Paynesville, Victoria facts for kids
Quick facts for kids PaynesvilleVictoria |
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![]() Paynesville from the water
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Population | 3,636 (2021 census) |
Postcode(s) | 3880 |
Location |
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LGA(s) | Shire of East Gippsland |
State electorate(s) | Gippsland East |
Federal Division(s) | Gippsland |
Paynesville is a fun resort town in the Gippsland area of Victoria, Australia. A resort town is a place where people go for holidays and relaxation. In 2021, a count of the population (called a census) showed that 3,636 people lived in Paynesville. The town is about 293 kilometers (182 miles) east of Melbourne, which is the capital city of Victoria. Paynesville is often called the "boating capital" of Victoria because so many boats are there!
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The Story of Paynesville
Paynesville was first known by a different name: Toonalook. This is an Aboriginal word that means "place of many fish." The town's post office opened way back on November 8, 1879, under the name Toonalook. Later, in 1886, the Dickson family, who still live in the area today, changed the town's name to Paynesville.
Exploring Raymond Island
Raymond Island is a small island that you can reach by taking the Raymond Island Ferry. This island is mostly a place where people live. It's super famous for having a large number of koalas! You can often spot these cute animals in the trees. People sometimes talk about building a bridge to the island to make it easier to get there and to help the area grow.
Sports and Fun Activities
Paynesville is a great place for sports! It has clubs for sailing, lawn bowls, tennis, and netball. There's also a busy local football and cricket club. The cricket team even won two big championships in a row in 2007 and 2008! The town has an Australian Rules football team that plays in the East Gippsland Football League. They last won a championship in 2013.
The Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club (GLYC) is located in Paynesville. They teach people how to sail and even have special programs to help people with disabilities enjoy sailing.
Fishing Adventures
Paynesville is located on the eastern side of Lake Victoria, close to Lake King. These are two of the biggest Gippsland Lakes. It's a fantastic spot to start your adventure and explore the lakes by boat. It used to be known for having some of the best fishing in Victoria. However, over time, the number of fish has gone down. This is due to too much fishing, pollution from nearby areas, and the loss of important seagrass homes for the fish.
Things to See and Do
There are many cool places to visit and things to do around Paynesville:
- Paynesville Maritime Museum: Learn about boats and the history of the sea.
- Raymond Island: Go on a koala spotting adventure!
- Ninety Mile Beach: This long, sandy beach is just a boat ride away from town.
- The Lakes National Park: Explore nature and wildlife in this beautiful park.
Other towns nearby include Bairnsdale, Metung, Eagle Point, and Lakes Entrance.
Learning in Paynesville
Kids in Paynesville go to Paynesville Primary School for their main education. Younger children can attend the Paynesville Uniting Kindergarten.
Carey Baptist Grammar School also has an outdoor education camp near Paynesville called Camp Toonallook. It's a place where students can learn about nature and the outdoors.