Murray River
Australia’s longest river, the Murray rambles along the New South Wales-Victoria border for 2600km before meeting the sea in South Australia’s Encounter Bay. The river became an essential transportation artery in the late 19th century, its waters plied by giant freight-toting paddle steamers. But extensive rail and road networks rendered these boats obsolete by the end of the 1930s and they have since been reincarnated as tourist attractions. Today the river feeds a productive agriculture of vegetables through a complex irrigation system. It’s also a favorite spot for picnicking, water sports, and fishing, drawing travelers for a day or a week of relaxation along the grand old Murray’s banks.
Related Travel Information
SOUTHEAST OF THE MURRAY RIVER
The majestic Murray River winds west from the Great Dividing Range. Fed by a watershed that spans most of New South Wales and portions of Victoria, the largest waterway in Australia slices through the southeast corner of South Australia and empties into the Southern Ocean. Fruit, especially wine grapes, flourishes along the irrigated river basin, while the Coorong, a 145km stretch of coastal lagoons, supports over 240 species of native birdlife. The towns near the Victoria border can be associated with geographic regions within mat state. The area around Naracoorte is an extension of the agricultural
St Mary's Cathedral
A grand church with grounds located at the end of Murray Street.
Northwest And Back O' Bourke
The empty stretches of northwest and far west New South Wales couldn't be more antithetical to the state's urbane capital. Although it encompasses the watershed of the Murray and Darling Rivers, the continent's largest river system, the region's arid climate has discouraged widespread settlement. So remote is the image Bourke (pro¬nounced "Burke") evokes in the minds of Sydney-siders, that dubbing the state's out-hack as "back o' Bourke" is tantamount to declaring it the end of the earth. Cotton agriculture supports a modest economy, bolstered by the lead and silver mines at Bro¬ken Hill. Sprinkled across this
High Country
Victoria's High Country, tucked between the Murray River and Gippsland's thick coastal forest, strikes an unexpected counterpoint to the standard Australian sights like Surfer's Paradise or the Red Centre. Here, ancient forests display dazzling fall colors and rambling valleys nurture spring flowers that shame Crayola. In winter, Mt Hotham and Falls Creek offer the continent's best skiing, centered around the charming sub-Alpine village of Bright. And while people flock to the coast in summer, there's a ton to do here too, where Mt. Buffalo's gorgeous soaring peaks and warm thermal winds support some of the world's best paragliding in
Riverina
Dry, brown, and flat, much of the Riverina's terrain doesn't look like a land suited for farming, yet heavy irrigation has turned the soil into fertile plains. Although not a prime sight-seeing destination, the Riverina attracts budget travelers seeking seasonal farm or fruit-picking labor in order to save up for more exciting destinations. Two riv¬ers fertilize the system; the Murrumbidgee starts as a trickle in the Snowy Mountains and then widens into a major waterway that eventually joins the Murray.
