| Lakes Entrance Victoria | |||||||||
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 Lakes Entrance. The town is on the left and "The Entrance" is near the centre | |||||||||
  Lakes Entrance | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 37°52′0″S147°59′0″E / 37.86667°S 147.98333°E /-37.86667; 147.98333 | ||||||||
| Population | 5,145 (2021 census)[1] | ||||||||
| Postcode(s) | 3909 | ||||||||
| Elevation | 2 m (7 ft) | ||||||||
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Shire of East Gippsland | ||||||||
| State electorate(s) | Gippsland East | ||||||||
| Federal division(s) | Gippsland | ||||||||
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Lakes Entrance is a town in theShire of East Gippsland,Victoria,Australia. It is situated approximately 320 kilometres (200 mi) east ofMelbourne, near a managed, artificial channel connecting theGippsland Lakes toBass Strait. At the2016 census, Lakes Entrance had a population of 4,810.[2]
The township was originally named Cunninghame, the Post Office of that name opening on 5 February 1870. It was renamed Lakes Entrance on 1 January 1915.[3]
Lakes Entrance, which lies almost at sea level, can be reached fromMelbourne viaBairnsdale and the town of Kalimna to the north-west by a stretch of thePrinces Highway, which snakes down and around a point protruding into theGippsland Lakes known as "Jemmy's Point". Views of The Entrance and of the Lakes can be seen from various look-outs on Jemmy's Point. ThePrinces Highway leaves the north-east side of the town through hilly countryside towardsNowa Nowa andOrbost. It has the largest number of inland waterways in the southern hemisphere. The ninety-mile beach is a big tourist attraction and the various national parks of Gippsland touch the coastline of Lakes Entrance. Two of the most scenic driving routes are also a part of this region, the Great Alpine Road and The Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive.[4]
Lakes Entrance is predominantly a fishing and tourism-driven town; the main beach front is a harbour for commercial fishing and recreational watersport operations. The surf beach is patrolled by theLakes Entrance Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC)[5] between November and March every summer, with lifeguard patrols from late December to late January. The waterfront is populated by the fishing fleet and two floating restaurants. The town's main residential areas lie farther inland.
Lakes Entrance has a number of camping and caravan parks, and free camping spots in Colquhoun State Forest.[6]
It can be reached from Melbourne on a train to Bairnsdale, followed by an approximately 35 minute connecting bus ride.
Nearby major towns includeBairnsdale andOrbost. Lakes Entrance falls within theShire of East Gippsland. Other towns includeSwan Reach,Johnsonville,Kalimna,Nicholson,Metung andLake Tyers.
According to the2016 census of Population, there were 4,810 people in Lakes Entrance.
| Climate data for Lakes Entrance (Eastern Beach Road) (2006–2022) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 44.6 (112.3) | 46.4 (115.5) | 39.0 (102.2) | 34.4 (93.9) | 29.1 (84.4) | 23.0 (73.4) | 23.4 (74.1) | 26.4 (79.5) | 35.7 (96.3) | 35.4 (95.7) | 41.6 (106.9) | 42.4 (108.3) | 46.4 (115.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 24.4 (75.9) | 23.6 (74.5) | 22.6 (72.7) | 20.2 (68.4) | 17.9 (64.2) | 15.1 (59.2) | 15.4 (59.7) | 16.0 (60.8) | 18.1 (64.6) | 19.6 (67.3) | 21.2 (70.2) | 22.9 (73.2) | 19.7 (67.5) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.2 (59.4) | 14.8 (58.6) | 13.5 (56.3) | 11.1 (52.0) | 8.5 (47.3) | 6.3 (43.3) | 5.9 (42.6) | 6.4 (43.5) | 7.7 (45.9) | 9.6 (49.3) | 11.6 (52.9) | 13.2 (55.8) | 10.3 (50.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 6.5 (43.7) | 8.0 (46.4) | 7.0 (44.6) | 4.5 (40.1) | 0.0 (32.0) | −0.8 (30.6) | −2.4 (27.7) | −2.0 (28.4) | 0.4 (32.7) | 2.5 (36.5) | 3.8 (38.8) | 5.9 (42.6) | −2.4 (27.7) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 46.7 (1.84) | 53.0 (2.09) | 63.6 (2.50) | 67.1 (2.64) | 41.8 (1.65) | 86.9 (3.42) | 47.5 (1.87) | 58.6 (2.31) | 50.0 (1.97) | 59.9 (2.36) | 75.6 (2.98) | 67.1 (2.64) | 719.1 (28.31) |
| Average precipitation days | 8.1 | 8.1 | 9.3 | 9.1 | 8.6 | 11.5 | 12.0 | 11.8 | 10.0 | 10.4 | 10.3 | 10.1 | 119.3 |
| Source:[7] (2006–) | |||||||||||||
The town has anAustralian rules football team competing in theEast Gippsland Football League.[8]
The town is home to ahockey club in theEast Gippsland Hockey Association, although the club still plays under the name of its original home town,Swan Reach.
Golfers play at the course of the Lakes Entrance Golf Club on Golf Links Road, which has 18 holes.[9]
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| National | |