Record-breaking rainfall is sending water toward one of Australia’s most extraordinary natural spectacles – and tours are already selling fast.
Australia’s largest salt lake is on the verge of a once-in-a-generation event. Following record-breaking rainfall across the interior, experts suggest Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre could reach full capacity for the first time in decades – and only the fourth time in its 160-year recorded history.
Vast volumes of water are currently moving steadily toward the South Australian lake, with forecasts indicating levels could surpass those of previous major flood events. When the normally bone-dry landscape fills, the transformation is total: rivers, channels and floodplains converge across Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre National Park, drawing prolific birdlife to a desert that bursts into colour and life.
“Words can’t describe how beautiful Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre really is during flood years," Journey Beyond executive general manager, touring Cesar Piotto, said.
Seeing Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is a surreal experience. (Credit: South Australian Tourism Commission)
Journey Beyond’s small-group touring arm, Outback Spirit, has opened bookings for a new 2026 season to coincide with the flood event. The operator launched a brand-new seven-day itinerary specifically in response to this year’s extraordinary conditions. The all-inclusive tour departs 13 times between May and August 2026, travelling aboard a five-star all-terrain Mercedes-Benz coach with a maximum of 26 guests.
Highlights include two scenic flights over the lake and surrounding stations, including Clifton Hills Station, Goyder Lagoon and the Simpson Desert, a guided walk into Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges, travel along the historic Old Ghan Railway Line and Oodnadatta Track and a closing night at Monarto Safari Resort with a dawn wildlife safari.
Outback Spirit has opened bookings for a new 2026 season. (Credit: Outback Spirit)
A maximum of 26 guests will be on each tour. (Credit: Outback Spirit)
On average, a one-and-a-half-metre flood occurs every three years, a four-metre flood every decade, and a fill or near fill a few times a century. Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre completely filled in 1950, 1974 and 1984 . Journey Beyond executive general manager, sales and partnerships, Alicia Triggs, said you never truly know when it will be a flooding year.
“We were fortunate last year to witness fantastic water levels, and 2026 is already proving even more remarkable. It presents a truly exceptional opportunity for travellers, and we’re proud to offer guests a front‑row seat to this extraordinary natural phenomenon," she said.
Travellers eager to witness the spectacle are urged to act quickly. Previous special flood seasons have sold out well in advance, and with a limited number of departure dates available, places are expected to go fast.
Details
Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is Australia’s largest lake. (Credit: Grant Hunt Photography)
Tour name: Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre & Flinders Ranges Price: From $6490 per person twin share Length: 7 days Where: Adelaide to Adelaide via Port Augusta, Wilpena Pound, Lyndhurst, William Creek and Monarto Safari Resort Dates: 13 departures on 18 May, 26 May, 3 June, 11 June, 19 June, 26 June, 4 July, 12 July, 20 July, 28 July, 5 August, 15 August and 23 August 2026 Website:Outback Spirit
Emily Murphy is Australian Traveller's Email & Social Editor, and in her time at the company she has been instrumental in shaping its social media and email presence, and crafting compelling narratives that inspire others to explore Australia's vast landscapes. Her previous role was a journalist at Prime Creative Media and before that she was freelancing in publishing, content creation and digital marketing. When she's not creating scroll-stopping travel content, Em is a devoted 'bun mum' and enjoys spending her spare time by the sea, reading, binge-watching a good TV show and exploring Sydney's vibrant dining scene. Next on her Aussie travel wish list? Tasmania and The Kimberley.
From rainforest walks and scenic drives to historic gold-rush towns and standout regional dining experiences, you can find it all in West Gippsland.
Hover over West Gippsland on Google Earth and you’ll see vast tracts of land spread out like green velveteen around the Toorongo Falls Reserve. It’s a landscape that feels almost impossibly lush for a region sitting little more than an hour from Melbourne.
Track southeast in late autumn and early winter and you’ll see pockets of the Mt Baw Baw Plateau dusted in snow. In addition to the forests of mountain ash veined with creeks and rivers, there are pastures and farmland cross-stitched together to form pretty patchworks.
But West Gippsland isn’t defined by scenery alone: in addition to its awe-inspiring nature, a Venn diagram of the region includes gold-rush history and great culinary experiences. Spend a long weekend here and it quickly becomes clear how often these three overlap.
Getting there
Spend the weekend eating and exploring in West Gippsland. (Credit: Messmates Dining)
Getting to West Gippsland involves as easy drive – it’s just over an hour out of Melbourne along the Monash Freeway.
Not driving? Catch the train from Melbourne on the Gippsland line, terminating at either Traralgon or Bairnsdale, and hop off at Warragul or Drouin.
Visit historic villages
Wander into Australia’s Gold Rush history at Walhalla. (Credit: Rob Blackburn)
The West Gippsland region is on the Traditional Lands of the Kulin and Kurnai nations, specifically linked to the Bunurong, Gunaikurnai and Wurundjeri Peoples, whose connection to Country stretches back thousands of years.
European settlement occurred in the 19th century as timber cutters, farmers and gold seekers pushed into the region’s dense forests. Small towns grew around sawmills and railway lines, and many of those gold rush settlements, timber towns and railway villages still shape the character of the region today.
The most evocative of these is Walhalla Historic Township , a remarkably preserved gold-rush township tucked deep in the mountains. In the late 1800s, it was one of Victoria’s richest goldfields. Today visitors can step inside that history at the Long Tunnel Extended Gold Mine, where underground tours reveal the scale of the mining operation that once powered the town’s prosperity. Nearby, the Walhalla Goldfields Railway retraces part of the original narrow-gauge line through the valley, offering a slow journey past forest and river scenery.
Further west, Noojee is a classic mountain village. It’s surrounded by dense forest and waterfalls and has become a natural base for exploring the Baw Baw region. Just outside town, Noojee Trestle Bridge stands as one of West Gippsland’s most striking relics of the rail era. The towering wooden structure is the tallest surviving trestle bridge in Victoria and today forms the centrepiece of an easy scenic walk with wide views across the valley.
Catch your own lunch at Alpine Trout Farm. (Credit: Nicky Cawood)
At Alpine Trout Farm near Noojee, visitors can fish for trout in mountain-fed ponds before enjoying the catch prepared fresh onsite. It’s a simple experience that reflects the area’s long connection to the surrounding waterways.
Back in Warragul , the region’s main service town, the story shifts from heritage to modern regional life. With galleries, restaurants and sweeping views across the rolling farmland of Gippsland, the town has become a lively hub linking the district’s past with its evolving food and cultural scene. Drive through the town and you’ll find heritage buildings, old pubs and weatherboard cottages that hint at the area’s early days as a frontier landscape.
In other towns the past survives in quieter ways – a historic hall here, a century-old bakery there.
Even simple roadside stops can feel cinematic in West Gippsland. The region also delivers plenty of opportunities to lace up your walking shoes.
One of the region’s most rewarding nature escapes lies just outside Noojee at Toorongo Falls Reserve . A network of walking tracks winds through the cool-temperate rainforest where towering mountain ash trees filter the light and the air smells of rich, damp earth. The 2.2-kilometre trail to the viewing platform overlooking Toorongo Falls is short, but spectacular, as the water cascades down over moss-covered rock faces into a cool, green gully in Little Toorongo River.
Further north, the Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort offers year-round adventures. In winter, the mountain attracts skiers and snowboarders. The warmer months are just as compelling, with scenic drives to see alpine wildflowers, mountain bike trails and panoramic hiking routes that open across the plateau.
Cyclists and walkers looking for a more relaxed pace can follow the Rokeby Neerim Rail Trail , which traces a former railway line through farmland and small Gippsland villages. The mostly flat trail passes rolling paddocks, creeks and historic bridges, making it an easy way to drop it down a gear when exploring the countryside.
Taste the best eats of West Gippsland
Taste the best of the region at Hogget Kitchen.
For many travellers, the real drawcards of West Gippsland are the food and wine. The region sits in the heart of Victoria’s fertile dairy country, and that agricultural backdrop has helped shape a dining scene where seasonal produce and local provenance take centre stage.
Hogget Kitchen has helped put Warragul firmly on the radar for serious regional dining in West Gippsland. Here, head chef and owner Trevor Perkins runs the kitchen alongside well-known winemakers William (Bill) Downie and Pat Sullivan. Hogget Kitchen lives up to its promise of exceptional destination dining; what lands on the table depends largely on what nearby farms have harvested that week as well as a wine list from Wild Dog Winery and other Gippsland producers.
Warragul is also where you’ll find Messmates Dining where the kitchen team is led by Michelin-trained chefs. The Euro-leaning bistro and wine bar brings a polished edge to the local dining scene using produce sourced from across West Gippsland.
For something more casual, the century-old Noojee Hotel is the kind of hub that every traveller dreams of finding after a long drive. Expect generous pub classics served on the sunny deck in summer or beside the crackle of a log fire in winter. Nearby, rustic Toolshed Bar, Bistro & Cabins is the place to go for a wood-fired pizza topped with smoked local trout paired with Gippsland wine, making it a rewarding stop for lunch or an overnight stay.
Time your visit with the Truffle Festival
Food lovers visiting in winter should consider timing their trip to coincide with Noojee Truffle Festival , running from 10 July to 2 August 2026. The inaugural event celebrates the region’s emerging truffle industry with tastings, special menus and events built around one of winter’s most prized ingredients.
