Stuck For Pressie Ideas This Christmas? Forget the Socks & Gift Your Mate a Local East Gippsland Experience Instead
Christmas is coming and there’s no better time to Buy Local in East Gippsland.
We live in the best part of the world and if there’s one thing Gippslanders love, it’s getting amongst it!
If you’re looking to buy a gift for someone who already ‘has it all’ or ‘doesn’t want anything’, gifting an experience is an awesome way to support local businesses, gift a cool memory, and stay sustainable.
Here are 10 awesome East Gippsland experiences that will help spread the joy this Christmas – both as a gift for your special someone and for the business owner who just got another booking.
Have more ideas? Tag us on Instagram at @VisitEastGippsland and we’ll share your recommendation in a story.
1. Help Them Catch a Fish on a Guided Trip With Big River Fishing & Outdoors in Omeo
East Gippsland is a fisherman’s dream. From oceans and rivers to our wonderful lakes system, we’ve really got it all. Run by locals who live and breathe everything fly fishing, Big River Fishing & Outdoors offer tours from half day wading right up to multi-day expeditions.
If you’ve got a mate who’s always talking about the trout that got away, or a family member who wants to give fishing a go but lacks the confidence to get out there – this could be the gift that’ll get them excited this Christmas.
All essential gear is provided. Jokes provided free of charge on the day.
To book, check out available tours here, or drop into the shop in Main Street in Omeo where Josh and Brett can help you organise the ideal gift.
2. Gift a Packrafting Weekend (or a Navigation Workshop!) with Gippsland Adventure Tours
Led by local packrafting and whitewater specialists Kelly & Paddy, there are a variety of guided packrafting trips on offer throughout the year. Perfect for adrenaline junkies and those loved ones who like getting out of their comfort zone.
Why not make it a Christmas to remember and book the whole family in to send it down the Mitchell River?
Also on offer are valuable navigation lessons – an essential skill for all outdoor adventurers.
Visit the Gippsland Adventure Tours website for more information and to book.
3. Gift a Birdwatching Photography Tour from Wild East Gippsland
Got a birder on your hands? An amateur photographer? Or someone who loves nature so much that their entire phone is leaf and twig pics? These custom wildlife tours would make an incredibly personalised gift for someone special this Christmas.
Run by a talented local photographer and outdoorsman you will explore some of East Gippsland’s most spectacular spots, many of which are home to animals you cannot find anywhere else in the world.
Find out more and contact Ben to lock it in at the Wild East Gippsland website.
4. Gift Them the Ride of Their Dreams With Next Level Dirt Bike Tours
Know someone who is happiest with a helmet on and a bit of dirt under the tyres? A guided experience with Next Level Dirt Bike Tours might just make you their favourite person this Christmas.
Based in East Gippsland, these guided tours take riders through some of the most spectacular bush, mountain and forest country in Victoria. Whether they’re a seasoned rider looking for a challenge or someone keen to build confidence off-road, there’s a tour to suit.
It’s the sort of gift that creates stories they’ll be talking about for years. Plus, unlike socks, it’s highly unlikely to end up in the back of a drawer.
Gift vouchers are available, making this an easy win for the adventure lover in your life.
Visit the Next Level Dirt Bike Tours website for more information and to book.
5. Gift Them a Self-Guided Paddle & Dine Experience By Venture Out
Sometimes the best gifts don’t come covered in wrapping paper. Sometimes they involve a kayak, a good meal and a few hours exploring our stunning East Gippsland waterways.
Venture Out’s Paddle & Dine experiences combine gentle paddling with great local food, giving visitors the opportunity to experience the Gippsland Lakes at their own pace. It’s equal parts adventure, relaxation and date-night material.
Perfect for couples, families or that friend who seems impossible to buy for, this is one experience that feels a million miles away from the Christmas shopping rush.
People will often forget the stuff, but they don’t forget the sunsets on the water.
For details, plus more adventure package options, visit the Venture Out website.
6. Explore the Errinundra National Park Wilderness with Snowy River Cycling
If you’ve got a mountain biker, gravel rider or outdoor expedition enthusiast on your Christmas list, Snowy River Cycling has you covered.
This Errinundra Wilderness Journey is a guided adventure showcasing some of East Gippsland’s most spectacular and lesser-known towering forests and wilderness areas between Delegate and Orbost. Expect fresh air, epic scenery and the kind of views that make you stop mid-ride just to take it all in.
The best part? The logistics are sorted, the local knowledge is included and all your gift recipient has to do is turn up ready for a great four days they’ll never forget.
It’s a pretty good trade for another novelty coffee mug.
For more information and to book, head to Snowy River Cycling.
7. Set Sail on the Gippsland Lakes on a Cruise, Private Charter, or Self-Drive Boat
The Gippsland Lakes look pretty impressive from shore, but they’re even better when you’re out on the water.
Treat someone special to a cruise with local operators including Peels Cruises, Lonsdale Eco Cruises, Riviera Nautic or Lakes Explorer, where they can soak up stunning lake views, spot local wildlife and enjoy a relaxing day exploring the Gippsland lakes.
Want something a little more hands-on? Hire a self-drive boat from one of the operators along Marine Parade in Lakes Entrance – Blue Riviera Hire Boats, Victor Hire Boats, or Portside Boat Hire – and let them captain their own adventure. No skipper’s ticket, no worries. As long as they’ve got a driver’s license, they’re good to go!
Sunshine, calm water and the freedom to explore at their own pace – sounds pretty good!
For more details contact the operators above.
8. Gift Them Adventure With a Wild Caving or Abseiling Experience with Snowy River Expeditions at Karoonda Park
If you’ve got a hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking adventurer on your hand, it might be feeling tricky to find them something new and exciting to try. Snowy River Expeditions might be just what you’ve been looking for.
They offer a variety of cool outdoor East Gippsland experiences you simply cannot do anywhere else.
From whitewater journeys down the Snowy, Mitchell, and Mitta Mitta Rivers, to hiking trips in the high country and beyond – these guys know how to make adventure happen.
Gift your loved one a few hours to wiggle through underground caves or learn to abseil.
Or perhaps they’d rather take to the saddle and become part of the legend that encapsulates the spirit of the Snowy River? Horse riding options range from an hour to multiple days.
Beginners and experienced adventurers are all welcome.
Visit the Snowy River Expeditions at Karoonda Park website for more information and to book.
9. Gift Them the Ability to Ride on Water with Riverlake Discoveries Waterbike Hire
You know those gifts that instantly make people say, “Wait, you can do that?”
This is one of them.
Riverlake Discoveries offers waterbike hire on the Gippsland Lakes, giving visitors the chance to quite literally pedal across the water. They’re stable, easy to use and incredibly fun, whether you’re chasing a unique family outing or simply looking for a new way to experience the lakes.
It turns out riding a bike on water never really stops being exciting, no matter how old you are.
Bonus points if you join them and spend the afternoon exploring together.
Visit the Riverlake Discoveries Waterbike Hire website for more information and to book.
10. Give the Gift of an East Gippsland Getaway
When in doubt, book the getaway.
From cosy cottages in the mountains and cabins hidden amongst towering gums to waterfront apartments, farm stays and beachside retreats, East Gippsland is packed with incredible places to stay.
A weekend away isn’t just a gift. It’s permission to slow down, switch off and spend quality time making memories. Whether they’re dreaming of morning walks on the beach, long lunches, fishing trips or discovering a new country town, there’s an East Gippsland stay to match.
Better still, every booking helps support local accommodation providers and the communities around them.
And that’s exactly what Buying Local is all about.
For inspiration, check out our article about the most unique places to stay in East Gippsland.
Buy Local. Experience Local. Support Local
East Gippsland isn’t just somewhere to visit or live. It’s a place to connect with local people, discover regional stories and experience the things that make this part of Victoria unique.
Whether you’re heading out to explore a new corner of the region, sitting down for a meal made with local produce, picking up a handmade gift or stocking up on something delicious to take home, your choices can help support the local businesses and communities that make East Gippsland special.
So next time you’re here, look a little closer. Take the scenic route. Stop at the local shop. Meet the maker. Try something grown or made nearby. And when you find something you love, share it with someone else.
If you live here, explore here. Is there something visitors always rave about that you’ve never actually done? Maybe it’s time.
Explore local. Shop local. Eat local. Stay local. Love East Gippsland.
