When the demands of work and family reach their peak, time to spend purely on fishing can be hard to find. There simply aren’t enough days in the year to do everything. For me, the answer is to compromise: I take my family with me on most of my fishing holidays. I’m sure many other anglers are the same.

As much as I hate to admit it, though, at least one member of my family just isn’t that in to fishing (OK, OK, only one member). That’s fine, it just means we have to find a destination that suits everyone. A place where the fishing is great, that’s a given, but also somewhere with a few creature comforts where my betrothed can relax, perhaps with a bit of shopping thrown in, some restaurants, and with plenty to distract the three short people when we aren’t fishing. Not to mention somewhere with safe, all-weather boating suitable for children. Sound like a lot to ask? I’ve found just such a place: Lazy Acre Log Cabins in Lakes Entrance.

More on the actual cabins in a second, but first let me tell you about the owner, Helen MacCubbin. Helen grew up in Lakes Entrance and fishes the local lakes regularly: usually at least once a fortnight, but sometimes up to two or three times per week, often with her granddaughters. She is about to embark on her third fishing trip to Christmas Island, and has also been fishing everywhere from the Kimberley in Western Australia to Norfolk Island off the NSW coast. By now you should be getting the idea that she is a very keen angler – and you’d be right! That means she is a wealth of local fishing information about what is being caught where, which should put you in front of the game right from the start. Not only that, she is also a very welcoming and lovely lady. She’s even happy to show guests how to fillet their catch!

Helen and her late husband, Trevor, started up Lazy Acre Log Cabins around 29 years ago. They built the cabins two at a time over 10 years. Today there are 10 cabins, which includes nine self-contained units and a motel room. All are built in the same rustic log cabin style – which if you ask me gives the perfect atmosphere to any fishing holiday. There is one three bedroom cabin, while the rest have either one or two bedrooms. One of the cabins has wheel chair access. Bedding arrangements vary, but all cabins have a double queen-sized bed in the main bedroom, and either bunks or single beds in the other room. The single beds can be zipped together to form a king-sized double bed. Doonas, pillows, towels and linen are all provided.

The self-contained cabins are immaculate on the inside and equipped with everything you’ll need for a family fishing holiday. This includes a shower and toilet area, plus a laundry and washing machine. In the kitchens there are fridge-freezers (ideal for freezing your catch), microwaves, stove, kettle, and all the usual cutlery, crockery and saucepans. There will a complimentary tea and coffee pack waiting for you, so that you can start relaxing pronto! Meanwhile the carpeted lounge rooms are complete with comfortable easy chairs, air-conditioning, heating and a television. Incidentally, because of the smell, Helen has a strict rule that there is no cooking of crabs in the huts, so if crabs are your thing then you’ll need to process them elsewhere.

The motel room has many of the same features as the other cabins but it is not self-contained and is therefore perfect for the single traveller or couple that doesn’t want to cook. There is, by the way, a three-bedroom house across the road, also managed by Helen, that is available for hire by larger groups.

All the huts have plenty of parking space and five have ideal areas for boat parking. If you have a boat, please let Helen know ahead of time to secure your spot. There is a rear entry to the property, which is ideal for boaties as it means much less reversing. Helen is also happy if you want to wash your boat on the grass.

In the communal area outside the huts you will find a solar-heated swimming pool, playground and gazebo with tables and chairs. There are also portable barbeques that you can wheel to your door to cook your catch. Near the pool there is a spa and clothes drier – these are the only things that incur a small minimal fee, should you wish to use them.

Lakes Entrance boasts two excellent boat ramps, the nearest being less than 2km from Lazy Acre Log Cabins. These ramps give you all-year-round access to the massive Gippsland Lakes system and untold opportunity to target all the common estuary species like flathead, black bream, silver trevally, whiting, gurnard and luderick. There are excellent fish cleaning facilities at both ramps. Meanwhile surf anglers could head for nearby Eastern Beach. If you’re into prawning, these tasty crustaceans can be dipped between January and April in the lake just two blocks away – but, again, please don’t cook them in the huts.

So, anyway, back to the non-fishing family, Lazy Acre Log Cabins is located less than a block from the edge of town. That means that you can nick off in your car with the boat, leaving your non-fishing friends and family with less than a five minute walk to town. Lakes Entrance is a bustling little waterside holiday resort with any number of cafes, restaurants, attractions (my kids loved the mini golf) and, of course, shops (apparently including some very nice dress shops, though I admit to not checking these out personally). Not only that, five minutes’ walk will also put you at the start of the foot bridge that takes you across to the main surf beach, which is patrolled in summer.

How much would you expect to pay for such an all-inclusive, stress-free, something-for-everyone holiday in the centre of a fishing Mecca like Lakes Entrance? Well, you’d better ask Helen for all the details, but put it this way: in winter, it will cost you as little as $115 per couple for one night, less if you stay longer stay, and with senior discounts available. That’s great value as far as I’m concerned. Even though rates do increase during peak holiday time, you’ll do well to consider Lazy Acre Log Cabins for your next family fishing holiday. My family had a great time there – yours will too.

For further information go to www.lazyacre.com, or contact Helen on 5155 1323.