November was a month of reflection and anticipation in East Gippsland, as the community gathered to honour the fallen, launched a major tourism event for the year ahead and celebrated local heritage and racing.
Despite persistent rain making conditions slightly uncomfortable, the annual Melbourne Cup Day race meeting at the Bairnsdale Racing Club on Tuesday, November 4 was a hive of activity as close to 1000 punters took in the action that country racing offers.
At 3pm all eyes were on the big screen and the trackside televisions, which were tuned into the race that stops the nation – the Melbourne Cup – won by this year’s Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours, ridden by one of the darlings of the turf, Jamie Melham (Kah).
On Tuesday, November 11, Bairnsdale marked 107 years since the end of World War I with a sombre and moving Remembrance Day service.
Despite cold weather and rain, community members
gathered at the Bairnsdale War Cemetery at 10.30am to pay their respects.
The service was led by Bairnsdale RSL vice president Ray Rock, with local State Member of Parliament Tim Bull reading the Ode of Remembrance.
A highlight of the morning was the address delivered by Nagle College year nine student, Isla Campbell.
“To me, remembrance is about gratitude and living our lives to the absolute fullest as a way to say thank you — not just with words, but with the values we live by, to those who fought and laid down their lives for our safety,” Isla told the crowd.
While the service was historically held in Main Street, the War Cemetery has become the established location for this quiet commemoration in recent years.
Mallacoota celebrated a major milestone in its recovery following the Black Summer Bushfires, with the official opening of three significant projects – the Maurice Avenue streetscape upgrade, the Mudbrick Pavilion upgrade and the Mallacoota Hall redevelopment.
Each project was developed in partnership with the Mallacoota and District Recovery Association (MADRA), the Mallacoota Hall and Recreation Reserve Committee of Management and other community representatives to ensure they reflected local needs and priorities identified through the community’s recovery process.
Excitement built for one of the region’s signature events, with the official launch of the 2026 Paynesville Classic Boat Rally and Maritime Festival held earlier in the month.
More than 50 guests at the Gippsland Lakes Yacht Club heard that the upcoming festival, scheduled for February/March 2026, will be bigger than ever thanks to a new partnership with the Boating Industry Association of Victoria (BIAV).
BIAV board member Alistair Murray AM announced the inaugural Gippsland Lakes Boat Show will run in tandem with the rally, featuring a large on-land exhibition, marina exhibits and sea trials.
Another major drawcard announced was the return of the tall ship Enterprize.
The 27-metre topsail schooner will arrive in Paynesville a week early for school tours and sailing trips.
Guest speaker Michael Smith, the entrepreneur and aviator known for his solo global circumnavigation in a flying boat, spoke of his deep connection to Raymond Island and his support for the event.
With thousands of visitors expected, organisers are urging local businesses to get involved through sponsorship to capitalise on the predicted growth.
