Idyllic countryside, where bucolic plains are transversed by the gently winding rivers.

Where the Nicholson and Tambo Rivers end their long journeys at the Gippsland Lakes, you’ll find the Twin Rivers region, incorporating the towns of Johnsonville, Nicholson, Swan Reach, Tambo Upper and Bumberrah.

Fishing

Find a tranquil river spot and cast a line to land yellow eye mullet, galaxias, bream and trout. You can moor your boat at the Nicholson Jetty.

Held annually in July, the Twin Rivers Bream Classic puts the tiny townships of Nicholson, Swan Reach and Johnsonville on the fishers’ map. The weekend-long fishing competition promotes catch and release fishing.

Nicholson Jetty with sail boats on the Nicholson River

Fresh produce

The area is known with fondness as a “food bowl” where the land raises fields of leafy vegetables and trees heaving with fruit. Pop into the farm gates at Blueberry Fields (Bumberrah) for those sweet, tangy balls or Fruit Farm (Johnsonville) for cherries, stone fruits, apples and pears bursting with flavour.

Man holding a crate of peaches at Twin Rivers Fruit

Wineries

Also a premium grape-growing territory, Twin Rivers boasts a couple of wineries along the East Gippsland Drink Trail, including Nicholson River Winery and Tambo Winery.

At Nicholson River Winery, the wines reflect the characters unique to the area while paying homage to a European style. There is an extensive range of wines on tasting at the cellar door, complete with local cheese and antipasto platters which can be enjoyed in the picnic area overlooking the Nicholson River.

Just down the way is Tambo Wine. A long hunt and a lot of research brought owners Bill and Pam Williams to this very spot, their “warm site in a cool area”, allowing them to produce fine wines with a sense of place.