Mike’s Mumbles September 2025
Mike’s Mumbles September 2025
Spring is here and we look forward to another magnificent recreation and boating season at magical Lake Eildon; the “Happy Place” for so many people.
Mike’s Mumbles September 2025
Spring is here and we look forward to another magnificent recreation and boating season at magical Lake Eildon; the “Happy Place” for so many people.
Last season we welcomed the opening of the revamped Gough’s Bay Boat Club and more recently the revamped Lake Eildon Hotel at Eild Marina. These great venues on the edge of the Lake along with Café 501 at Jerusalem Creek; The Bonnie Doon Hotel; The Jamieson Brewery and the Eildon Boat Club for its members and guests all provide a great range of eating and entertainment venues spread over the extremities of our beautiful Lake.
It has been great to see the upgrades to our fleet of hire houseboats at 5 Rivers; Waters Edge and Lake Eildon Houseboats over the Winter period and ready to welcome guests this season. The Hire Houseboats Businesses are most important to the Houseboat Industry as they provide a great way to introduce families to houseboating and the magic of Lake Eildon; try before you buy.
LINKS:
At HCHS we have had our Winter’s break (an escape to Hamilton Island, which is nearly as beautiful as Lake Eildon, in the summertime). Our batteries have been recharged as we prepare to introduce families to houseboating this season.
This season is a bit of a personal milestone for me as July 2025 marked 50 years since I arrived in Eildon to manage the Golden Trout Hotel-Motel in 1975. I still vividly remember the first time driving into Eildon and being captivated by the magnificent beauty of the Eildon Pondage Lakes.
50 years on, not only the beauty of the Pondage Lakes but also the magnificent and magical beauty of Lake Eildon has captivated me. I never tire of the run, on the water, from Eildon to Jerusalem Creek, especially capturing the sun dancing on the water, in the late afternoon, like a stairway to heaven. Then the fun of searching for houseboats in the far-flung inlets on the Lake at their owners’ favourite spots. It is indeed a special place and yes, my happy place. I am so fortunate to call my home.
This season also marks 15 years since I commenced as a Houseboat Broker. It has been a wonderful journey as I have witnessed the Houseboat Industry evolve from a caravan style experience to the beautiful holiday homes on the water of today with the latest technology ensuring the whole family enjoys this fabulous experience. As an Industry we should be very proud, as we build World Class Houseboats that are amongst the most Environmentally Friendly Houseboats in the World, whilst providing many rewarding jobs in this Rural Area.
It has been a great pleasure and honour to assist so many families find their dream holiday home on the water. Importantly, receiving people’s trust to guide them on the journey and hold significant amounts of their money, in my accounts, with them being aware that houseboat brokers are not regulated and not licensed like Real Estate Agents.
My 50 years of being a Small Businessperson in this district and very involved in this community, plus 15 years as a Houseboat Broker, has assisted in receiving people’s trust. To me ethics is the foundation of this trust.
Further ingrained in the Values of HCHS is supporting this wonderful community, being a good corporate citizen, through sponsorship and advertising. Currently HCHS support includes Eildon Primary School; Eildon Bowling Club; Thornton-Eildon Women’s Football Team; Alexandra Football Netball Club; Lake Eildon Fishing Challenge; Eildon Events Twilight Market Boat Show & Shine; Eildon Charity Golf Day; and more. Then there is Saturday mornings on UGFM 106.9FM.
At HCHS we always strive to improve our service and the marketing package we provide for our clients. Next time you go to the Eildon Shopping Centre check out the HCHS new window display, all ready for the upcoming school holidays and the season.
Further, this year HCHS will be booking a stand at the Eildon Events Eildon Twilight Markets to display houseboats listed with HCHS but more importantly to engage with possible purchasers that maybe visiting for the weekend or thinking of upgrading from a Caravan Park, Camping or Holiday Home. Call in and say Hi.
This all builds on the new HCHS web site we commissioned late last year, the HCHS Facebook page and sharing on social media with permission to share onto the go to page for anything Lake Eildon, Lakeeildon.com. Then there are the listings on the National Web Sites of Trading Post, Boats on Line and Yacht Hub.
A very thorough and comprehensive marketing package.
Where is the market at currently?
After some magnificent trading years during and post Covid-19 the market has settled and with my experience I believe it has gone back to what it was like in the years before Covid-19.
Earlier this year, the Federal Election and the Cost-of-Living Pressures created uncertainty, and this certainly had an impact on the market. However, now with a couple on interest rate decreases and hopefully another before Christmas, the market has settled with interest in houseboating returning.
This should lead to good interest during Spring with the lead up to Christmas. However, traditionally the busiest time for sales has been late Summer and Autumn before Easter. Who knows what will eventuate this year.
Last season there were pro-longed outbreaks of Blue Green Algae which did not help. These outbreaks have increased significantly since when I arrived 50 years ago. The major change causing this, I believe, is the increase of Carp numbers, over this journey. Eradicating Carp is extremely important to the water quality in Lake Eildon and for our recreational enjoyment of the Lake. I personally strongly support the work of the Victorian Fisheries Authority in seeking to eradicate the Carp. Always happy to chat about my reasoning behind this. Bottom line is to have good water quality so we and future generations can enjoy the magic of Lake Eildon.
On a very positive note, for the Lake Eildon Region a lot of work has been going on behind the scenes with “Activating Lake Eildon – The Lake Eildon Master Plan”. This provides an incredible transformational opportunity for this region. Hopefully, there will be some major announcements on this, in the near future.
Enough “Mumbles” for the moment.
At HCHS we strive to provide the best possible Brokerage Service based on a culture of Ethics, Professionalism and Knowledge of Lake Eildon and Houseboating.
Here to assist you if I can.
Love Lake Eildon, my happy place for 50 years.
Regards
Mike
Disclaimer: The above information is provided as a guide only to the best of current knowledge by HCHS; the Purchaser should not rely on this information and should make their own independent enquiries before making any decisions to purchase a houseboat.