What are the best things to do in Leongatha, Victoria?

The best things to do in Leongatha, South Gippsland, include the Leongatha Golf Club, Lucinda Estate Winery and cycling the Great Southern Rail Trail past the Strzelecki Ranges.

Leongatha, 57km south of Warragul, is in the shadow of Victoria‘s Strzelecki Ranges. It is South Gippsland’s administrative hub and largest town. This Victorian dairy town is primarily known for the vast amount of milk it produces. The Devondale milk in Australian supermarkets comes from Leongatha.

Leongatha is perfectly pretty to look at, but doesn’t offer much to the overseas visitor beyond being a handy coffee break stop. Visitors tend to shoot through Leongatha on the South Gippsland Highway from Melbourne towards Wilsons Promontory.

Leongatha has a few flower-filled parks, a Daffodil Festival in September, and a handful of late 19^th century and early 20^th century buildings. The Leongatha courthouse, post office and Memorial Hall are amongst the most attractive heritage buildings.

The Sweet Life Café in Leongatha, South Gippsland. Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria.

Leongatha Golf Club and South Gippsland wineries

If you fancy a round of golf, then the Leongatha Golf Club fits the bill. But otherwise, the best things to do in Leongatha are just outside the town.

Two South Gippsland wineries are within a stone’s throw – the Lucinda Estate Winery and Lithostylis. The Lucinda Estate Winery is just to the south-east of the town, and the rather daring Lithostylis Winery is to the east. Both have cellar doors open to the public.

Also nearby is the Coal Creek Community Park and Museum, a living history museum in neighbouring Korumburra. With several period buildings spread over a few acres, Coal Creek recreates an old mining village.

Things to do in Leongatha, Victoria: Great Southern Rail Trail

The main reason to visit Leongatha, however, is the Great Southern Rail Trail. Following a former train line, the Great Southern Rail Trail stretches from Leongatha to Port Welshpool. It covers 72km through the rolling South Gippsland countryside, and is designed for walkers, cyclists and horse riders to share.

You don’t have to take on the whole route, of course. The first section from Leongatha to Koonwarra makes for a delightful couple of hours’ workout. The 7.8km Leongatha to Koonwarra section of the Great Southern Rail Trail passes through dairy farms, wetlands and forest, with marvellous views of the Strzelecki Ranges.

Melbourne to Leongatha drive

The drive from Melbourne to Leongatha is 135km in distance. The Melbourne to Leongatha drive takes around one hour and 43 minutes. The quickest route goes through Dandenong, Pakenham, Koo Wee Rup and Korumburra. If coming south-west from Tralalgon, the Traralgon to Leongatha drive is 71km long. This makes for a Traralgon to Leongatha driving time of around 46 minutes.