Marlo welcoming back visitors as bushfire recovery gets underway
It has a pub with one of the best views in Victoria, but many people don’t know Marlo is also one of the state’s best-kept fishing secrets, guaranteed to hook keen anglers.
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It’s the town, locals joke, where the view comes free with the beer.
Overlooking the stunning Snowy River estuary, the wide deck of the Marlo Hotel is one of the most picturesque places in Victoria to enjoy a drink, they insist.
Marlo is also one of the state’s best-kept fishing secrets, guaranteed to hook keen anglers.
With a 300-seat bistro and plenty of accommodation on the pub site, there’s no need to venture far from the deck, for a good meal and place to sleep after a long day spent fishing, or exploring the stunning natural environment of Marlo and beyond.
Hikes of varying length and difficulty abound in the region, which is just a short drive from wild Cape Conran and spectacular Salmon Rocks.
Picnic spots, viewing and camping areas are scattered throughout the district, famous for its wild coastlines and deserted beaches.
Located at the mouth of the Snowy River in Victoria’s far east — and just 14km south of the historic timber town of Orbost — Marlo bills itself as a tranquil seaside resort and fishing town, with something for everyone to enjoy.
With wetlands, rainforest, sand dunes and backwaters, the Snowy River estuary boasts some of the best perch and bream fishing to be found anywhere in Victoria.
An abundance of yellow eyed mullet, trevally, tailor, luderick, and other fish, make Marlo a fisherman’s paradise.
With the winter, comes the possibility of trawling for salmon in the estuary, and the sheltered waters allow fishing year-round in most weather conditions.
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Marlo Hotel owner Russell Bates, 59, said he considered himself lucky the recent bushfires had not reached the township, and he and his staff felt for people in other parts of East Gippsland who had lost everything in the fierce blazes.
But evacuations, smoke, road closures and lingering fire threat in the wider Marlo area had kept visitors away and trade was almost half that of last summer, Mr Bates said.
While some roads in the region remain closed, many are now open, making some car touring possible, and the smoke is clearing. And as the weeks roll on and into the Easter period, Marlo will be fishing for visitors.