The Hunting Ground Sale cafe deli coffee

Discover Sale

A port town with a large cultural heart.

Imagine bollard-lined boardwalks, lake-fringed cafes and a dazzling arts scene, bristled with grand heritage architecture. A waterside overachiever, Sale gets bragging rights for its seemingly infinite system of tantalising lakes and rivers, and proximity to the world-famous Ninety Mile Beach.

For many, a visit to Sale is the first glimpse of the region’s front cover splash, the Gippsland Lakes, which spreads over the earth’s crust with effortless beauty. To say the town is a magnet for fishing and boating is a serious understatement; its heart positively beats for it.

Sale lady sitting on steps of heritage building

Sale couple and baby under clock tower in town centre

Things to do in Sale

Take a stroll around the historic Port of Sale (or if you are cruising into town, make the most of the extensive berthing facilities). The naturally occurring canal connects neighbouring lakes, eventually leading to the ocean at Lakes Entrance.

Marvel at the impressive wrought iron Swing Bridge, Australia’s first movable bridge, that allows steamboats to continue their journey up the Latrobe River.

The region’s most comprehensive collection of art is housed at Gippsland Art Gallery, with dynamic exhibitions and events held year-round.

You may well hear the powerful roar of the roulettes as they take to the skies practising aerobatics from the nearby RAAF base. Sale’s military history is on display at the Gippsland Armed Forces Museum, with model air crafts, machinery, photographs and memorabilia from Gippslanders in the defence forces.

Sale lady walking dog past Cobb Co Stables

Sale restaurants & cafes

The Hunting Ground lady reaching for deli goods in Sale cafe

Down at the Port of Sale, Shirley’s Café & Bar have brought their delicious meals, coffee and cocktails from the sandy shores of Golden Beach to their new home next to The Wedge theatre. After exploring the Gippsland Art Gallery,unwind with coffee and cake at The Dock Espresso Bar.

In the town centre, the Redd Catt is a popular café and bar whose modern Australian menu earns strong reviews. Meanwhile, Raymond Cafe raises the bar for cafe fare, while Wild Honey boast a fresh, tasty menu with a range of juices, smoothies and protein shakes.

Set in a charming former church, Centre Bakery serves hearty breakfasts, light lunches, delicious cakes, and takeaway dinners. Take a casual roll of barefoot bowls followed by lunch at the Lakeside Club, whose extensive menu heroes local seafood and beef.

1960s restaurant, The York lounge bar and eatery is a reinvention of Sale’s first motel, now boasting elegant interiors, live tunes, and a curated menu that’s perfect for any occasion.

The Criterion Hotel is a historic pub with a difference, boasting gastropub meals in a beautifully refurbished hotel. There is ample alfresco seating on the upstairs veranda. The Star Hotel serves Victoria's Best Parma that keeps guests returning.

On the next block, The Gippsland Hotel (The Gippy in local-speak) offers great value bistro favourites.

Gippsland restaurant, Viet Kitchen offers a range of fragrant Vietnamese dishes full of flavour.

Where to stock up

The Hunting Ground stocks handmade treats, gourmet delights and an enviable range of gluten free products, as well as excellent coffee and meals in the café.
The Nutrition Pod stocks a great range of vegetarian and vegan friendly fare, including snacks and drinks for all to enjoy in the café.
Padula's Delicatessen is a staple of good food in Sale. With fresh baked goodies, locally sourced meats, cheeses and breads
Hit the 90 Mile Beach for some locallycaught fish and piping hot chips at the Seaspray General Store (Seaspray), and you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find a huge range of Gippsland produce to fill your hamper

Green spaces

Stroll through the Sale Botanic Gardens, an oasis of calm with beautifully cared-for gardens. Picnic-primed, the park is dotted with grassy areas and shelters. From here it is an easy walk to Lake Guthridge and Lake Guyatt which can be circumnavigated by walking trails through interconnecting parks and wetlands.

Just south of town is the Sale Common, an area of abundant wetlands, home to significant bird and animal life. You can wander the boardwalk which winds its way through changing landscapes of river red gum woodlands, grasslands and salt marshes.

Lake Guthridge Sale people walking with dog around lake

Aboriginal history

The Sale Common is one of eleven Indigenous sites of significance found on the Bataluk Cultural Trail. The wetlands were like a supermarket for the Gunaikurnai people, a rich source of foods and raw materials. Many of the red gums today carry the scars where bark was removed to make canoes.

Aboriginal Art Interpretive Trail Sale painted sign with person walking dog along path in distance

Accessibility

Accessible walks in Sale include:

- Lake Guthridge Accessible Walk 2.37km

- Lake Guyatt Accessible Walk 1.68km

- Port of Sale Accessible Walk 1.96km

- Sale Botanic Gardens Accessible Walk 1.18km