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Murray River Holiday Towns & Destinations
South Australia
MURRAY
BRIDGE
Population:
13,000
Since the 1830s,
Murray Bridge has
been the major thoroughfare
for travellers and
trade between Melbourne
and Adelaide. Explorer
Charles Sturt in 1830
rightly grasped the
area's ideal position
and encouraged early
settlement for farming.
The bridge itself
wasn't built until
1879 and before that,
passengers or livestock
had to make use of
ferries - or swim
across! The town was
known for many years
as Edwards Crossing
and really grew with
the arrival of the
railway from Adelaide.
PINNAROO
Population:
1.350
This is the
gateway to South Australia
from Victoria and
NSW providing visitors
and the rural community
with rest havens,
recreation and supplies.
Native birds, emus
and kangaroos are
housed in a modern
enclosure next to
the caravan park.
Barbeque and Picnic
amenities are available
at the Soldiers' Memorial
Park. A number of
conservation parks
are easily reached
from the town.
SWAN
REACH
Population:
226
A favourite stopping
point en route to
Adelaide, this scenic
spot has a ferry which
transports visitors
right into the heart
of the Murraylands.
Swan Reach offers
excellent water sports
and holiday facilities.
Geraldton wax trees,
garlic and avocado
farms are also open
for inspection. Nearby,
Punyelroo is well-known
to waterskiers and
holidaymakers.
TAILEM
BEND
Population:
1 600
One of the most
famous railway towns
takes its name from
an Aboriginal word
describing the spot
where the broad river
waters take a sharp
turn towards Lake
Alexandrina. Watersports
and fishing have long
been popular with
locals and visitors.
Many make use of the
barbecue grounds and
adventure park in
the Rotary Park where
an old railway engine
sits.
WELLINGTON
Much
visited by motorists
and boaties alike,
Wellington since 1848
has been a popular
watering hole. The
town is located at
the junction of the
River Murray and Lake
Alexandrina.
BEACHPORT
Population:
413
This was a whaling
station in the early
days, but now its
main catch is lobster.
The small town's
main assets for
the visitor are
solitude, peace
and a rugged and
beautiful coast.
Sand dunes, rocky
headlands, pristine
beaches all make
Beachport a mecca
for nature lovers.
There are walking
trails through the
surrounding bushland
and the coastline
to spots such as
Salmon Hole, Post
Office Rock, Backlers
Lookout and Rivoli
Bay. Bowman scenic
drive is recommended
for superb views
of the coast.
BORDERTOWN
Population:
2,318
Bordertown is the
gateway to the state
for traffic from Melbourne.
It's also a rich agricultural
district, noted for
its production of
cereals, wool, meat,
seeds, vegetables
and wine grapes. It
was settled in the
early 1850s, following
the establishment
of a base camp on
the banks of the Tatiara
Creek by Alexander
Tolmer's Gold Escort
from the Victorian
goldfields to Adelaide
with gold for the
ailing colony's coffers.
KEITH
Population:
1,189
Keith is on
the main Melbourne-
Adelaide road. Much
of the farmland around
it was once a part
of the ninety mile
desert, but thanks
to the discovery that
it lacked trace elements,
it is now highly productive
land. Keith was proclaimed
in 1883, and has
some good examples
of rural town architecture.
A nearby park, the
Mt Monster Conservation
Park, has some spectacular
granite outcrops,
presumed to have
once been islands
when the south east
was covered by water
forty million years
ago. A sign-posted
walk takes visitors
to the Mt Monster
lookout for marvellous
views of the area. KINGSTON
Population:
1,367
Kingston is in lobster
country, as you quickly
realise on entering
the town when you
are met by a giant
welcoming lobster. It was settled in
the early 1850s
and named after
Sir George Strickland
Kingston, an early
deputy surveyor
general and father
of premier Charles
Cameron Kingston. The coast around
Kingston has plenty
of scenic drives,
especially on the
way to Cape Jaffa
and also towards
the Granites, a
series of rock outcrops
north of the town
and also at Jip
Jip Conservation
Park, fifty kilometres
north. There are plenty
of safe swimming
spots around Kingston,
including Wyomi
and Pinks beaches
and Lacepede Bay.
MILLICENT
Population:
5,075
Millicent lies inland
and is a convenient
base from which to
explore the coastal
towns of Beachport,
Robe and Southend.
It began life as a
rural centre, but
earlier this century,
large plantations
of trees were planted
in the district to
take advantage of
the favourable climate
and rainfall for forestry.
Today Millicent is
a busy commercial
centre for the forest
industry. There are
several paper mills
and sawmills in the
area.
MOUNT
GAMBIER
Population:
20,813
Mount Gambler is the
commercial centre
of the South East.
Built on the slopes
of an ancient volcano,
it's alternatively
known as 'Blue Lake
City'. The Blue Lake
is the South East's
largest and most popular
attraction, but there
are a number of other,
if not quite as spectacular
lakes and craters
in the district. The
city has many fine
examples of colonial
architecture built
using the distinctive
local stone. Mount
Gambler's major industries
are timber, dairy
products, especially
cheese, vegetables
and wool.
NARACOORTE
Population:
4,636
Naracoorte is one
of the South East's
largest commercial
centres, servicing
a prosperous pastoral
and agricultural
industry. Its earliest
settlers were Scottish
- names like Macintosh
and Riddoch are
common today. The
town has many beautiful
old buildings that
reflect its prosperous
past. PENOLA
Population:
1,222
A heritage-conscious
town, Penola's many
fine colonial buildings
and streets have been
wonderfully restored,
with a number of slab
and hewn cottages
remaining in good
condition. Sainthood may yet
make Penola an even
more important destination
in the near future.
It was here that
Mother Mary MacKillop
founded the Order
of the Sisters of
Saint Joseph and
a school for the
districts children
irrespective of
income or class
in the 1860s. Her
endeavour have since
been widely recognised
and she may well
be soon canonised. Walkers will appreciate
Penola and environs.
There are good sign
posted walking trails
through the town
and also in the
conservation park.
PORT
MACDONNELL
Population:
651
The southern-most
sea port in the state,
Port MacDonnell is
the base for a large
lobster fishing fleet.
It began life as a
busy outport early
last century. The
arrival of the railway
ended its importance
as a port. The coast
around Port MacDonnell
is spectacular and
rugged, with plenty
of opportunities for
scenic drives and
bushwalking. Take
the scenic drive to
Cape Northumberland
lighthouse for rewarding
views of rocky coastline.
ROBE
Population:
742
The historic port
of Robe is today a
holiday-makers' mecca.
It was discovered
by French explorer
Baudin in 1802. He must have been
impressed at what
he saw - in one
direction, clean
gently sloping beaches
stretching as far
as the eye can see
in the other, rocky
cliffs and impressive
natural landforms.
Long Beach qualifies
as one of the country's
most under-rated
beaches for swimming
and surfing. You
can drive your car
onto the beach and
find your own private
spot along its seventeen
kilometres. The port of Robe
is an old town,
with streets of
heritage cottages
and public buildings,
and loads of character.
In the 1850s, lines
of Chinese immigrants
streamed through,
on their way to
the victorian goldfields
- it was cheaper
to land here and
walk than to disembark
in Victoria and
pay the poll tax
of 10 pounds a head.
For more travel information on Murray River in NSW
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South Australian Region
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