Lush landscapes and a gourmet trail in Gippsland

The fertile region in Victoria, Australia, is a relaxing respite from city life and its folks are big champions of local produce

- Amy Van

GIPPSLAND, Australia - Lush green pastures dotted with cows and sheep. Roads fringed by native bush and towering gum trees.

Gippsland, a fertile region in Victoria, Australia, is best known for its beef and dairy, such as the Gippsland Dairy yogurt stacked in Singapore's supermarket chillers. Beyond that lies a region brimming with stories, flavour and nature.

Besides its rural scenery, I am struck by the passionate, friendly folks and the palpable sense of community when I arrive in April. I meet local producers championing sustainability and regenerative farming. Many had left city jobs to start a new life here, drawn by the land and a desire to create something meaningful.

Gippsland is the largest region in Victoria in both area and population. Stretching from outer Melbourne to the state's easternmost edge near the New South Wales border, it is home to a wide range of landscapes, from Victorian snowfields and rainforest to rolling farmland to dramatic coastline.

Gippsland is located two to four hours by road from state capital Melbourne, depending on which part of the vast region you choose to explore.

The region still largely attracts a domestic market. Between 2020 and 2024, the average annual growth for total domestic visitors to Greater Gippsland was 8.1 per cent and to East Gippsland, 6.1 per cent.

Gippsland is also often visited by those who drive between Melbourne and Sydney. There has been some recent interest from Singapore-based visitors because of the remote nature, open space, good food and wine. However, it is still a hidden gem for travellers from Asia.

Chef Michael Wilson of Singapore's one-Michelin-starred restaurant Marguerite, who was born and raised in Gippsland, returned to his home town to collaborate with O.MY restaurant in Beaconsfield as part of the Melbourne Food and Wine Festival in March.