Bairnsdale is a city in East Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. The estimated population of Bairnsdale urban area was 14,887 at June 2016. The city is a major regional centre of eastern Victoria along with Traralgon and Sale and the commercial centre for the East Gippsland region and the seat of local government for the Shire of East Gippsland. Bairnsdale was first proclaimed a shire on 16 July 1868 and it was proclaimed as a city on 14 July 1990.