Drouin

At the centre of a dairying, grazing and timber region in West Gippsland, the Princes Highway town of Drouin lies 100km south-east of Melbourne. Local factories producing lingerie, butter, cheeses and powdered milk, steel pipes and plastic are the major employers. The name of the town is believed to have been taken from the local Aboriginal word for 'north wind.' And the local Aboriginal community certainly produced a whirlwind in Lionel Rose, who came from a humpy settlement at nearby Jacksons Track to win the world bantamweight boxing crown. Drouin is a picture postcard town set on a hill overlooking lush cattle and dairy farms. Its signature are the flowering gums which line the main street and burst into bloom in time for the annual Ficifolia Festival in February. The local attractions include trout fishing, the Gourmet Deli Trail, neighbouring Tynong's Gumbaya Recreation and Leisure Park, which features a wildlife reserve, aviary and animal nursery. Tynong also boasts The Farm Shed which features shearing and sheep dog displays.