Gippsland
Gippsland is an area of more than 500 kilometres. It is in the eastern part of Victoria and stretches from Westernport Bay and the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne, to the New South Wales border. Attention was focused on this area when rich goldfields on the southern slopes of the Great Dividing range were first discovered. The area was also rich in vegetation but now most of the original forest has been cleared for farmland.
Foster
French Island
French Island, once better known for its prison farm, is an amazing ecological experience. Now a National Park, French Island is described as Victoria's closest semi-wilderness escape from Melbourne. It is home to the healthiest and most prolific colony of koalas in Australia, more than 234 bird species and the rare potoroo. Ferries to the Island leave from Stony Point jetty. Tours and accommodation packages are available (Tourism Victoria "Bays & Peninsulas" Jigsaw book 1998/99.p.16).
Latrobe Valley
The La Trobe Valley is situated east of Melbourne, Victoria approx. The 75 minutes drive passes through some quaint villages such as Trafalgar and Yarragon, and by the Strzelecki ranges.
The area attracts those who are interested in water sports, walking and golfing.
Moe
Moe is part of the Latrobe Valley district which produces a substantial part of the electricity used in eastern Australia.
The town of Moe has a population of 18,000 and serves as a business and community centre for surrounding rural areas which support dairying, beef, forest, potato, sheep and tourism industries (Albert Street Primary School Online).
Morwell
Morwell is located in the latrove valley and is at the centre of the vast coalfields for the Latrobe area. The open-cut mines supply brown coal for power generation.
Mt Buller
Neerim
Located approximately 100km east of Melbourne, Neerim is in the Bow Bow Shire and on the road to Mt Bow Bow.
Phillip Island
The most famous attraction on Phillip Island is the Little Fairy Penguins. Tourists flock to see them arrive at the Summerland Beach each evening to find their burrows. Viewing stands and raised broadwalks are provided to protect the penguins' habitat. These areas also enable the visitors to watch the penguins preen, greet one another and feed their chicks. The penguins arrive on the island around November, then return to the Northern Hemisphere in the following Autumn.
Traralgon
Traralgon has a history of paper milling, but recently the economy of the town has been boosted by the establishment of the Australian Securities Commission Data Base Centre, which at its peak, employes 400 people.
Warragul
Situated in an area of rolling hills some 100 kilometres east of Melbourne, Warragul is a support centre for the surrounding rural area. It is the site of the West Gippsland Arts Centre.
Wilsons Promontory
Yallourn
Located on the Latrobe River, Yallourn was a company owned town, built by the SEC, that was only meant to last for 50 years. The bulk of the people living in the town either worked at the huge open cut coal mine, or at the power station.
Yarra Ranges
The Yarra Valley with its restaurants, wineries and rolling hills is a delight to visit. The Puffing Billy Steam Railway that travels 25km through the magnificent Dandenong Ranges from Belgrave, to Emerald Lake Park and Gembrook.
The Cloudehill Nursery has a magnificent formal garden where Beech hedges, stonewalls and old brick masonry create a maze of garden rooms.