Plan Book Travel Australia

Stretching 2,700 kilometres from the mountains of the Great Dividing Range in north-eastern Victoria to journey’s end near Adelaide in South Australia, the Murray River is one of the world’s longest navigable rivers and a major source of water supply for the area.

The Murray is steeped in Aboriginal culture and history. Long before European settlement, the riverland was home to Aboriginal tribes who lived off the abundant natural resources the Murray provided, and you can still see scarred ‘canoe trees’, middens and campsite remains. For another taste of the past, pioneer settlements, maritime museums and historic trails are just some of the ways you can learn about the area’s colonial heritage.

Large-scale irrigation has transformed the Murray into a lush paradise, producing citrus, stone fruits, nuts, grapes and vegetables. No less alluring are the cellar doors that invite you to sample locally produced wines, or the choice of restaurants serving up mouth-watering local cheeses, yabbies, smoked trout, mustards and preserves.

With every bend in the river, you’ll find a diversity of wilderness – from wide sandy beaches to native bushland – and abundant wildlife, including wombats, kangaroos and the rare mallee fowl.

Also on offer are activities like water skiing, canoeing, fishing, horseriding and playing golf on some of Australia’s finest courses, as well as plentiful accommodation ranging from caravan parks and houseboats to luxury resorts.