Bairnsdale
Bairnsdale is a town in the East Gippsland region in the state of Victoria, Australia. It has a population of about 10,000.
Understand
Visitor Information Centre
- 1 Bairnsdale Visitor Information Centre, 240 Main St, ☏ +61 3 5152 3444. 9AM to 5PM Daily.
Get in
By train
Trains run several times per day to and from Melbourne's Southern Cross and Flinders St Station, via Sale and Traralgon. The trip takes a little under four hours and costs $39 each way for adults, half that for children.
V/Line and Premier coaches have connections directly to Sydney, Canberra and the New South Wales South Coast.
By car
Bairnsdale is situated on the Princes Hwy (A1) approximately 3.5 hours east of Melbourne. If you are following the coastal route between Melbourne and Sydney you will pass through the town. If you are heading to Bairnsdale and Gippsland from Sydney, the route through Canberra, the Monaro through to Cann River will save you time over the coastal route. A scenic (but much slower) diversion is through Delegate.
By plane
There are scheduled flights from Melbourne Tullamarine Airports to 1 Bairnsdale Airport (BSJ IATA). often Rex, but Qantas Link and Virgin also have flights to Bairnsdale. The airport is 10km away from the actual town itself, but there's no car hire at the airport. You'll need to walk, but C106 is a pretty simple and straightforward walk. Additionally, when you're at the C106/A1 junction, there's no sign telling you to go which way, but simply head east (right) towards Orbost and Bairnsdale.
Get around
Most of the town is small enough to be walked. However, on a freezing winter's day, you might want to stock up on a jacket or two, as it does get very windy.
See
- 1 East Gippsland Art Gallery, 2 Nicholson St, ☏ +61 3 5153 1988. Tu-F 10AM-4PM Sa 10AM-2PM.
- 2 East Gippsland Historical Society (East Gippsland's Local History Museum and Resource Centre), 40 MacArthur St, ☏ +61 3 5152 6363. M-W and 1st Su of ea. mo. 10AM-3PM. A community and museum that aims to display and preserve local artefacts pertinent to Bairnsdale and surrounding districts, and endeavours to provide a community resource for local history.
- Mitchell River and Botanic Gardens. This riverside park can be accessed just from the east of the Mitchell River bridge. There is a suspension footbridge, playground and a riverside walk.
Do
- Bataluk Cultural Trail, 37-53 Dalmahoy St, ☏ +61 3 5152 1891.
- East Gippsland Rail Trail starts from Bairnsdale and travels through Nicholson, Bruthen, and Nowa Nowa, to Orbost.
- Kayak Hire at Butter Factory Wharf on the Mitchell River.
- Bairnsdale Speedway
Buy
Eat
Bairnsdale has a good selection of restaurants and food places.
- 1 Bairnsdale Bowls Club, 54 Grant St, ☏ +613 5152 3796.
- Cafe Main - Vietnamese Pho Shop Princess Highway, West Bairnsdale.
- David Lucke's Fresh Food Market, locally owned and operated food store. Low price and high quality fresh fruit, meat, vegetables and seafood. Specialty, boutique brand food and gourmet products, located on the Paynesville Rd on the banks of the Mitchell River.
- 2 Oz Mex Mexican Restaurant, 79 Nicholson St, Bairnsdale, ☏ +61 3 5152 4549. W-Su 5:30-10PM. A bit high priced, but decent food and fish bowls of margaritas.
Drink
- 1 Club Hotel, 66 Main St.
Sleep
- Town Central Motel, 164 Nicholson St, ☏ +613 5152 3084.
- 1 The Riversleigh, 1 Nicholson St, ☏ +61 3 5152 6966.
Go next
| Routes through Bairnsdale |
| Eden ← Orbost ← | N  S |
→ Sale → Melbourne |