02/08/2026
Here's a little history about Lakes Entrance - as published Tuesday 1 March 1892 in the Illustrated Australian News — Pages 4&5
Note the author described the Ninety Mile Beach thus:
"Barren and dreary enough in the finest weather, what must it be when the southerly gales come whistling out of the black lowering clouds, and the long smooth swell is raised into mountainous seas that dash themselves in wild fury high up on the sandy shore, and the soft singing of the surf changed to the roaring, seething and hissing of the white churning foam."
Of course some of us who have travelled on a sunny calm day. over the dunes from Ocean Grange, find nothing boring nor dreary about the endless sandy shore and gentle surf on the 90 mile beach.
Read the original paper online at Trove here: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/60444227
GIPPSLAND LAKES ENTRANCE
Formerly the only entrance to tho Gippsland Lakes was at the extreme custom point of Reeves River, but it was a most unsatisfactory entrance, for not only was it continually varying in depth, but it frequently changed its position, shifting now to the west, then back again to the east, to the danger and discomforture of all who sought to navigate their way within.
At the instigation of the residents of the district, who were naturally anxious that a fixed and permanent entrance should be formed, the Government asked Mr. Wardell, then Inspector-General of Public Works, to enquire into the matter, and on his recommendation the work of constructing the present entrance was begun in January, 1869. The idea was to form two piers, 400 feet apart, across the narrow ridge of sand, dredge out a channel between, and by partially blocking up the mouth of the Reeves River opposite Jimmy's Point to get the scour of the inflowing and outgoing tides to keep tho passage clear.
The first part of the work was completed in December, 1872, but for 10 years from that date work was almost entirely suspended. In the meantime Sir John Coode had visited the colony, in 1879, and after carefully examining the locality he framed a report, commending all that the department had already done, but advising a further extension of the piers, that on the west side to be brought out 650 feet further, and on the east 500 feet; also that the piers should face directly seawards, and that their points should converge slightly.
All this has now been carried out in the face of many difficulties, the one stroke of good fortune being three years ago, when the channel had been dredged to within 40 feet of the sea, and a favourable opportunity was waited for to make the final connection, a heavy southerly gale burst upon the coast, and with irresistible force swept away the barrier, scouring out the channel in such a manner as to delight everyone who was interested in it.
Since then a good passage between the ocean and the lakes has been secured, with an average depth of 15 feet in the fairway, and now the trading schooners from Melbourne are picked up outside by a stout little steamer and safely towed into the smoother waters within. There would be no difficulty in sailing in with a fair fresh breeze, but no company will effect an insurance on any schooner unless she is towed in and out of the entrance, for the wind might fail or suddenly shift at a critical moment, and with the heavy swell that is almost always running there it would be certain destruction to the vessel.
Not long ago a schooner foundered in the channel with two men aboard, and neither men nor hull, rope nor spar, were ever seen again. It is supposed she was bodily engulfed, as in a quicksand.
Unfortunately all the sand there is of a loose, shifty nature, and thereby a source of constant trouble to the Works Department, for although the massive piles, 45 feet long, are driven well home and securely bound together with strong beams and bolts, yet by the constant shifting of the foundation the piers were slowly, but surely, becoming insecure, and it was found necessary to construct bulkheads at short intervals between the rows of piles and fill up the spaces with blocks of stone, and to construct aprons formed of the same stone, on both sides of each pier.
Ever since the commencement of the work those stones have been gradually subsiding, requiring a constant filling up on top. For some considerable time the stone used in strengthening the piers has been brought from a quarry on tho Nicholson River, but of late the quality has greatly deteriorated, and it has been found necessary to make a change.
Mr. Wheeler, the Minister, and Mr. Davidson, the Inspector-General of Public Works, visited the quarry about a month ago, when the latter pointed out the soft, flakey nature of the stone, and how utterly unfit it was to resist the force and action of the sea. Mr. Carpenter, the owner of the quarry, then showed a new stone further up tho river. It was of much harder substance, but still flakey, more suitable for paving stones than for solid square blocks.
Neither Mr. Wheeler nor Mr. Davidson were enthusiastic over it; both gentlemen considered it infinitely wiser to use the hard solid granite of Wilson's Promontory, whose sea-resisting power was assured, than to experiment with a new stone, the suitability of whioh no one could assert with authority.
Apart from the advantages to local trade and shipping which the Lakes Entrance has conferred, it is also a highly popular health resort and watering place. There is abundance of good shooting along the lakes and backwaters, where swan, duck and teal swarm in thousands; there is fishing of all kinds, from tiny mullet to huge sharks.
The township of Cunninghame lies close by, with its front to Reeves River and its back to North Arm, one of tho prettiest bits on all tho lakes, and quite equal in many respects to Middle Harbor, Sydney. Kalimna House, near Jimmy's Point, overlooks the entrance. There are plenty of good boats to be had, so that it is easy for any visitor to cross over and see the massive structure of the piers.
On a fine day, when tho sea is rolling lazily in and the singing of the surf comes dreamily on the ear, it is pleasant to lean over the rail at the end of the pier and gaze far out over the calm blue sea, the little clouds above throwing darkening shadows over the surface here and there, giving perspective and leading the eye away out on the broad expanse to the hazy line of the horizon.
All along to the west, as far as the eye can reach, stretches the long white line of the Ninety Mile Beach. Barren and dreary enough in the finest weather, what must it be when the southerly gales come whistling out of the black lowering clouds, and the long smooth swell is raised into mountainous seas that dash themselves in wild fury high up on the sandy shore, and the soft singing of the surf changed to the roaring, seething and hissing of the white churning foam.
No hanging over the end of the pier then, for the spindrift is flying in sheets over the piles, and east and west all is obscured in the thick grey mist of storm-driven spray....
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P.S. The Paynesville Maritime Museum will be open Sunday 9 August from 10am to 12pm.
