Gippsland: 9 September 2006
The team takes you away to Gippsland where Bridget and Lawrence learn to sail around the Gippsland Lakes and try to catch some fish. Glen finds out if Ninety Mile Beach is really as long as they say and heads back to school for a cooking class at Culinaire Cooking School. Bridget also takes a look at the accommodation at the Esplanade Hotel and explores the Buchan Caves. Lawrence checks out the technology at Robotic Dairy, and meets a bull preparing for the Royal Melbourne Show.
Riviera Nautic
Bridget and Lawrence take a relaxing boat ride around the Gippsland Lakes with Riviera Nautic, which hires Australia's finest fleets of yachts and cruisers. With so many boats to choose from, you'll have a perfect boating holiday.
The yachts offer everything from exciting challenges to quiet cruising or for sailors with lots of experience or those who wish to learn to sail for a lifetime's pleasure. The cruisers are a wonderfully relaxing way to explore the Lakes, even if you've never stepped on a boat before.
So if you're looking for a holiday that's fun and relaxing, active and memorable, with just the right mix of sophistication and hiding away from the world, try a wonderful boating holiday and cruise around the Gippsland Lakes.
Learn to Sail
Riviera Nautic also offers half- and full-day sailing lesions on the Gippsland Lakes for even the most novice sailors. So if you're a bit unsure about sailing the seven seas by yourself Riviera Nautic will help you along the way. With no rocks, reefs or tides and easy navigation, there's no reason why you too can't perfect your sailing skills.
Chinaman's Creek, Metung
Ph 03 5156 2243
www.rivnautic.com.au
Ninety Mile Beach
From Port Albert to the wide open lakes of Lakes Entrance lies the Ninety Mile Beach, a 90 mile stretch of picture-perfect golden sand that separates the Gippsland Lakes from Bass Strait. One of the most natural and unspoilt beaches in the world, it's ideal for any number of beach activities from beach fishing and swimming to walking, whale and dolphin-spotting or just lazing in the sun.
The beach can be reached from the South Gippsland Highway via the towns of Woodside Beach, Seaspray, Golden Beach or Loch Sport and Lakes Entrance. They are unspoilt and offer clean white sand, wonderful crashing waves and a natural bush environment, all creating the perfect holiday environment.
Robotic Dairy Farm
Lawrence visits the Robotic Dairy, which has recently become the first Australian dairy farm to install 'Astronaut Milking Robots'. With four 'Astronaut Milking Robots', the cows decide for themselves when to be milked, rather than being rounded up twice a day.
The system allows the cows to choose their own milking times. The cows enter the dairy via a one-way gate, where they have access to feed and water. To exit this area they must go through the robot. Once milking is completed, the cows are then released to the exiting area where they have further access to concentrate and water before exiting through a non-return gate and returned to the paddock.
The Robot Dairy is a working farm and for quarantine reasons the complex is not open to the general public on a casual basis. However public visitor days are held at regular times during the year to cater for individuals or family groups. Please check for more details.
Toongabbie Road, Winnindoo
Ph 0409 992 531
www.roboticdairy.com
The Esplanade Resort and Spa
Bridget relaxes and rejuvenates at Lakes Entrance's newest luxurious 4.5 star resort, the Esplanade Resort and Spa, which is perfectly located between two pristine stretches of water forming the eastern end of the Gippsland Lakes at Lakes Entrance. With 134 rooms including modern motel rooms, one, two and three bedroom fully self contained apartments, the Esplanade Hotel is the perfect location for your next stay at Lakes Entrance.
Facilities include a large resort pool, indoor heated pool and spa, floodlit tennis court, BBQ areas, café and the Shifting Sands fine dining restaurant with alfresco dining and bar and day spa, specialising in hydrotherapy. There is something for everyone at the Esplanade Waterfront Resort, Lakes Entrance.
1 The Esplanade, Lakes Entrance
Ph 1800 557 759 (within Australia)
www.esplanaderesort.com.au
Wanrua
Lawrence meets one of the biggest stars of this year's Royal Melbourne show, senior bull Wanrua Zoom.
The Manson family has been on the farm for six generations and Andrew is now in charge. Lawrence has a sneak peak at the preparation that is required for the Royal Melbourne Show. Weighing in at 1100kg, Lawrence sizes up Zoom and learns what the judges are looking for in an award-winning stud.
Buchan Caves
Bridget visits the township of Buchan, just four hours from Melbourne, where she finds the Buchan Caves full of spectacular limestone formations. There are said to be around 600 caves in the local area created by underground rivers that cut through the limestone rock. The reserve was established to cater to the needs of the thousands of visitors who explore the caves each year. Today, there are two open to the public for guided tours. Bridget finds it's well worth the effort to make it to the centre of the formation. Here you'll find what is called the Bridal Chamber and back in the 1920s it was used for that very purpose.
Parks Victoria
Ph 13 1963
www.parkweb.vic.gov.au
Culinaire Cooking School
Glen cooks up a storm at Culinaire Cooking School, which was created to cater for students wanting to learn the art of cooking without attending a trade college or a series of demonstration classes. At Culinaire they teach the essentials of cooking 'hands on'. Classes are kept small, from four persons to a maximum of eight persons to ensure personal tuition for all students.
Culinaire offers a range of classes and workshops from a one-hour chef-guided herb garden ramble to a 14 days comprehensive cookery course. With many courses and workshops to choose from, there is sure to be a course or workshop that interests you.
51 Cunningham Court, Swan Reach
Ph 03 5156 4091
