Without a doubt, Paynesville, a former ship building center, is the most popular spot in all of Victoria for water sports. You can find nearly any kind of water related activity here, as well as fantastic scenery and an abundance of wildlife. It is the perfect spot for any nature enthusiast or water lover.

Paynesville is a charming village that is surrounded by three lakes amidst Australia’s famed Gippsland waterways, about 300 kilometers from Melbourne. Its unique location between Lake Wellington, Lake King and Lake Victoria gives visitors excellent access to saltwater as well as fresh water activities around the region’s vast network of lakes, rivers and coastal waterways.

Paynesville is certainly the area’s center for boating. There are boundless marinas around to dock, launch or rent a boat. An extensive canal system makes it simple to move throughout the whole of East Gippsland. Boaters here can do their own sailing or charter a vessel for sightseeing, dining or fishing.

There are also many opportunities for canoeing, tubing and kayaking in the Mitchell River. This is a terrific place to experience the magnificent scenery, wildlife areas and wilderness landscapes. An interesting natural feature here is the Silt Jetties. These are eight kilometer long delta formations at the mouth of the river that are the second largest of their kind in the world.

In addition to the many aquatic recreational activities, Paynesville is also noted for being a place to examine many native wildlife species, plant varieties and geological formations. Besides the many lakes and other waterways, the local environments also include marshlands, woods and grasslands. Nature enthusiasts gather here to observe a wide variety of animals that are abundant in their natural habitats.

One of the most popular attractions for nature lovers is the Rotamah Island bird observatory, located on the shore of Lake Victoria. This is a facility operated by the Royal Australian Ornithologists’ Union and is an internationally known field study center. It also functions as a museum that features artifacts, photography and art. Visitors here can find a multitude of fascinating exhibits related to animal behavior, plant life and local ecology.

Birdwatchers will find hundreds of species of mammals, fish and native birds in the famous Lakes National Park, including many rare varieties of swans, pelicans, and ducks. This area is considered to have the most significant of all populations of rare wading birds found in Australia. There are also guided tours that enable the tourist to catch a glimpse of kangaroos, koalas and emus in the wild.

Naturally, the lake systems are heavily used for both commercial as well as recreational fishing and virtually all the lakes are easily accessible by boat. While the waters have a diverse variety of fish species for anglers, the most popular and plentiful are the notable black bream and the mullet. Fishing trips and boat tours around the lakes and rivers are always available from the marinas in Paynesville. Many water skiers, windsurfers and divers regularly visit to take advantage of the water.

Of course, you can also find excellent accommodations, restaurants and shopping. There are also many festivals, market events and yacht races. Without a doubt, Paynesville is the premier location in Australia for nautical and natural vacationing.