In April we visited Lake Tyers, a 4.5 hours’ pleasant drive
from Melbourne which is located just past Lakes Entrance in East Gipsland. The pictures above are of nearby Nowa Nowa, one of the lakes, the homestead and 90 mile beach.
East Gipsland boasts 11 world class Coastal Parks and
Reserves with 400 square kilometers of lakes to make it Australia’s largest
inland waterway. Housing a wide variety of wildlife there are 200 species of
birds and the marine life includes dolphins and pelicans. The Ninety Mile Beach is one of the
longest uninterrupted beaches in the world, which faces Bass Strait and backs on
to the extensive network of Lakes.
Lake Tyers Beach, is on the south-eastern shore of Lake
Tyers, close to where the Lakes outlet enters the sea. Lake Tyers is a river
valley separated from the ocean by only a thin strip of sand dunes, whose outlet
remains closed by a wide sandbar, except for occasional overflows after very
heavy rain.
Although we did not participate in the walks organized by
our friends from the bush walking club there was evening meals and coffee stops
which provided many opportunities to share experiences about the day’s events.
One member from the group who went for a morning brisk
walk along the beach encountered a pair of emus who maintained a steady gait
ahead at a respectable distance until finally disappearing into the sand dunes.
On another occasion a member’s nephew, whose interest is conservation, gave a
fascinating account of local bird life. He shared his local experience from his
app as we listened to about 50 different species of bird calls he had
encountered, identifying reasons and pitches applicable to each of the species.
The following day we shared in a short walk with him as he identified the many
diverse plants along the way.
Early history
The site was first visited by Europeans in 1846, named after
C.J. Tyers who was then Commissioner of Crown Lands.
In 1861 an Aboriginal mission station was set up on the
northern shore to farm crops, fruit trees and sheep. These agricultural
pursuits were complemented by traditional hunting and fishing.
Closure of the mission station was proposed in the 1960s
and many Aborigines moved to surrounding towns, particularly Nowa Nowa.
However, in 1970 the station was transferred to
Aboriginal ownership. Although the school closed, other community services have
been established and farming activities have been successfully extended.
Recent developments
Under the Native Title Settlement Act 2010, the
first signed agreement was made with the Traditional Owners, the Gunaikurnai
nations. The agreement was between the Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal
Corporation (GLaWAC), representing Traditional Owners whereby the
Gunaikurnai people undertake joint management of 10 parks and reserves in
consultation with Parks Victoria. There are more
than 600 Traditional Owners, all of whom have proven their ancestral links to
one of 25 Apical Ancestors registered in the Native Title Consent
Determination. Pictures below are of the settlement to day.
More local history
A school and church was constructed in1878. In 1886, a Hotel
and grand guest house to seat 120 guests was established. Visitors enjoyed
established forest walks, fishing and lake boating trips, Accessibility was
enhanced once a coach service began from nearby Orbost.
The principal industry from the 1890s, was timber which
was transported to Lakes Entrance by tramway. The logs were then floated across
the lake to various Sawmills dotted around the lake until the late 1940s.
Production gradually fell way until in 1972, 5300 hectares of remaining forest
surrounding the lake were proclaimed a Forest Park.
The first industry was a glass factory established in
1908, using local quartz sand and manufacturing cups, bottles and ornaments
before the contracts were lost and the factory was abandoned in 1912. Later a
school and another guest house was constructed.
Postwar period
A small number of housing blocks and estates with subdivisions
ensued so that the local community and holiday homes were soon sufficient to
support a general store. By the early 1960s boat ramps and jetties were
constructed to cater for the growing number of holiday makers.
Today there are just two
caravan parks, a general store, a hotel-motel and some holiday accommodation.
The school had only 26 pupils in 2014. Lake Tyers
Beach might be aptly described as still a small very quiet holiday location with
a number of permanent residents.
What attracts most visitors are the fishing and boating
on Lake Tyers. There is also the opportunity to hire boats or go on scenic lake
cruises.
Nowa Nowa,
One day we met up at Nowa Nowa, which is about 20 km
north of Lakes Entrance and whose early pioneers harvested timber which was
shipped to local sawmills. Nowa Nowa served for a couple of years from the 1890s as a location for
the Tambo shire council. However settlement did not eventuate until the 1900s, with
a school and railway which breathed new life to the fledgling community,
followed by a road and bridges. By the1930s there were six sawmills and a local
football team, a rifle club, a Country Women's Association branch, a thriving
community of stores and a hotel.
Today there are about 140
residents in this township.
We enjoyed the township and
lake and the Nowa Nowa gallery where there was displayed the root system made
into a sculpture of Messmate – Eucalyptus obliqua. The tree grew in one metre
of sandy loam on top on a limestone shelf. Where the root failed to penetrate
the limestone, the roots grew laterally. Its age was estimated to be up to 300
years old and width of the root system was 7 metres.
Local
historical site
Another excursion was to
Nyermilang Heritage Park which was once a holiday retreat for a wealthy
Melbournian, but now is in public ownership. The gracious old homestead of the
1920’s era is open to the public surrounded by an extensive garden and 5
walking tracks.
