| Lake Guthridge | |
|---|---|
 The shores of Lake Guthridge from Foster Street | |
| Location | Sale, Victoria |
| Coordinates | 38°6′45″S147°4′30″E / 38.11250°S 147.07500°E |
| Type | reservoir |
| Basin countries | Australia |
| Max. length | 850 m (2,790 ft) |
| Max. width | 400 m (1,300 ft) |
| Surface area | 0.25 km2 (0.097 sq mi) |
| Max. depth | 2 m (6 ft 7 in) |
| Water volume | 325 megalitres (263 acre⋅ft) |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Lake Guthridge | |
Lake Guthridge is a small artificial lake in Sale, Victoria, Australia. [1] It is named after the first mayor of Sale, Nehemiah Guthridge. The lake is supplied by stormwater from a catchment area of around 70% of the town. Water from the lake is used for irrigation of open spaces in the town of Sale. Lake Guyatt acts as an overflow waterway. [2] [3]
In 1850, the area of the lake on the south side of Sale was a low-lying wetland, and had been used for drainage and sewerage discharges. [4] [5] In 1874, the Minister of Lands offered support for the idea of converting the lagoon between York Street and the Botanic Garden into an ornamental lake. [6] The wetland area was developed into a lake in 1884. [7]
There is a 2.37 km-long (1.47 mi) accessible walking track around the perimeter of the lake. The area is known as a bird-watching site, where diverse native and migratory species can be seen. [8] Royal spoonbills were recorded breeding around the lake in 2016 and 2019, joined by yellow-billed spoonbills and Australian white ibis in 2020. [9] The Sale Botanic Gardens are located on a 5 ha (12 acres) site on the eastern shore of the lake. [10]
As part of an initiative to provide recreational fishing opportunities for families in Gippsland, the lake has been regularly stocked with rainbow trout of a size that is "ready to catch", in readiness for the school holidays in June and September. [11] [12] The lake has also been stocked with Australian bass fingerlings. In 2025, the Victorian Fisheries Authority restocked the lake with 800 rainbow trout and 5,000 bass. [13]
Grey-headed flying foxes roost around the shores of Lake Guthridge and Lake Guyatt. There has been a colony of these flying foxes in Sale since around 2014. The large size of the colony may result from the loss of suitable habitat in Eastern Victoria following bush fires. [14] [15]
The Lake Wellington Yacht Club has operated an accessible sailing programme known as Sailability on Lake Guthridge since 2000. In 2003, the Wellington Shire Council constructed a jetty at the lake to improve access to the sailing dinghies for those with a disability. [16] [17]
There have been instances of blue-green algal blooms on the lake, temporarily making it unsafe for water-based recreation. [18]
