the Bonang Highway. Transport Orbost straddles the Princes Highway. A 567 metre bridge over the Orbost floodplain opened in November 1976. The town was connected to Melbourne when the Gippsland railway line opened to Orbost station in 1916 principally carrying timber and farming produce. In the early days of the railway's operation dedicated passenger trains ran but these ceased by the 1930s. The line closed in 1987 when the line was cut back to Bairnsdale. The track infrastructure was dismantled in 1993/94. The line traversed a mixture of farmland, hills and heavily forested country. It included numerous bridges, including the Stoney Creek Trestle Bridge, the largest of its kind in Victoria. Public transport services are provided to the town by V/Line with road coach services from Batemans Bay, Marlo and Canberra to Bairnsdale that connect with train services to Melbourne. Orbost has a regional airport, Orbost Airport YORB (RBS). Climate Orbost has an oceanic climate with warm summers and mild winters. June is the wettest month and January is the driest. The town features 73 clear days annually, much more than Melbourne's 48 days. Current profile The national parks are showcased in events such as The Wilderness Bike Ride, a community event managed out of Orbost, which won the Best Event 2004 Regional Tourism Award for East Gippsland. Education The Orbost region has four State primary schools, one Catholic primary school, and Orbost Secondary College (Government). Notable people Percival Bazeley, scientist Jennings Carmichael (aka Grace Jennings Carmichael), poet Richard Dalla-Riva, politician Harry Firth, Australian motorsport legend. Winner of first Bathurst race in 1963. Jennifer Hansen, TV presenter Sarah Hanson-Young, politician Nick Heyne, former Australian rules footballer with the St Kilda Football Club Craig Ingram, politician Charlie Lynn, politician Tim Matthews, Paralympic athlete Laura Jean McKay, author Molly Meldrum, music critic, journalist, TV presenter Peter Nixon, politician Lindsay Tanner, politician Brett Voss, Former Australian Rules Footballer St Kilda Football Club Michael Voss, former Australian rules footballer and former coach of the Brisbane Lions in the AFL References External links Orbost District Website Towns in Victoria (Australia) Shire of East Gippsland