Leongatha
Leongatha is in Gippsland, 135 kilometres south-east of Melbourne. The town is the civic, commercial, industrial, religious, educational and sporting centre of the region, and has a population of over 5,100 (2016).
Understand
[edit]Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]Leongatha is located at the intersections of the South Gippsland, Bass and Strzelecki highways. The fastest route from Melbourne uses the A440 route/South Gippsland Highway, with the South Gippsland Highway forking off from the M1 just outside Dandenong, and the A420 section turning off outside Lang Lang.
By coach
[edit]V/Line operates coach services daily from Southern Cross station to 1 Leongatha Station. The full timetable can be found here.
Get around
[edit]
See
[edit]- 1 Stadium 4 Cinema, 14-18 Smith St, ☏ +61 3 5662 5762, leongatha@stadiumcinema.com.au. Movie cinema.
- 2 Leongatha Gallery, Cnr of McCartin St and Michael Pl, ☏ +61 3 5662 5370. W-Su 10AM-4PM. Not-for-profit arts and crafts gallery. Free.
- 3 Lennie Gwyther Statue. This bronze statue commemorates 9-year old Leongatha resident Lennie Gwyther, who rode on horseback for 1000 kilometres to witness the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932. Free.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 The Corals Fish & Chips, 53 Bair Street, ☏ +61 3 5662 3368. M 5-8PM, Tu-Sa 11AM-8PM, Su noon-8PM. Fish and chips takeaway store.
- 2 The Rusty Windmill, 45 McCartin Street. M-Sa 8AM-2PM. Food and coffee.
- 3 Gatha Pizza, 24 McCartin Street. W-M 5-9PM. Pizza restaurant. $11-20.
- 4 Serafinos Blue Lounge Pizzeria, 7-9 Bair St, ☏ +61 3 5662 3390. W-Su 5PM-late. Meditteranean style restaurant.
Drink
[edit]
- 1 McCartin's, 2 Bair St, ☏ +61 3 5662 2050, info@mccartins.com.au. Pub and bistro. Also offers accommodation from $60-100 a night.
- 2 Bairs Otago Hotel, 18 Bair St, ☏ +61 3 5662 2017. Pub and bistro in an art deco setting that dates back to 1939. TAB/Keno (gambling) facilities are also available. Rooms are also offered from $40-55 a night, however there are no ensuites in any of them.
Sleep
[edit]Accommodation is also available at the two pubs in town.
- 1 Opal Motel, 155 South Gippsland Hwy, ☏ +61 3 5662 2321, admin@opalmotel.com.au. Motel in a park-like setting on the outskirts of Leongatha, with a lawn barbeque area. $100-120.
- 2 Leongatha Motel, 18 Turner St, ☏ +61 3 5662 2375, contact@leongathamotel.com.au. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. Pet friendly motel with 28 rooms. $120-180 per night.
- 3 Leongatha Apex Caravan Park, 14 Turner St, ☏ +61 4 1580 5414, apexcpleongatha@gmail.com. Caravan park with 39 sites and 8 self-contained cabins. The park has a games room, coin-operated laundry, an amenity block, and a barbeque.
Connect
[edit]Telstra has 4G service in Leongatha, while Optus has 3G/4G coverage. Vodafone does not have mobile coverage in Leongatha.
Go next
[edit]- Wonthaggi is a former coal mining town in the Bass Coast region.
- Fish Creek is a small town with interesting art galleries.
- Wilsons Promontory is the southernmost point of the island of Australia, and is a great hiking destination.
| Routes through Leongatha |
| Kilcunda ← Wonthaggi ← | W  E |
→ Morwell |
| Lang Lang ← Korumburra ← | W  E |
→ Foster → Sale |