The Murray River & Around

Why Go?The mighty Murray is Australia’s longest and most impor-tant inland waterway and arrayed along its shores are some of Victoria’s most captivating towns. It’s a stirring place of wineries and orchards, bush camping, balmy weather and river-red-gum forests.

The Murray changes character constantly along its 2400km route. Here, history looms large in towns such as Echuca and Glenrowan, food and wine dominate proceed-ings around Rutherglen and Mildura, and national parks enclose soulful desert expanse in the far west. It’s a world of picturesque river beaches, of paddle steamers that were once the lifeblood of Victoria’s inland settlements, and of unending horizons that serve as a precursor to the true outback not far away. It’s an intriguing, if relatively far-flung mix, one that enables you to follow in the footsteps of some of Australia’s earliest explorers who travelled along the river.

Best Places to Eat¨¨ Stefano’s Restaurant (p287)

¨¨ Oscar W’s Wharfside (p297)

¨¨ Spoons Riverside Café (p291)

¨¨ Pickled Sisters Café (p301)

¨¨ Parkers Pies (p300)

Best Places to Stay¨¨ Houseboat in Mildura

(p286) or Echuca (p296)

¨¨ Quality Hotel Mildura Grand (p286)

¨¨ Adelphi Boutique Apartments (p297)

¨¨ Linesman’s Cottage (p301)

¨¨ Tuileries (p300)

When to Go

All year The Murray region enjoys year-round sunshine, espe-cially in Mildura.

Feb–Mar A good time for camp-ing on the river after the holiday crowds have left.

Sep–Nov Spring-time sees some of the best local festivals, without the heat.

F DNOSAJJMAMJ

Mildura°C/°F Temp Rainfall inches/mm

0

12/300

4/100

8/200

10/50

0/32

-10/14

30/86

40/104

20/68

Mildura . . . . . . . . . . . 284The Mallee . . . . . . . . 288Swan Hill . . . . . . . . . . 289Echuca . . . . . . . . . . . . 292Yarrawonga . . . . . . . . 298Rutherglen . . . . . . . . 299Benalla . . . . . . . . . . . . 302Woodonga . . . . . . . . . 304

©Lonely¨Planet¨Publications¨Pty¨Ltd

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Renmark(27km)

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Lake Charm

Manangatang

Hopetoun

Rainbow

Sea Lake

Walpeup

Dareton

Meringur

Werrimull

Patchewollock

LingaUnderbool

MurrayvillePinnarroo

Kulwin

Nandaly

Ultima

Quambatook

NhillWarracknabeal

Yaapeet

Jeparit

Murtoa

Toolondo

Goroke

Dimboola

Horsham

Maryborough

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StawellAvoca

DonaldLitchfield

St Arnaud

Charlton

Mittyack

IrympleCullulleraine

Nangiloc

Boinka

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Lascelles

Wood Tooleybuc

Cal Lal

BoundaryBend

Boort

Birchip

Dumosa

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Balranald

ShearersQuarters

Hattah-

Big Desert

Murray-SunsetNational Park

WildernessPark

KulkyneNational Park

Little DesertNational Park

National ParkGrampians

Little DesertNational Park

PinkLakes

LakeHindmarsh

LakeVictoria

LakeBoga

Sunset Country

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C238

B240

B220

B221

B180

C241

C221C238

C227

C234

C231

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C213

C208

C208

C240

C246

C267

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C243

C242

C229

C223

C227

B12

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C261

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C247

B400

A20

A8

A8

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Birchip–SeaLake Rd

Maringur Rd

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Calder

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Sunraysia Hw

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Mildura

WyperfeldNational

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HattahLakes

SwanHill

1 Relax on a houseboat and dine out on ‘Feast Street’ in sunny Mildura (p284)

2 Ride an original paddle steamer from the historic Port of Echuca (p292)

3 Time your visit to Rutherglen (p299) for one of the great winery festivals

4 Spot the many species of waterbirds at beautiful Hattah Lakes (p289)

5 Set up a bush camp and a fishing rod on the banks of the Murray at Gunbower National Park (p292)

The Murray River & Around Highlights