The Giant Earthworm

Bass
Quiet Gippsland township servicing the surrounding beef and cattle farms
Bass is a small and attractive town located 109 km south-east of Melbourne via the Princes, South Gippsland and Bass Highways. To the west, it faces the tranquil waters of Westernport and, to the east, are the dairy and beef cattle inland farms. The town was named after George Bass (of Bass and Flinders fame) who reached Westernport Bay in 1798 and sailed some distance up the river which also bears his name. He named Westernport as it was the most westerly harbour he had found on Bass Strait.The visit is commemorated by a memorial in the George Bass Park.

Nearby Corinella was, in 1826, the state¹s first settlement, although it was abandoned after fifteen months. Bass itself was first settled by Samuel Anderson in 1835. This was only a year after the Hentys had settled Portland and John Batman had made his famous purchase of Port Phillip. The early years of white colonisation were described by G.H. Haydon in Five Years¹ Experience in Australia which was published in 1846. Haydon had been part of the first party of Europeans to travel by land through the district.

Bass has a general store, a recreation reserve and a daily bus service to Melbourne and Phillip Island.George Bass Park, adjacent the Bass River, has a picnic area with barbecues and a children's play area.

Things to see:  

Wildlife Wonderland
The town¹s main attraction for visitors is Wildlife Wonderland which features The Giant Earthworm Museum. This 100-metre structure, in the likeness of the worms it celebrates, allows the visitor to crawl through a magnified worm burrow and walk through a simulated worm's stomach. It also features a theatrette, a natural history of worms, a marine worm tank and a local history display. Gippsland is, in fact, the only region in the world which produces the giant worms, which can grow to nearly three metres in length. There is also an indoor wombat display and a giant white shark. Located on the Bass Highway, it is open from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. daily, tel: (03) 5678 2222.

Bass River Red Deer Farm
On the corner of the Bass Highway and Wollmer Rd is the Bass River Deer Farm where there are friendly animals, leather goods, cuts of venison, emu oil and German Black Forest cuckoo clocks, tel: (03) 5678 2234.

	Hotels
	Bass Hotel Bass Hwy Bass VIC 3991 Telephone: (03) 5678 2206
	Randwick Cottage Soldiers Rd Bass VIC 3991 Telephone: (03) 5678 2392 Rating: ***
	Cottages & Cabins
	Kaltara Murray Grey Stud Cottage RMB 8150 Soldiers Rd Bass VIC 3991 Telephone: (03) 5678 2370 Rating: ***