Our next stop is 50km south, across rolling green hills - the quaint little town of Loch, home to all of 200 people.
At the small Loch Brewery and Distillery, run by Craig Johnson and his wife Mel Davies, a restored bank functions as their gin distillery, while the butchery next door has been turned into the brewery.
Johnson says Gippsland is seeing an economic revival as growing tourism numbers provide an incentive for local businesses focused on niche food and drink.
That is echoed by Marty Thomas, who runs the well-known Moos at Meeniyan restaurant and cafe, 50km east of Loch.
"Gippsland is really the food bowl of Victoria. We try to use as much local produce as possible," he says. His restaurant, on the highway to Wilsons Promontory National Park, has benefited as tourism numbers grow.
After a brief halt to pick up dinner at Foster, the last big town before the national park, we head toward Yanakie, our stopover. Just as the light is fading, I pull into the gravel road for Limosa Rise. Named after the migratory bird that flies to this area every summer, Limosa consists of three luxury cottages overlooking the northern mountains of Wilsons Promontory.
"The Prom", as it is known, is the southernmost point of mainland Australia: stunning coastal scenery, pristine wilderness and an abundance of native wildlife, spread over 505km. Sadly, it's raining and there isn't much evidence of the wildlife. So, a short hike later, we head back on a long, beautiful drive.
We are greeted by bright afternoon sunlight at the coastal getaway of Phillip Island. The town is mostly known for its penguin and seal-watching sites, koala conservation centre, and namesake chocolate factory.
We head to The Esplanade - a buzzing part of town where tourists can walk along its historic jetty, find a variety of accommodation and choose from a range of cuisines.
By evening, we arrive at the well-appointed RACV Resort at Inverloch, just in time to catch some magnificent sweeping views of Bass Strait and Andersons Inlet.
Our last morning in Gippsland involves two halts that showcase the region's changing profile.
First is the Kilcunda General Store, which doubles as a cafe, boutique and post office in this ocean-facing town. It's teeming with customers.
The store's popularity is helping it showcase a wide range of artisan produce from across Gippsland, owner Mindy Grumley says. She recently expanded into a smaller, second store - Udder&Hoe.
Our final stop is Bassine Specialty Cheeses, a tiny factory with a cafe to sell its growing range.
We head back to Melbourne along the Bass Highway, still mulling over our rich variety of experiences packed into a couple of days.
CHECKLIST
Getting there
Qantas flies from Auckland to Melbourne, with one-way Economy Class fares from $266.
- AAP
