[citation needed] Eventually the beach would close-off the lakes and the cycle would begin anew.

[citation needed] Due to flooding in 2011, Gippsland Lakes experienced blooms of bioluminescent Noctiluca scintillans.

[5] The Gippsland Lakes provide a major hub for tourism, particularly for recreational boating and fishing enthusiasts.

[12] The lakes network can be explored by cruise, water taxi, or boat and kayak hire.

Metung is a small village located on the tip of a peninsula sitting in the Gippsland Lakes, surrounded almost completely by water.

[14] Paynesville, Lakes Entrance and Metung all offer a number of jetties, boat ramps and berthing facilities.

The lakes have been identified by BirdLife International as an Important Bird Area (IBA) because they regularly support over 1% of the global populations of black swans, chestnut teals and musk ducks, as well as many fairy terns.