This laidback town on the Princes Highway is home to a welcoming and deeply artistic community and a pleasure to explore for anyone with a nature bent.

The small town is located where the Boggy Creek plummets through the gorge into Lake Tyers. The forested surrounds and tranquil lake is the drawcard for nature lovers looking to while the time away cycling, walking, fishing or kayaking.

The town is strongly rooted in Aboriginal history and nearby Lake Tyers is a sacred Indigenous site. Lake Tyers Beach was the site of one of Victoria’s Mission Settlements during the late 1800s.

Nowa Nowa shopping child looking at homewares

Things to do in Nowa Nowa

Mingling Waters is a hive of activity, a three-in-one cafe, accommodation and gallery joint. The cafe has an eclectic range of bric-a-brac on display creating a homey feel. Visitors are raving about the burgers. Their onsite museum showcases unique wooden sculptures and local gem stones, and tours provide a glimpse into the Aboriginal heritage of the area.

Upstream of the Nowa Nowa bridge, is the splendid Boggy Creek Gorge. Hike the 1km to the lookout point for amazing views over the forest floor and the creek petering away far into the distance.

If you’re heading back toward the Gippsland Lakes, be sure to make a stop at Mingling Waters Cafe in Nowa Nowa.

Mingling Waters Caravan Park Nowa Nowa burgers

Walking & cycling

Marvel at the wondrous Stony Creek Trestle Bridge, just a couple of kilometres west of the town. This old lady stands at a whopping 20m high and is 247m long, making it the largest standing bridge of its kind in Victoria. Originally built as part of the railway, today is a highlight of the cycling journey along the East Gippsland Rail Trail.

The Nowa Nowa Walk is a 12km network of trails that explore the shimmering shores of Lake Tyers, wetlands and silver gum forests. One of these walks offers a side dish of arts with your nature-based main, the Nowa Nowa Sculpture Walk. The gently paced 1.4km walk edges the shores of beautiful Lake Tyers and is dotted with Nowa Nowa Nude sculptures.

Nowa Nowa Mountain Bike Park has 20km of trails from gentle descents for learners and children and knuckle-whitening log rolls overs, drops and banked corners for the adrenaline-junkies.

Walking trails at Nowa Nowa mum and child walking past sculpture by the river

Fishing

Launching Road takes you to the Nowa Nowa arm of Lake Tyers, where a boat ramp and jetty provide access to the lake. The jetty is also a popular spot for fishing bream, luderick, tailor and flathead.