21 great paddle trails
Finding a great place to go kayaking, canoeing, or stand up paddleboarding in the Gippsland districts of Victoria is easy when you are a Global Paddler member. All you need to do is pick a number on our trip locator map and click or tap on the trail name with the same number in the list below. Global Paddler memberships are available from our online store.
Each Global Paddler guide includes a map, colour photographs, logistical details, a route description, local points of interest, quirky facts, and recommended places to eat, drink, and stay the night so that every day you spend on the water is fantastic.
- Wallagaraugh River
As if being an exceptional place to catch fish and encounter wildlife wasn’t already good enough reason to venture up the Wallagaraugh River, this is also a rare opportunity to paddle north across the historic Black-Allan Line into New South Wales. - Mallacoota Top Lake
The fact that little Mallacoota in the far northeastern corner of Victoria has played a part in the lives and works of three of Australia’s most famous poets is a testament to the ability of this special place to touch the hearts of all who come under its spell. - Wingan Inlet
Wingan Inlet is proof that wilderness is not wasteland as some would have you believe. It is a fecund phantasmagoria of colour, texture, movement, and sound. Wilderness is a completely honest expression of life itself – unadulterated, uncultivated, and untamed. - Tamboon Inlet
Nobody remembers their best day of playing computer games but most have stories to tell about awesome days spent paddling, fishing, and camping. That’s why original PlayStations like Tamboon Inlet in Croajingolong National Park will always be the greatest. - Bemm River
Bemm River is a charming little village that lies hidden in the heart of a vast forest landscape on the East Gippsland coast. It is a place that time could have easily forgotten had it not been for its reputation for being the best bream fishing destination in Victoria. - Brodribb River
The Brodribb is the final tributary of Australia’s great Snowy River. The two come together in a giant floodplain wetland at the seaside town of Marlo near Orbost. It is an area that is full of native plants and animals and captivating tales of human endeavour. - Marlo
Marlo is a little town at the mouth of Australia’s legendary Snowy River. Its small human population, abundant wildlife, and gorgeous natural setting make it the perfect place for a quiet weekend of bird watching, fishing, and of course, paddling. - Nowa Nowa
Nowa Nowa inspires you to treat your life as an artwork in the process of creation. It encourages you to be imaginative; explore new ground, experiment with unfamiliar textures, revel in the finer details, and sample all the vibrant colours of the rainbow. - Toorloo Arm
Toorloo Arm is hidden inside a peaceful natural forest not far from the seaside town of Lakes Entrance. There are a handful of ways to see it by foot or on wheels but these only offer tantalising glimpses that will make you wish you had floated in instead. - North Arm
North Arm is a haven within a haven. It’s no big secret that Lakes Entrance is a fantastic place for a restful holiday by the sea, but to discover the true peace and tranquillity of this special place you need to venture into its most sheltered and secluded river valley. - Tambo River
This paddle trail takes in the final stretch of the Tambo River’s 186 kilometre journey from the Victorian Alps to the Gippsland Lakes. The lush landscape thrives on a bed of sandstone, clay, and limestone that was laid down when the region was under the sea. - Picnic Point
The Friends of Picnic Point Reserve have taken such great care of their waterfront patch that it is more like a botanical garden than purely a spot to roll out a rug. It’s also the perfect place to start a paddle to the tidal limit of the magnificent Mitchell River. - The Silt Jetties
Most rivers are content with simply emptying into larger waterways at the end of their journeys, but not the Mitchell. This ambitious stream has added 8 kilometres to its length by constructing the longest silt jetties in the world. - Raymond Island
Paddling around Raymond Island is one of the must-do experiences of the glorious Gippsland Lakes region, with stunning views across majestic Lake King and Lake Victoria, and opportunities to meet unique wildlife, including the island’s adopted koala colony. - Lake Glenmaggie
Summon up your best Rod Stewart voice and sing along with me. “Lake Glenmaggie I think I’ve got something to say to you…” Just like Rod’s Maggie May, this lovely lake is a bewitching temptress who will steal your heart and soul but you will love her anyway. - Maffra
What’s not to like about a town with a Portuguese name, a history of making butter and sugar, a port which is tailor made for paddle craft, a lovingly restored nature reserve that is perfect for a mid-paddle break, and its very own platypus welcoming committee? - Blue Rock Lake
If the rippling waters of Blue Rock Lake could talk, they would tell fascinating tales of discoveries of gold and quartz, and maybe even brag about their role in protecting Victoria’s electricity supply chain, but most like them best for their peaceful disposition. - Sale
Gippsland was a late developer when it came to the European settlement of Australia but it has come a long way since thanks in no small part to the Port of Sale and the man-made canal that allowed shipping traffic to arrive here from the sea. - The Heart
The final moments of the Latrobe River’s 270 kilometre odyssey from the Baw Baw Plateau to the Gippsland Lakes are adorned by a wonderful series of wetlands and blessed with thousands of little happy feet that have found a home at The Heart. - Tarwin Lower
Tarwin Lower may not appear to be much more than a quiet little South Gippsland town but dig a little deeper and you will find a fascinating past, one of Victoria’s most intriguing unsolved mysteries, and the longest picnic table you’re ever likely to see. - Yanakie
Yanakie looks east across Corner Inlet to the ruggedly beautiful and wonderfully wild granite peaks of Wilsons Promontory. It is a view that is arguably the best in Victoria, particularly when the sun sends its first rays over the horizon each morning.
