The Blue Duck Inn - East Gippsland, The Great Alpine Road

Address:

Omeo Highway , Anglers Rest Victoria, Australia

Description:

The historic Blue Duck Inn stands in splendid isolation at the confluence of three Alpine trout streams - the Cobungra, the Bundarra and the Mitta Mitta Rivers, surrounded by one million acres of alpine national park.

The Blue Duck Inn is renowned for its wholesome local food and wine, and offers accommodation in seven comfortable self-contained cabins.

Simply relax by the river or experience the pleasures of outdoor activities – fly-fishing, horse riding, bushwalking, skiing, mountain biking – and end the day with a home-cooked game pie and a glass of local Shiraz.

THE COUNTRY PUB: Drinks and meals are served in the friendly atmosphere of this traditional country pub, by the open fires or out on the veranda overlooking the Cobungra river.

THE CABINS: Accommodation at the duck consists of 6 fully self-contained cabins. Each Cabin is fully equipped with a wood fire, gas stove, fridge, cutlery and crockery. Tea and coffee making requirements are included, and meals are available Wednesday to Sunday in the Hotel bistro. Hamper style breakfast baskets can be purchased to cook in our cabin or on the guest BBQ provided. The cabins consist of a main room with kitchenette, wood fire and a double bed. The second room has a double bed and a set of bunks. The bathroom is adjacent to both rooms. All linen and towels are provided.

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Location:

HISTORY:

The Blue Duck stands at the confluence of three great trout rivers - the Cobungra, Bundarra and Mitta Mitta, hence the name of the location, Anglers Rest.

The site of the current historic bridge was originally called Jack's Crossing, named after the overseer of the Mount Wills station who drowned fording the flooded Cobungra River with a team of packhorses in 1856.

The original 1900 building was a slab construction cut from local timber, which operated as a butcher shop offering fresh meat to miners on the walking track from Omeo to the gold fields around Mt. Wills.

Billy O’Connell, a successful miner, bought the building and obtained a hotel license in 1912, on the promise that the main road would pass the site, a promise that did not eventuate as the first survey submitted was turned down by the Government. So O'Connell nailed a panning dish to the front of the hotel and wrote with irony, 'Blue Duck' on it in large letters - a mining term for a white elephant. If you take out a gold lease and it produces no gold, it's universally known as a ‘blue duck’.

In the early 20’s, Billy O’Connell transported two houses from Omeo – room by room - through the bush on horse drays. One is the main building of the Blue Duck, and the other one was used as a residence, on the site where the existing cabins are. Billy O’Connell settled there with his wife Lillian and raised 9 children.

Another of Billy O'Connell's legacies at Anglers Rest is the small log structure behind the pub. Known as State School Number 4286, O'Connell built it in 1926 when five of his nine children were of school age. The Education Department provided a teacher to be shared on part-time with Glen Wills. He rode his horse between the two schools, taught at the Anglers Rest School on Monday and Tuesday, and Glen Wills’ the rest of the week.

In spite of their initial pessimism, the O'Connells' establishment was discovered by keen anglers from the city. One of their regular visitors was Sir Harold Clapp, head of the Victorian Railways. In the 1930s, Clapp arranged for first-year apprentices at Newport rail yards to cast the beautiful art deco bronze blue duck at the entrance to the property.

The O'Connells left in 1946 after which the Blue Duck passed through many hands. The Blue Duck relinquished its license in 1967 when the gold petered out.

The Blue Duck regained its license in 1998. Today, comfortable accommodation and hearty meals in the original pub are still found, as well as the same High Country hospitality.

Cabin - Couple

Cabin - 2 singles

Cabin - Family/Group

Check-in Time:

Check-out Time:

Local Attractions:

FLY FISHING: The Blue Duck lies at the heart of Australia's trout fishing country. Situated on the banks of the Cobungra River, the name of the location, Angler’s Rest, says it all. The Mitta Mitta, Cobungra and the Bundara rivers all support self-sustaining populations of rainbow and brown trout. There is a long tradition of fly-fishing in the region. Local, professional guides can be arranged through the Blue Duck for beginners and experienced anglers alike. Trout populations are protected by a ‘closed season’ during the spawning months and all anglers require a fishing licence. Licences are available for one month or one year and may be purchased from all angling stores.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES:

Horse Riding - The Victorian Alps region is home to the legendary Australian high country cattlemen. A range of options, from all-day rides to overnight excursions are available.

White-water Rafting - Experienced local guides offer white-water rafting trips on the Mitta Mitta river for beginners and advanced paddlers alike. Entry points into the Mitta Mitta are within a few kilometres of the Blue Duck.

Resort and Backcountry Skiing - The Blue Duck is located within easy driving distance of the winter ski resorts of Dinner Plain and Mount Hotham (1 and 1 1/2 hrs drive). The Duck also sits at the foot of the vast Victorian Alps backcountry skiing terrain. Snow season is June-September.

Bush walking - Situated in the heart of the Alpine National Park, you can enjoy leisurely strolls, full day excursions or more challenging overnight hikes.

Mountain Biking - The Blue Duck area features many four-wheel drive tracks which run deep into the bush. For the best rides, arrange to be dropped off at the top of Falls Creek, Mt Hotham or Dinner Plain and ride down to the Blue Duck in a day.

Motorcycle touring - The Alpine circuit is 270 km of the most scenic and challenging motorcycling ride in Australia, attracting riders from all over the world. The Blue Duck is one of the highlights of this great circuit.

Other Information & Additional Facilities:

Mike Mullins & Lana Antony
Phone: (03) 5159 7220
Fax: (03) 5159 7212
Email: lana@blueduckinn.com.au
Web site: www.lakesentranceandsurrounds.com.au/theblueduckinn

Getting There:

The Blue Duck is located at Anglers Rest on the Omeo Highway, which lies between the historic towns of Omeo and Mitta Mitta.

Anglers Rest may be approached via Bairnsdale, Wangaratta via the Great Alpine Highway or Mitta Mitta via the Omeo Highway.

The road between Falls Creek and Anglers Rest is not sealed and is closed during winter. However, it is a beautiful scenic route during the summer months.

Always take care when driving on alpine roads.