Love Our Lakes

25/06/2026

🦆H5 bird flu detected in WA and SA

This disease is not present in Victoria, but it’s a timely reminder to stay aware.

If you see sick or dead birds:

❌AVOID contact

📝RECORD what you see

📞REPORT it to 1800 675 888 or use the online form https://forms.bio.vic.gov.au/wildlife-influenza-investigation

Report 5 or more dead birds anywhere in Victoria, or even one high risk species like marine mammals, seabirds, waterbirds, shorebirds or birds of prey.

More info: birdflu.gov.au

24/06/2026

Elegant, familiar and unmistakably Gippsland Lakes – it’s Black Swan time this 🦢💙

Black Swans (Cygnus atratus) are a common sight across the Lakes, often seen gliding in groups or feeding along the shallows.

They’re also known for forming long-term pair bonds, with many staying with the same mate for years and sometimes for life.

Feeding mostly on aquatic plants, they graze at the water’s surface or tip forward to reach vegetation below. With their long necks, they can reach down to around a metre underwater.

Breeding pairs build nests from floating vegetation, often on the water itself, while males help defend territory during the breeding season.

📷 Photos 2–5 by David Paul
📱 Wildlife Field Guide to the Gippsland Lakes app (available via your app store)

22/06/2026

Looking for the latest updates on the algal bloom in the Gippsland Lakes?

Conditions can change, so for the most current monitoring results, public health advice and updates, we encourage the community to visit the DEECA website.

DEECA is the lead agency providing information on algal blooms across Victoria, including the Gippsland Lakes.

👉 Find the latest updates here:
https://www.water.vic.gov.au/waterways/blue-green-algae

Please refer directly to DEECA for the most up-to-date information and advice.

Background on blue-green algae and links to other resources. Blue-green algae outbreaks sometimes occur in the summer in the Gippsland Lakes region.

21/06/2026

The Lakes have been serving up a little bit of everything this week. 💙

From peaceful moments at Newlands Arm by Carin Poeschel-Livingstone, to colourful sails on the water during Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club winter racing captured by Ron Parker.

And then there was Lance Hunt, who surprised us all with a photo from Nusa Dua, Bali. 🌴 (You’ll have to scroll back to last week’s post to see that one!)

While one image may have come from a little further afield than usual, they all share something in common – a love of being near the water.

Thank you to everyone who continues to share the places, moments and views that catch your eye.

👉 Have you captured a favourite moment this week? Whether it’s a sunrise, wildlife encounter, stormy skies, glassy water or life on the Lakes, we’d love to see it.

Share your photos in the comments below or tag on Instagram or on Facebook with for the chance to be featured.

19/06/2026

Did you know Lake Tyers has its own estuary camera? 👀🌊

The Lake Tyers estuary stretches from the Ninety Mile Beach through to Nowa Nowa, with an entrance that is constantly shaped by waves, currents and shifting sand. At times it opens to the ocean, and at others it naturally closes again.

To help track these changes, East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority has installed a remote, solar-powered camera that captures daily images of the estuary mouth.

These images build a valuable record over time, helping us better understand how the estuary behaves and changes across seasons and years.

It’s a simple tool that gives a powerful window into one of the most dynamic parts of the Gippsland Lakes system.

👉 Take a look at the estuary cam: https://public.eagle.io/public/dash/6ct5v601xzhtau9

17/06/2026

Did you know these birds pair for life? ❤️

Gang-gang Cockatoos form strong bonds that can last for many years.

During breeding season, they return to deep tree hollows to nest, often using the same tree year after year. Females lay up to three eggs, and both parents share the job of incubating the eggs and raising their chicks.

Swipe through to see these beautiful birds – including a pair photographed by Mark Norman at Lakes Entrance and featured in the Wildlife Field Guide to the Gippsland Lakes app.

It's one of the many remarkable wildlife stories playing out across the Gippsland Lakes and surrounding forests.

More wildlife information is available in the free Wildlife Field Guide Gippsland Lakes app.

Have you been lucky enough to spot a Gang-gang Cockatoo around the Lakes? We'd love to hear where.

15/06/2026

A small waterway with an important job. 🌿

Magees Gully flows into Macleod Morass – one of only two freshwater wetlands within the Gippsland Lakes Ramsar site and an important refuge for waterbirds, frogs and other wildlife.

Planning is now underway for works to improve the health of the gully and surrounding vegetation.

Magees Gully receives significant stormwater flows from Bairnsdale, and improving the condition of the waterway will help reduce sediment entering the Gippsland Lakes while protecting valuable wetland habitat downstream.

The project will be delivered by East Gippsland Shire Council in partnership with GLaWAC.

Healthy waterways upstream help create healthier wetlands downstream – and every part of the system matters.

Project lead: East Gippsland Shire Council

Project partners: GLaWAC, East Gippsland Catchment Management Authority East Gippsland Water.

Learn more about this project: loveourlakes.net.au/project/magees-gully-riparian-improvements

14/06/2026

Winter has well and truly arrived across the Lakes. 💙

We’ve had everything this week – thick foggy mornings that swallowed the water, followed by clear bluebird skies and bright winter sunshine.

A beautiful glimpse of Metung captured by Lou Kalka, reminding us why so many people feel connected to this special part of the world.

The Lakes have been putting on a show in every direction lately – calm still water, shifting light, misty mornings and crisp, clear afternoons.

And we love seeing it through your eyes.

📷 Thanks, Lou, for sharing these stunning local moments.

👉 Have you captured a favourite Lakes moment this week? Share your photos in the comments below or tag on Facebook or Instagram or with so we can feature them.

13/06/2026

They sold out in what felt like minutes. 🚤💙

The Love Our Lakes winter cruises as part of the East Gippsland Winter Festival are now fully booked – and we’re genuinely overwhelmed by the response.

We can’t wait to welcome everyone who secured a place on board for two winter mornings out on the Gippsland Lakes.

Across the cruises, we’ll be sharing stories, projects and updates from this internationally significant Ramsar wetland – from seagrass monitoring and habitat restoration through to the wildlife and landscapes that make this place so special.

If you’re booked in, we’ll see you soon.

A quick but important note – if your plans change, please release your ticket. Even though these cruises are free, every seat matters, and there are people on the waitlist who would love the chance to come along.

👉 Missed out? A waitlist is still available via the booking pages:
📍 Lakes Entrance – egwinterfest.com.au/event/lakes-lovers-boat-cruise-lakes-entrance
📍 Paynesville – egwinterfest.com.au/event/lakes-lovers-boat-cruise-paynesville

Thanks for the incredible response – we’re looking forward to sharing the Lakes with you this winter.

12/06/2026

Think the photos in this post were taken on the Great Barrier Reef?

Think again. 🌊

These images were captured right here in the Gippsland Lakes by the Friends of Beware Reef Marine Sanctuary.

Over three years, volunteer divers completed more than 200 dives at over 60 sites across the Lakes, documenting everything from Giant Spider Crabs and colourful sea slugs to pipefish and other fascinating marine life.

Created by the Friends of Beware Reef Diving Group, the project is a tribute to the passion and dedication of Don, John Ariens, Alan Wilkins and Ben Love, who spent years diving, monitoring and photographing the Lakes' underwater environment.

👉 Explore the interactive map via this link: loveourlakes.net.au/beware-reef
Simply select a site and discover the marine life recorded there.

You might be surprised by what's living beneath the surface of the Lakes.