EXPLORE
It's time to explore Nowa Nowa
Nowa Nowa is an artist-rich town sitting to the top of Lake Tyers infusing outdoor adventure with nature.
Take on one of the many walks around the town or jump on your bike to race around the popular mountain bike trails or perhaps ride the rail trail that links the town to Orbost and Bairnsdale and take in the stunning Stony Creek Trestle Bridge.
Kayaking, paddle boarding and fishing are also high on the list of activities to enjoy before indulging in a hamburger from Mingling Waters.
Nowa Nowa
Boating and Water Activities
Nowa Nowa sits at the northern end of Lake Tyers: a long winding waterway lined by forest that connect the town by water to the coastal town of Lake Tyers Beach, where the lake meets the ocean.
The boat ramp at Nowa Nowa allows for launching of small recreational fishing boats. The narrow, protected nature of the waterway also make it ideal for exploring by kayak, canoe and SUP.
The tranquil waters of the numerous arms are ideal for canoeing where many species of birds can be observed. Water skiing is only permitted in the lower lake. Boating on rivers and lakes demands special care.
Check www.transportsafety.vic.gov.au to ensure you have the appropriate boat driving licence and vessel registration.
You can also check Gippsland Ports for Waterways mapping here.
Nowa Nowa
the arts in Nowa Nowa
Nowa Nowa punches way above it’s weight in public artworks: even a casual wander around the village will reveal superb works.
Go out and look for these works!
The Ramsdell Wood Sculpture Collection
Attached to the Mingling Waters Cafe, polished nature styled sculptures of which the most spectacular is the root system of a huge Messmate tree.
Underpass Mural
Created in 2021 as part of the ‘Under the Surface’ project by the Social Crew. Artists MEGGS and Alice Pepper.
www.thesocialcrewevents.com/underthesurface
Memorial Digger wood sculpture
Outside Nowa Nowa Community Health.
Sculpture Walk
Take the walk of the same name beside the lake to discover this series of whimsical nude sculptures, created as part of the Nowa Nowa Nudes festival in the early 2000s.
Bike Rack Sculptures
Combining art with practical purpose for cyclists riding the East Gippsland Rail Trail and Nowa Nowa Mountain Bike Park. Look for these delightful installations at the front of Mingling Waters Cafe, near the underpass and …….
For the keen eyed
Signs of creative minds and hands are scattered throughout the walking trails around Nowa Nowa. Look out for animal sculptures on the Boggy Creek Walking trail, and visit the Petanque court at Nowa Nowa Community Health.
Galleries and studios
Lemon Hill Gallery, Wairewa.
www.lemonhillgallery.com
Nowa Nowa
East Gippsland Rail Trail
Nowa Nowa sits almost in the middle of the 100 km long East Gippsland Rail Trail, which stretches 60 km to the western end in Bairnsdale, and 40 km east to it’s finish in Orbost. Nowa Nowa is the ideal base for exploring the trail in both directions!
The rail trail features many historic timber bridges built to take the train line across the area’s many rivers and deep forested gullies. The trail offers a superb experience of riding through forest, uninterrupted by traffic on the gentle gradients required by trains.
Several of the most spectacular bridges on the trail are easily accessible from Nowa Nowa: the Nowa Nowa bridge spanning Boggy Creek, best viewed from the foot bridge downstream; Stony Creek Trestle 6 km to the west, and the partial Wairewa Bridge (also known as O’Grady’s) 8 km to the east.
Detailed information and a trail map can be downloaded from the trail’s website eastgippslandrailtrail.com.au
Nowa Nowa
Mountain Bike Park and BMX Track
The Nowa Nowa Mountain Bike Park takes advantage of the timbered slopes of nearby Mt Nowa Nowa to create a 26 km series of flowing cross country trails, centred on a trail head on the Old Nowa Nowa – Buchan road.
The five trails range in difficulty from easy to moderately challenging, with something to suit all levels of rider.
Detail about the park on the Victorian Government Explore Outdoors website:
https://www.exploreoutdoors.vic.gov.au/activities/mountain-biking/nowa-nowa-trails
More details on Trailforks:
https://www.trailforks.com/region/nowa-nowa-mtb-park-12870/?activitytype=1&z=12.1&lat=-37.72398&lon=148.08463
Nowa Nowa
Fishing
Nowa Nowa hits the fishing trifecta jackpot: excellent fishing, uncrowded waterway with accommodation, food and bait available almost at the boat ramp.
Lake Tyers is renowned for it’s huge flathead, but is also excellent for bream, estuary perch, whiting, trevally, poddy mullet, mullet and leather jacket.
Remember when fishing a mostly closed estuary, fish numbers can be readily depleted, so remember to ‘fish for the future’.
For bait, fuel, ice and snacks, drop into the General Store.
The Victorian Fisheries Authority has a comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about recreational fishing in Victoria.
https://vfa.vic.gov.au/recreational-fishing/recreational-fishing-guide
Current fishing conditions in Lake Tyers and other East Gippsland waterways:
https://www.visiteastgippsland.com.au/fishingreport
Nowa Nowa
Four Wheel Driving
Surrounded on all sides by state forests and forest reserves, Nowa Nowa is a ‘drive in – drive out’ location for those who love exploring nature by four wheel drive.
A vast network of forestry roads covers all forest area, with roads varying in quality from well maintained and graded gravel roads readily driven by two wheel drives, to small eroded tracks that require high clearance, low range four wheel drive vehicles and driving skills to match.
Basic essentials to carry when driving in the forest are food, water, spare tyre and reliable digital or hard copy maps: it is strongly recommended that you tell someone of your planned route and expected return time. Remember that many forest areas are out of mobile phone range, so digital maps must work offline. Forestry roads may at times be used by logging trucks as well as other vehicles: a UHF radio tuned to channel 40 is helpful to remain alert to, and alert others of your presence on sometimes narrow winding roads.
The DEECA office in Nowa Nowa ( 5 Forest Rd Nowa Nowa, 03 5162 0100 – call ahead to check hours) , is an excellent starting point for local road information, plus hard copies of two excellent four wheel drive guides:
Far East Gippsland Back Road Tours and High Country Back Road Tours Maps.
The Victorian Government ‘More to Explore’ app gives access to all routes on these maps plus more.
www.exploreoutdoors.vic.gov.au/where-to-start/more-to-explore
Nowa Nowa
Places to Stay
Nowa Nowa has two caravan parks, which both offer roofed accommodation as well as a shady powered and unpowered sites to park your own van or put up a tent.
Mingling Waters Caravan Park
Set on one of the most pristine waterways in Victoria on the Nowa Nowa arm of Lake Tyers, the park has rustic accommodation and a laid back camping experience for both individual booking and also for exclusive use for groups. Accommodation includes glamping tents with semi – attached bathroom, heating and cooling, rustic cottages and bunkhouses as well as powered and unpowered sites. The park has a camp kitchen and recreational lounge. Visit minglingwaters.com.au
Nowa Nowa Caravan Park
A charming and quirky little caravan park which has retained its retro feel with vintage upcycled caravans, metal sculptures and artworks. This small leafy park perched above the Boggy Creek gorge has several on site vans, and a ‘tiny house’, as well as powered and unpowered sites and an open air camp kitchen. Visit nowanowacaravanpark.com.au
Hipcamp Nowa Nowa
For those with completely self sufficient camping set up, this simple farm campsite is hard to beat for serenity, and it’s right next to the lake. No power, toilets or showers so be prepared to BYO everything. Check out Hipcamp Nowa Nowa
Guest House on the Gorge
You’ll have a great time at this comfortable place to stay. This little guesthouse has two bedrooms, three beds and can sleep six. A stone’s throw from the East Gippsland Rail Trail & boat ramp. If you love bike riding, bush walking & or fishing this is the place to stay. Check out Guest House on Gorge Airbnb
Skye Cottage Nowa Nowa
Immaculate new one bedroom cottage in the heart of Nowa Nowa. Check out Skye Cottage Airbnb.
Secluded 1 bedroom cabin in bushland setting with lake views, 6 km from Nowa Nowa. Check out Riparide Nowa Nowa cabin
Do you own or operate accommodation in or near Nowa Nowa and want to be listed ? Click to send us your information.
Nowa Nowa
Shopping
Nowa Nowa’s tiny centre is the spot to pick up a little gem from one of the friendly businesses run by locals! Handcrafts, plants and good food, plus other surprising treasures are just waiting to be fossicked out.
Nowa Nowa General Store
As with so many tiny country towns, the ‘General’ is the core of the community, with post office, petrol station, coffee stop, gifts and clothing, snacks, the daily paper and milk as well as other essentials. This is also the place to come to find out anything about the local area.
Beauty Services for Ladies only in a relaxing bush setting. Waxing, Eyelash & Eyebrow Tinting, Relaxation Massage, Facials, & Body Wrap Treatments
Nowa Nowa
walking around Nowa Nowa
Nowa Nowa is entirely encircled by walking trails: the adventurous could complete the whole circuit of about 12 km over one day with a trek that includes a gorge, sculptures, wetlands, forest and a former rail line.
For those after a shorter stroll, the walk is divided into shorter sections, each with it’s own special character. Note all distances below are one way.
Boggy Creek Gorge Walk 1.4 km
A path winding above the creek, past the historic Nowa Nowa Rail Bridge to the Gorge Lookout.
Start: Nowa Nowa Community Health Centre, Petanque Court
Finish: Gorge Lookout
Sculpture Walk 1.4km
A level walk under shady trees next to the lake, with sculptures dotted along the trail.
Start: Nowa Nowa Community Health Centre, Petanque Court
Finish: Boat ramp
Wetlands Walk 1.3km
Skirting around the edge of the lake and wetland, this walk is a little more uneven in places, but provides beautiful perspectives over the waterway.
Start: Boat ramp
Finish: At junction with Banksia Boulevard
Banksia Boulevard 4 km
This walk links the lakes edge to the East Gippsland Rail Trail, traversing the characteristic local forest dominated by eucalypts and ‘old man’ or sawtooth banksias. Expect to work up a sweat!
Start: at junction with Wetlands Walk
Finish: At junction with East Gippsland Rail Trail.
Rail Trail return to Nowa Nowa 3.6 km
Walk the former rail line, now restored as a cycling and walking trail to complete the circuit back to Nowa Nowa.
For longer walks, the rail trail extends east and west of the town, connecting it to the towns of Orbost and Bruthen.
