Wonthaggi is a seaside town located 132 kilometres south east of Melbourne via the South Gippsland and Bass highways, in the Bass …Wonthaggi is a seaside town located 132 kilometres south east of Melbourne via the South Gippsland and Bass highways, in the Bass Coast Shire of Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. Known originally for its coal mining, it is now the largest town in South Gippsland, a regional area with extensive tourism, beef and dairy industries.