The Lakes Hub Foundation was created in January 2015 as a humanitarian not-for-profit, non-government-organisation to promote tourism to locals and visitors in the East Gippsland, Gippsland Lakes region.
We are not a charity organisation, but instead a non-profit association established purely for the purpose of promoting the development of tourism in this region.
The Foundation's two founding Principal Participants, are Shane and Kerstin Kidd, residents of the Lakes Entrance area.
The Gippsland Lakes area, was found to be sorely lacking a cohesive, focussed Tourism information service that could promote the region across all facets of the internet including websites and social media. Local business owners were lacking the knowlege and know-how to represent their business and their region online to potential visitors.
Via this website, our sister websites www.purposeinthehub.com.au and www.gippslandweb.com.au, we have created a large directory of tourism and community educational resources, which can be used by local residents, local business owners and visitors to our region.
Promoting a region is not just about having a website, or a directory. It's about connecting with potential visitors via Social Media, Email newsletters, Blog articles and a retail shopfront. We maintain all these services for the Community of Lakes Entrance and the Gippsland Lakes. We've created and published many videos showcasing the Gippsland Lakes, and continue to create and maintain a large image library, available to local businesses for promoting the region.
The primary purpose of the Lakes Hub Foundation, is thus to fund, facilitate, implement and operate projects and enterprises that are sustainable and fully promote Tourism in the Gippsland Lakes region.
The Lakes Hub Foundation regularly supports other local non-profit organisations in their fund raising and day to day operations. The Foundation is closely aligned with the Lakes Entrance Action and Development Association, a non-profit association for local tourism business owners and residents.
We assist with their annual Fireworks Festival, which is a major drawcard for Lakes Entrance Tourism, as well as their regular Duck Race fund raisers. The Foundation regularly attends their meetings to assist in anyway we can.
Close ties are also maintained with the Regional EGRBTA and East Gippsland Marketing to facilitate ongoing support and activities in the local Tourism sector.
We offer many other services via the retail shop Purpose in the Hub, 10 Myer Street, Lakes Entrance. We facilitate a space for many local artists and producers, allowing them to display and/or sell their goods. We have a book swapping service and offer a large selection of DVDs for hire to assist the community in looking after their health and well being.
Purpose in the Hub is also a central place for local therapists and healers to promote their services to the local residents and tourists. The shop is staffed by caring individuals with the intention of being there to assist in any way they can. Whether that be for tourist information services or personal issues and primarily taking into account the wellbeing and benefit of others.
Recently we've initiated a Food Swap service for local food growers. Any surplus fruit and vegetables grown in backyards around Lakes Entrance, can be swapped for goods of similar quantity/quality. We have a large organic garden, maintained by the Foundation, with the express aim of distributing healthy, fresh food to the local residents, free of charge.
The Foundation is also heavily involved in assisting local business owners in getting their business online and visible to the tourism market. This involves creating websites, social media channels and tuition for the business owners, to encourage them to not only promote their own business but to promote the entire Gippsland Lakes region as a whole.
Further assistance is also provided to local environmental associations, assisting in their online presence and assisting in keeping our Gippsland Lakes in pristine condition. Regular rubbish cleanups are performed as well as track maintenance to ensure the safety and wellbeing of visiting tourists to our region.
We have only just begun, and intend to connect with more local non-profit associations and clubs, to assist them in promoting Tourism in our region.
Jan 1-25 - 2016: Financial support to the EG Woodchop Association; labor and financial support for LEADA Duck Races; fruit & veges distributed to local residents (5 baskets so far); a few extra businesses listed on website for tourism; on-going discussions regarding improvements in Lakes Entrance CBD and Foreshore management.
Feb 2016: We've been assisting many local families with a good supply of fresh fruit and vegetables. The community garden Hub is doing very well, with the weather staying warm and moist. Tomatos and cucumbers in abundant supply at the moment.
March 2016: March has been a busy month. We've been involved in the new Design a Sign competition in collaboration with LEADA. We created a new website page for LEADA (as well as updating their existing home page etc), so local artists could submit their entries for designing the new Lakes Entrance town signs.
Vegetable distribution has been huge this month, with much surplus going to Purpose in the Hub for giveaway. We utilised local Facebook pages to advertise the free vegetables. We've probably moved about 100 kg of tomatos this year, along with cucumbers, zuchinni, capsicums and many eggplants.
We're continuing our constant promotion of Lakes Entrance events, on our Events page, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter accounts. All these promotions are carried out on a volunteer basis on behalf of the entire Lakes Entrance community.
The Foundation is also supporting this month two of LEADA's fundraising Duck Races. The final race being held on Easter Sunday in Lakes Entrance. We'll be there providing assistance to LEADA with the sound system and the launching of the ducks.
Video is now the primary marketing tool for tourism destination promotion, and in response to this, the Lakes Hub Foundation has purchased a high quality hand-held video camera and a full HD capable Drone. We look forward to getting the drone in the air at local events and generally taking footage never seen before of Lakes Entrance. These videos will be posted via our websites and social media with the intention of attracting more visitors to our region.
Work has been steadily progressing on the release of the new and updated Lakes Entrance Mobile App. This is another free service offered to locals, tourists and business owners to promote Lakes Entrance and the surrounding areas for tourism. The App is available on 3 platforms, Android, iOS and Windows phones. All development is done on a volunteer basis, and so far we've clocked up over 100 hours of development towards producing this Free App for Lakes Entrance. Release will be in April/May 2016.
Another project in the pipeline for Lakes Entrance is an outdoor cinema. The EG Shire has purchased an inflatable outdoor screen, so we're in the planning process with LEADA to instigate some night time outdoor cinema events during the later half of 2016. Watch our events page for details.
We've also made some other contributions lately. The East Gippsland Environment Network received funds, along with the "One Nation" group and a financial donation has been made to "Free the Shackles" to assist one of their members to come to Australia. The local CFA received donations on their Good Friday appeal. So we've been busy with financial and produce donations this month, all in keeping with the spirit of the Lakes Hub Foundation's principles to support local organisations, local community and Australia/World wide programs, with our main focus on increasing visitation to East Gippsland.
Lakes Entrance Accommodation comprises of Apartments, Motels, Hotels, Cabins, Cottages, Caravan Parks and Resorts.
Cruise the Gippsland Lakes on a Lakes Entrance Charter Cruise or Fishing Charter. See Dolphins, Seals and abundant wildlife.
The Gippsland Lakes offer Lake, River and Ocean fishing for recreational anglers of all ages. Bring your own gear or hire.
Take a Day Drive, Tour, checkout the Beaches and Rivers. See Rainforests, Walking Tracks and Bike Trails.
Buchan Caves is a 45 minute drive north of Lakes Entrance. Spend the day doing Cave Tours and seeing the wildlife.
Hire a Bike, Sail a Boat, take a Fishing Charter, take a Tour of the Buchan Caves, Charter a Cruise or Ride a Camel on the Beach.
Select from a delicious range of Fish & Chips shops in Lakes Entrance. Gluten free options and as fresh as you'll get.
Lakes Entrance is the Seafood Capital of Victoria. Cafes, Restaurants serving Local Beer & Wine.
Lakes Entrance has an abundance of pristine, isolated, natural beaches to choose from. Safety patrolled and surfing.
Walking and Hiking tracks and trails. From easy to challenging. Scenic views over the Gippsland Lakes and Beaches.
Short scenic drives to isolated beaches, coastal hinterlands, rainforest treks and mountain climbs.
The Burrunan Dolphins inhabit the Gippsland Lakes. Take a cruise on the Lakes to view these rare dolphins at play.
Did you know Gippsland Lakes has it’s very own newly described dolphin? Ever wondered how dolphins find their food and talk to each other?
This summer the Marine Mammal Foundation is hosting a Pop-Up Dolphin Discovery Centre in Lakes Entrance.
Come and learn all about the endangered Gippsland Lakes Burrunan dolphins, how the Marine Mammal Foundation researchers identify each dolphin, and all about the other amazing whales, dolphins and seals along the Gippsland coast.
We have awesome underwater footage, dolphin skulls and ways to get involved. You can also get involved and work alongside the Research Team, by signing up to be one of MMF’s citizen scientists!
Time: 10am - 4pm daily
Date: 2nd - 28th January 2018
Location: Lakes Entrance Mechanics Hall,
18 Mechanics Street, Lakes Entrance.
The Dolphin Discovery Centre Pop-Up is proudly supported by East Gippsland Shire Council, Coastcare, Lakes Entrance Rotary Club, Bella Vita Jewellery, Footbridge Camping and disposals, Crowther and Sadler and LEADA.
The Pop-Up Centre will be manned by local volunteers dedicated to raising awareness of these iconic dolphins and the beauty of the Gippsland Lakes.
The Marine Mammal Foundation is a not-for-profit charity research, education, and conservation organisation conducting internationally recognised applied research on marine mammals across Victoria.
The Marine Mammal Foundation will be hosting numerous public information presentations across the Lakes. For more information, please visit www.marinemammal.org.au/events2018.
The Gippsland Lakes, around Lakes Entrance, are home to a special breed of bottlenose dolphin, the Burrunan Dolphin.
Burrunan is an Aboriginal name meaning a "large sea fish of the porpoise kind".
For many years, the dolphins in the Gippsland Lakes were thought to be one of the more common species of bottlenose dolphins. There were several differences noticed, but never enough evidence to actually clasify these dolphins as their own, individual species.
Then, a scientific paper was submitted in 2011 that revealed the unique characteristics of their skull and DNA as well as other external differences. This paper resulted in them being classified as a distinctive seperate bottlenose species.
There are only two other areas in Australia where the Burrunan Dolphin is known to inhabit. Port Phillip Bay near Melbourne, and the East Coast of Tasmania. Surprisingly, the Gippsland Lakes Dolphins and the Tasmanian Dolphins share distinctive DNA characteristics that indicate they have interacted with each other. The Port Phillip Bay dolphins appear to have remained fairly isolated from these other two groups.
Population numbers of the Burrunan Dolphins are estimated to be between 50-100 in the Gippsland Lakes. This has lead to them being classified as a Protected Species, under threat of exinction.
On some days, standing along the Foreshore at Lakes Entrance, the Dolphins can be seen diving, jumping and playing along Cunningham Arm Lake, near the Footbridge.
Other vantage points are Bullock Island and the North Arm Lake, giving excellent views from the shoreline.
Lonsdale Eco Cruises have many sightings during their cruises on the Gippsland Lakes. Mel and Tony are very familiar with the Burrunan Dolphins and where they like to "hang out" during the day. It's not unusual to see 5-10 Burrunan Dolphins in a pod, dashing in and out of the back wash or racing ahead of the Lonsdale, just as if they were showing "who's the fastest fish in the sea".
If you're out on the water, and you come across a pod of the Dolphins, please take care to keep a safe distance, as the Gippsland Lakes is their territory ... we're just spectators.
If you want to check out the Dolphins, and have a weekend away, then find some accommodation in Lakes Entrance, book a cruise, and keep your fingers crossed that the Burrunan Dolphins will show themselves, in all their glory.
Please visit www.lonsdalecruises.com.au for online bookings.
Lakes Entrance is the ideal destination to view the rare Burranun Dolphins in the Gippsland Lakes. As well as other water activities, such as crab fishing, river or lake fishing, water skiing, surfing and swimming.
