Boolarra

The small Gippsland town of Boolarra lies in an area renowned for the diversity of its scenic beauty and contrasting landscapes which range from cool rainforest and mountain views to rewarding walking tracks to stunning surf beaches.

The Latrobe region presents enormous diversity in an area framed by the magnificent Strzelecki Ranges in the south to the awesome Baw Baw plateau in the north.

Boolarra is within comfortable driving distance of one of the region"s standout reserves, the Strzelecki State Forest. The parkland, which takes its name from Polish explorer Paul Strzelecki, is graced by the Lyrebird Forest Walk which winds through more than 5km of native bush.

The forest preserves a wide variety of flora and fauna, but you are more likely to hear than see the bush's most famous resident. The eccentric lyrebird, which is the animal kingdom's most talented mimic, is also one of Australia's more reclusive birds.

Highway One offers comfortable access to Melbourne.