Paynesville Market

Don’t sleep in or linger too long over breakfast if you want to catch the Paynesville Market. Trading starts at 8.30am and finishes at 1.00pm on the second Sunday each month.

There’s something for every man and his dog at this market. In fact it’s a real dog’s day out, with many locals bringing their pets along. All leashed and on their best behaviour of course.

You can create your own recycled fishing tackle from the selection available. Then head to the local jetties and catch some fresh fish for lunch.


Toss a salad together with fresh produce straight from local growers.


Find that missing piece to complete your tea-set.


Buy some homemade biscuits, cakes or slices. Keep your eyes out for the famous “biscuit lady” whose huge Anzac biscuits and melt-in-your mouth yo-yos sell out early in the day.


And while you’re gathering the makings of a picnic lunch, don’t forget to buy some gourmet goodies for your puppy pal.


Whether you’re a pearls and roses kinda’ gal . . .


. . . or you prefer funky blooms . . .


. . . there’s something for everyone at the Paynesville Market.


For more information contact The Lions Club: 0400 327 526

Australia Day at Lakes Entrance

As crowds lined the foreshore in preparation for Common Ground - a man-made fire, water and sound installation - the universe conspired with a light show all it's own.

Comet McNaught, has been streaking across the southern hemisphere and is visible to the naked eye. Brighter than Halley's Comet, this one was discovered by an Aussie astronomer late last year. A generator hitch stalled the man-made lightshow at Lakes Entrance, allowing spectators to spot the comet as it's tail streamed across the sky. See comet here.

The man-made light show started when a bamboo structure in the middle of the lake burst into flame. Created by internationally renowned Indonesian installation artist and architect, Eko Prawoto, the structure featured a goanna. An indigenous group made their way across the water on a leaf-covered raft carrying a small bark canoe. As they reached their destination, the footbridge lit up with fireworks.


Pinwheel swirls and cascading waterfalls were just some of the visual affects accompanying a musical soundtrack.

A shipping container held "Black & White" an exhibition of works by East Gippsland artists. The shipping container was appropriately painted black on the outside, and gloss white on the inside.

Catherine Larkins, lead artist, received funding to recreate the Australia Day fireworks festival as an arts event. Southern Cross Fireworks created the sparks and a team of others worked together to present a weekend with a difference.

Cakes R Us offered sweet treats for sale next to the fresh-brew coffee cart. A free sausage sizzle was also on offer. Battle of the bands continues the celebrations on Saturday and the Common Ground festival closes on Sunday with brunch on the bridge and a blessing of the fleet.

Judging by the crowds who turned up for the first evening's festivities, Common Ground met a need for a family friendly, artistic celebration of what it means to be Australian in the Gippsland Lakes region.

Ocean Grange

With the summer tourist season in full swing on the Gippsland Lakes, here is one hotspot you must visit if you have boat access.

Ocean Grange is part of the 43,500 acre Gippsland Lakes Coastal Park. With only 250 metres of sand dunes seperating the waves of Ninety Mile Beach on the southern side and the lake waters of Bunga Arm on the north, water activities range from waterskiing, sailing, surfing, beach fishing or jetty fishing.

Ocean Grange was originally the home of a grazier and the area was farmed. Now there are a dozen small holiday houses dotted along the lakeside, each with their own private jetty. A necessity when the only way there is by boat.

There is a large public jetty with toilet facilities available. If you want to visit this spot in summer, make it an early start to ensure you get a jetty berth.

Gippsland Lakes now on property radar

According to a report in The Weekend Australian, Gippsland Lakes is now appearing on the radar for those seeking coastal property. Unlike some other coastal hotspots, prices are still affordable and a good infrastructure provides employment, educational and lifestyle opportunities. Tim Lawless, head of research for PRDnationwide says, "The median house price in these areas is generally around the mid to high $200,000 mark."
If regional areas such as Gippsland Lakes are tipped to be property hotspots, then it will be the early birds that get the worm. Demographer Bernard Salt says, "The mother lode of retirees will start to land on the coast in 2012. . . "

Watersports

As Australia's largest inland waterway, it's little wonder the Gippsland Lakes are hailed as Victoria's Riviera. Three lakes -Victoria, Wellington and King - offer a playground for all weather conditions.

A key to living on the lakes is obviously watersports. Sailing, water-skiing, wake-boarding, kite-surfing, motor-cruising, snorkelling, scuba-diving, kayaking.

And just across the dunes is 90 Mile Beach. Perfect for surfing, beach fishing and wave-jumping.

Defining a lifestyle?

According to Wikipedia, the sociological meaning of the word lifestyle is: "the way a person (or a group) lives. This includes patterns of social relations, consumption, entertainment, and dress. A lifestyle typically also reflects an individual's attitudes, values or worldview."

The NZ Ministry of Health defines lifestyle as; "a way of living based on identifiable patterns of behaviour based on an individual’s choice, influenced by the individual’s personal characteristics, their social interactions, and socioeconomic and environmental factors. "

Gippsland Lakes Lifestyle [GLL] will report on each aspect of these definitions, and provide insight to what life in the Gippsland Lakes region is like.