Morwell

At the heart of Gippsland's Latrobe Valley, the regional town of Morwell also has the distinction of being the energy centre for Victoria. Coal mining and electricity production has been a major source of employment for Morwell for 80 years. Powerworks offers multimedia and interactive exhibits on the coal mining industry, with opportunities to view giant dredges, join a tour of one of the three open cut coal mines and gain an inside view of a power station and its impressive technology. Forming the western entrance to the town's business district, Morwell's beautiful Centenary Rose Garden proudly showcases over 4000 bushes on four acres, including more than 260 varieties in 110 beds. The Rose Garden is one of the finest in the southern hemisphere. For more greenery, venture into Morwell National Park, small in size but of great value in preserving a remnant of the area's original plant and animal life. Take the Fosters Gully Nature Walk to spot birds and animals in the forests and undergrowth. Morwell is home to one of Gippsland's major cultural facilities, the Latrobe Regional Gallery. Established in 1970, the gallery's permanent collection is predominantly post 1970s contemporary Australian Art. Also calling Morwell home is the Gippsland Immigration Park with its wall of recognition of the contribution immigrants have made to the development of Gippsland. Morwell is situated 150 kilometres east of Melbourne, or around one hour 40 minutes by car along the M1 and the Princes Freeway.