Did you know that in the beautiful lakeside Gippsland town of Paynesville, you can catch a free ferry to a tiny island full of koalas, kangaroos and wombats?

Raymond Island is a nature lovers paradise. This Mamma would love to live in one of the few hundred houses scattered across the island! There are no shops here and the ferry across is less than 5 minutes.

Walk a 1.2km koala trail, leading through a nature reserve and around the local streets. You are pretty much guaranteed to see a koala here, just follow the signs and make sure you look up - there’s sure to be a fury local resident lazing languidly in a tree above!

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There are also hundreds of kangaroos who are not shy, sunbaking in the front yards in streets, or in the bushy nature reserve. With wombats, echidnas and birds residing in the area, too.

You can bring your bike or hire one, and in some months you can also jump on a 4 seater surrey bike. Bring your fishing rods and a picnic, and enjoy the playground area. Dogs on leads are welcome here as well.

You will love the serenity!