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In Australia's Far East, this lovely area is famous for its natural lakes, forests, wildlife and relaxing ambiance.

We puttered along the wild shores of South Eastern Australia’s Mallacoota River for half an hour before we found... there it was! The furry teddy sitting up in the fork of a spindly green gum tree.

Koala bears look gingerbread cute with little round furry ears and big black triangular noses, but such sweetness can be deceptive. These bears have long sharp claws and are known to use them. Therefore they are perfect to look at from a distance, which is exactly where Simon Buckley and his little boat, the equally cutely named Porkie Bess, had placed us; close enough to look but not too close for mauling.

Wildlife along the rugged coast and wild forests of Far East Gippsland is abundant. Sparsely populated and blessed by a mildly cool climate, this large area making up the easternmost part of the southern mainland state of Victoria, has a diverse range of ecosystems; enough for a wide number of animals and birds to flourish.

The gateway to Far East Gippsland is a watery one. Lakes Entrance is a small town at the entrance to the sea where water flows to three large lakes, the largest inland water system in the Southern Hemisphere.

Exploring and Staying at The Lakes

If there is something puzzling to an 18 month-old, it is a lifelike statue. Along the foreshore of the busy holiday township of Lakes Entrance are a series of wooden carved statues marking Australia’s involvement in the wars of the 20^th Century including a soldier called Simpson who carried the wounded off the battlefield on his donkey. My son Trent patted Simpson, then poked his donkey and watched for a response. None emerged, so with the blessed short attention span of a young child, he turned his excited curiosity to the boats coming in along the wharves. The Lakes fishing fleet is one of the largest in this part of the world and well worth a look. It became the reason we lived on fish, of the freshest kind, during the three days we spent there.

The best way to explore the Lakes is by boat. Our boat, The Director, a modern 12-meter (about 40 feet) catamaran with indoor and outdoor entertaining areas and fully stocked bar, picked us up at the jetty just outside our accommodation at the luxurious Moorings.

A dazzling find, The Moorings (+61 3 5156 2750) were a complex of apartments overlooking the pretty Metung Marina, a focus of the charming little lakeside village of Metung, which we found to be a quieter place to stay than the buzz at the Lakes Entrance Township. What is it about waterside accommodation that eventually finds one relaxing on a balcony with a glass of local wine, watching yachts bob up and down in calm water while gulls dance on the air waves?

The Director took us on a journey into the Lakes with history, nature and bird life vying for our attention-- until the dolphins leapt alongside and everything else became secondary. The skipper, who had spent many years on the lakes and was full of stories, let kids, brimming with importance, take the wheel on the calmer stretches of water. Afternoon tea satisfied everyone and a walk across a spit of land to see the wild waters of Bass Strait and hear about an epic walk undertaken by shipwreck survivors to Sydney in the 1800s let our imaginations run wild.

Sadly leaving the Lakes area we headed along the highway to Orbost, a vibrant little place where walks, picnics spots and shops are the main attractions. The road from here goes through forests and over rivers-- a magnificent drive though nature.We sighted wallabies (a small kangaroo), echidnas (similar to a porcupine), a blue-tongued lizard and plenty of birds.