Introduction
Sale is a regional city in central Gippsland, eastern Victoria, Australia approximately 215 km east of Melbourne. Sitting along the Thomson River and near the Gippsland Lakes, Sale has long been a hub for agriculture, shipping, defence, and culture. With its rich colonial and military heritage, beautifully maintained historic sites, and thriving arts precinct, Sale offers a mix of history, natural beauty, and local attractions.
Town History
Sale was originally home to the Gunaikurnai people, the Traditional Owners of Gippsland. European settlement began in the 1840s, and by the 1850s, Sale had grown into a prosperous river port. It was named after General Sir Robert Sale, a British officer known for his role in the First Anglo-Afghan War. With the discovery of gold in nearby Omeo and the development of regional agriculture, Sale became a crucial supply and transport centre.
By the 1870s, the construction of the Sale Canal linked the town to the Gippsland Lakes and enhanced its importance as an inland port. The arrival of the railway in 1877 cemented Sale’s role as a key transport and economic hub in the region.
Getting to Sale in Victoria
Sale is a 2.5 to 3 hours’ drive east of Melbourne via the Princes Highway (A1). If you want to use public transport, V/Line services connect Sale to Melbourne Southern Cross Station.
Things to See and Do in and Around Sale
Sale Botanic Gardens
Established in 1860 when approximately 20 hectares of land was set aside the Sale Botanic Gardens are the only colonial era botanic gardens remaining in Gippsland. Unfortunately, during the depressions of the 1890s, the gardens were neglected due to a lack of funds. When Victoria Park opened in 1909 it became council’s main public park and focus for funds, causing the Gardens to deteriorate further. In 1922 they were converted into a golf course and then used for sheep grazing from 1950. Over the following decades, areas of the old gardens became tennis courts, bowling greens, and a swimming centre.
In 2000 the Friends of the Sale Botanic Gardens began work to re-awaken the gardens. This has resulted in the gardens looking as they do today. Although occupying just over five of the original 20 hectares, they are beautifully maintained and wonderful to walk around. Some of the original trees from the 1860s remain, providing the gardens with century old trees and a sense of age.
Getting There
The Sale Botanic Gardens are located on Guthridge Parade, to the south of Sale’s town centre. Parking is available along Guthridge Parade and Brayakulung Way.
What to Expect
The gardens are well laid out, with paths of crushed and compacted granite winding through the trees. Information boards provide several suggested walks, depending on your interests. Throughout the gardens sculptures and more interest, often with a botanical theme, but one is of the Jolly Swagman from Waltzing Matilda. This is in the elm forest. The elm forest was not planned, but the years of neglect allowed the original trees to produce suckers which have now developed into mature trees.
This is a great garden to visit, where you can take a relaxing walk along the many paths, past the lake and through the trees. For our full blog with more photos click here.
Sale Powder Magazine
The building is the only magazine of its type remaining in Gippsland. The Sale Powder Magazine has massive walls and buttresses and barrel vaulting in the ceiling. To reduce the chance of an accidental explosion, timber dowels were used to fix the flooring. An interesting design feature is the building being almost encircled by the watercourse of Flooding Creek, historically giving it a buffer from bushfires.
Located on the southern outskirts of Sale at 47 Stephenson St, Sale Victoria, carparking is available on the street. From here it is just a small walk through an avenue of oak trees to the magazine.
The Powder Magazine is open from 2 pm to 4pm on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month. Admission by gold coin donation. Inside you will find a small museum dedicated to the gold mining industry. Our full blog with more photos can be found here.
Gippsland Art Gallery Sale Victoria
The Gippsland Art Gallery, located at 70 Foster Street in Sale, Victoria, stands as a cultural cornerstone in the region. Established in 1965, the gallery is situated within the Port of Sale precinct, offering visitors a blend of artistic exploration and scenic views of the surrounding waterways and parklands.
Exhibitions and Collections
Hosting approximately thirty exhibitions annually, the Gippsland Art Gallery showcases a diverse range of artworks from local, national, and international artists. The gallery’s permanent collection encompasses around 5,000 pieces, including paintings, sculptures, textiles, photographs, and Indigenous art, with a particular emphasis on works that reflect the Gippsland region and its natural environment.
Notable artists represented include Fred Williams, Russell Drysdale, and Rosalie Gascoigne, among others.
The gallery also hosts a program of temporary exhibitions, showcasing local, national, and international artists. For our full blog with more photos click here.
RAAF Static Aircraft Display
Located near the entrance to RAAF Base East Sale, Victoria a public static aircraft display showcases historic RAAF training aircraft:
The first two are jet powered trainers, with both in the colours of the RAAF Roulettes aerobatic team. The third, a Winjeel was an Australian designed and build piston-engined trainer of the 1950s. The choice of aircraft reflects the base’s role in training aircrew.
Established in 1943, RAAF Base East Sale was originally a training base during World War II. Today, it is a major Royal Australian Air Force, training facility and home to:
- No. 32 Squadron (training and transport)
- The RAAF Officer Training School
- No. 30 Squadron (Airbase support)
- The Air Mission Training School
Getting There
Being located next to the airbase, the aeroplanes are easy to find. Parking is available adjacent to the display with plenty of room for visitors. If you are interested in aircraft and the RAAF, this is a great place to take some photos.
For our full blog with more photos click here.
Sale Swing Bridge
Constructed between 1880 and 1883 the Sale Swing Bridge is located in Longford, Victoria, Australia (or 5km south of Sale). Not only does it hold the distinction of being the first movable bridge built in Victoria but is the oldest surviving swing bridge in Australia.
Design and Construction of the Sale Swing Bridge
Designed by the Australian architect and civil engineer John Grainger, the bridge was built to facilitate river traffic to and from the Port of Sale. The structure spans the junction of the Thomson and Latrobe Rivers, featuring a central swing span of 45.6 meters, allowing it to rotate 90 degrees to permit vessel passage. The bridge’s construction utilized wrought iron trusses and cast-iron piers. Although originally designed to be operated by a two-person hand cranking system, it is now opened using a trailer-mounted hydraulic power unit.
Today, the bridge remains operational and is a popular heritage attraction. It opens to allow passage for river traffic at scheduled times: every Saturday and Sunday between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM, and on the second Wednesday of each month from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM (as of March 2025). Visiting at these times lets you witness the bridge in operation.
Getting There
We drove to the bridge, which is just south of Sale. There is plenty of parking available next to the bridge along with a picnic area on the far side. Interpretive signs detail the bridge’s construction, renovation and importance to the area. Also located here is a metal sculpture of a traditional aboriginal bark canoe.
For our full blog with more photos click here.
Sale Highway Mural
Located on Swing Bridge Road where the South Gippsland Highway passes overhead, the Sale Highway Mural features local Australian native wildlife. If you are going to see the swing bridge, this is on your way. Not long after turning off the highway, you pass under it. The highway supports have been decorated with these wonderful murals. A quick, easy stop and something to add to the trip to the swing bridge.
For our full blog with more photos click here.
Victoria Park
Victoria Park is a prominent historic green space located in the heart of Sale, in Victoria, Australia. While today it is a place for relaxation and recreation, Victoria Park has deep historical roots that reflect Sale’s growth from a frontier settlement into a modern regional hub.
Origins and Naming
Victoria Park was originally known as Market Square. In the 19th century, this central area served as a hub for community gatherings and commerce. As the town developed and the need for a more formal civic space grew, the site underwent transformation. It was eventually renamed in honour of Queen Victoria, reflecting the widespread colonial tradition of dedicating important public spaces to the reigning monarch. The renaming also marked the town’s aspirations to modern civic development and cultural refinement.
By the late 1800s, Victoria Park began evolving from an open commercial square into a landscaped recreational park. This transformation mirrored broader urban trends across Australia at the time, where townships sought to create formal parks both for beautification and as symbols of civic pride.
Historical Features
One of the park’s most recognisable historical features is the pair of water towers. The large red-brick tower was constructed in 1887 as part of Sale’s first municipal water supply system, designed by engineer John Grainger. Grainger’s design was crucial to improving public health and sanitation in the growing town. The brick tower served as a symbol of Sale’s progress and engineering capability during the Victorian era.
In 1922, a second, smaller concrete water tower was added to improve water pressure and expand the system. Though both towers are no longer in operation, they remain as preserved landmarks within the park, providing a glimpse into the region’s early infrastructure.
Another key feature is the ornate bandstand rotunda, originally built in 1913 to commemorate the Jubilee of Sale. It served as a venue for public music performances and civic ceremonies. While the structure was dismantled in 1976 due to deterioration, it was faithfully reconstructed between 1980 and 1983, using historical records and photographs.
Sculpture and Interpretation
Victoria Park also incorporates public art that pays tribute to key figures in Sale’s history. A particularly notable sculpture is the wooden carving of John Grainger and John Niemann. Grainger, as noted, was the engineer behind the town’s early water reticulation system. Niemann played a pivotal role in identifying and exploiting artesian water sources that were critical for sustaining the community.
For our full blog with more photos click here.
Sale Clocktower
Located at the intersection of Raymond and Cunninghame Streets, the clock tower is easy to find, being at the end of the pedestrian mall. The clocktower was completed in late 1953 and officially opened in 1954, serving as a commemorative structure marking the centenary of the City of Sale’s founding in 1851. While Sale was declared a borough in 1863 and later a city in 1950, the centenary commemorated the broader settlement and formal recognition of Sale as a key Gippsland township.
The design reflects mid-20th century civic architecture, with clean Art Deco and early modernist lines, characteristic of post-war public buildings.
Old Train Signals
The Historic Train Line Signal encompasses a preserved signal box, level crossing gates, and semaphore signals, offering a connection to Sale’s rich transportation history. The railway reached Sale in 1877, marking the town as a terminus on the Gippsland line. Constructed in 1888 a signal box managed the increasing rail traffic. This structure has remained largely unchanged, with only minor modifications to accommodate technological advancements in rail operations.
Originally, the station was situated near the intersection of Cunninghame and Reeve Streets. However, in 1983, the station was relocated to Pettit Drive, and the original site was redeveloped into the Gippsland Centre Sale shopping complex. The signal box and associated railway gates were preserved in situ as a tribute to the town’s railway legacy.
The signal box is an example of Victorian-era railway architecture, featuring a timber structure elevated to provide clear visibility of the tracks. Housed inside are a series of mechanical levers that once operated the semaphore signals and level crossing gates.
The signal box operates as a museum under the stewardship of the Sale Museums and Family History Research Group Inc. It is open to the public from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month. Visitors can explore the interior, view the original signalling equipment, and gain insights into the operational aspects of historical railway systems. Admission is by gold coin donation.
Situated across from the Gippsland Centre shopping complex, the site is easily accessible with large carparks on either side of Reeve Street.
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