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

The best things to do in Mallacoota, East Gippsland, include Mallacoota Cruises tours, kayak hire on Mallacoota Inlet and Betka Beach. Other Mallacoota attractions include the kangaroos of Gipsy Point, the Gabo Island penguins and the Cape Howe Wilderness Zone.

Mallacoota is the most easterly town of any reasonable size in Victoria, but you don’t come to this part of East Gippsland for urban attractions.

This East Gippsland beach town offers Victoria’s warmest winter temperatures, national parkland and waterways. If it was closer to Sydney or Melbourne, Mallacoota would be a much more popular holiday spot. As it is, the town feels rather unspoilt.

Best things to do in Mallacoota, Victoria: Beaches

The best things to do in Mallacoota are outdoors. This can be as simple as heading to the beach. Betka Beach at the mouth of the Betka River is patrolled by lifeguards. Quarry Beach further south is more rugged, with high cliffs, striking rock outcrops and rather good snorkelling.

These are both ocean beaches, but the Mallacoota Inlet has calmer waters. The Mallacoota Inlet is a drowned river valley, similar to Sydney Harbour. The town lies on this estuary, with the flooded Wallagaraugh River making for great boating.

Mallacoota cruises and Gipsy Point kangaroos

One of the best things to do in Mallacoota is a trip around the waterways with Mallacoota Cruises. On board the MV Loch Ard, Mallacoota Cruises offers two hour pleasure cruises and twilight cruises.

Pelicans on the Mallacoota Inlet. Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria.

If you’d prefer to explore the Mallacoota Inlet under your own steam, then Mallacoota Hireboats rents out kayaks, pedal boats and power boats. The power boats can be operated without a licence, and Mallacoota Hireboats will let you have one for from $90 for two hours.

Other spots around the Mallacoota Inlet that are worth exploring include Gipsy Point, a peninsula which juts into the Wallagaraugh River. Gipsy Point is notorious for its large numbers of kangaroos.

But Mallacoota is best used as a gateway to the Croajingolong National Park, which surrounds the town.

Things to do in Mallacoota, Victoria: Genoa Peak

The Croajingolong National Park spreads along a sizable stretch of the East Gippsland coast and not all of it is best accessed from Mallacoota. Point Hicks, the first land in Australia spotted by Lt James Cook and the crew of the Endeavour, is further west near Tamboon.

Spots that are close by, however, include Genoa Peak. Take on the Genoa Peak climb for splendid views over the forests and waterways.

What to do in Mallacoota: Cape Howe and Gabo Island

There’s also the Cape Howe Wilderness Zone, right up against the New South Wales border. Get your walking boots ready for Cape Howe, though, as it can only be accessed by foot. More details are available on the Parks Victoria website.

Another great attraction near Mallacoota is Gabo Island, just off the coast. This peaceful island is most notable for its lighthouse and the little penguins that waddle home to their nests every night. It’s like Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade but with a tiny fraction of the crowds. Get there by water taxi – Mallacoota Fishing Charters operates a service.

Mallacoota accommodation

The Mallacoota Foreshore Holiday Park is the largest Mallacoota accommodation provider, but there are several other options. If you don’t want to stay at this Mallacoota caravan park, there are several holiday lets plus Karbeethong Lodge and the Mallacoota Hotel Motel to choose from.

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