are just as stunning. “It’s a safe drive too,” he said. That wasn’t always the case. Dennis spent his boyhood in Wonthaggi and remembers when the coastal road was unmade. His older brother Phil used to ride his bike ‘rain, hail or shine’ along it to his job at a farm where Yancowinna now is – his two dogs panting along behind. “There was a sharp bend too!” Dennis’s all time favourite tourist attraction is the Wonthaggi State Coal Mine. “I hope the underground tours open again soon, like they used to have them. It is one of the most authentic underground environments as per how mining was done.” The tours were stopped because of legislative matters and, after a great deal of hard work by volunteers and federal and state grants, are due to start again in late May. Asked for a third favourite tourist spot, Dennis names the mine’s No 5 brace workings.
Welcome: Wonthaggi Information Centre staff Dennis O’Connor and Vicki Coghrane say the mini Great Ocean Road drive along South Gippsland’s spectacular coast is just one of many wonderful attractions for visitors. “They are accessible by road or by the rail trail over a stile. “When I go there, I have mixed feelings of nostalgia and sadness. I wish they’d done something with the old brace building (which is in a sad state of disrepair). There are goats in
there now keeping the grass down.” There are walking tracks all around the old mine area, with No 5 brace more or less at the centre. You can take the No 5 brace loop track or a number of others that give a sense of the old coal mining days that are integral to
Heath plants to look for IF you take any of the lovely walks around the Wonthaggi Heathland and Coastal Reserve, you’ll spot a wide variety of plant life. The reserve contains 811 hectares of heathland, bounded by 10kms of pristine coastland. The heathland was formed from old coastal dunes pushed inland by receding sea levels.
As pioneer plants protected from the worst of salty winds and sand blasts enriched the barren sand with humus, the developing heathland was able to sustain specialised vegetation cover. The plants adapted to the porous soil because of their ability to conserve moisture. Most heathland flora is stunted, prickly and narrow with small leaves. The vegetation includes the plants pictured below.
Advancing: coast tea tree is advancing inland, smothering other species. It is controlled by cutting and burning.
Desal site tours IF you are going to be holidaying in the South Gippsland area on Easter Tuesday, you might be interested in touring the desalination plant construction site at Williamsons Beach, Wonthaggi. Free tours are being offered for the first time since construction began. Controversy aside, the tours will give people the chance of seeing the 29 buildings that make up the plant, including the reverse osmosis one with its unusual
‘green’ roof. The roof boasts vegetation that has been especially chosen so that it blends in with the coast. The idea is to make the plant less obtrusive. The tours will be by bus, departing from the Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve. Bookings are essential on 1800 811 214, or by calling in to the desalination community information centre at 33-35 Murray Street Wonthaggi, opposite the Safeway Supermarket.
Wonthaggi’s history. One of the loops is made of ash from the old power house boilers. Dennis’s colleague Vicki Coghrane, who is a member of the centre’s casual staff, said her favourite destination is the Wonthaggi Heathland and Coastal
Reserve, especially the walk to Cutlers Beach. There are various walks through the heathlands and a pristine beach to stride along between Harmers Haven and Williamsons Beach (site of the desalination plant). The area is home to a range of raptors and a sea birds such as wedge tailed eagles, swamp harriers and goshawks. Gulls, heron, ibis, tawny crowned and brown headed crescents, white fronted chats, southern emu wren, blue winged parrots, flame robins, red browed firetails and many more. Mobs of up to eight eastern grey kangaroos can be seen, especially in the morning or at twilight. There are swamp wallaby, wombats and the occasional koala. Sturdy boots should be worn because some of the tracks are narrow and the surface uneven. Vicki said native orchids can be seen at the heathland too. Volunteers help keep the weeds under control. Those looking for a shorter walk, should try the wetlands in Wonthaggi, that front South Dudley Road. Vicki loves that too. She said a walking track meanders through the wetlands and there are seats here and there, some in secluded spots. Vicki suggests parking behind Big W and using the walking track from there. Information about the walks is available from the information centre, which also sells copies of a book called Coastal and Bush Walks.
PAGE 12 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Autumn Edition, 2011
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