A river runs through it in South Australia

For river themed holiday ideas consider Australia's 'mighty' Murray River, 640kms of which travels through South Australia before dramatically exiting into the Southern Ocean.

Cruising on paddle wheelers and houseboats, canoeing and camel trekking, bird watching and wildlife spotting, visiting the world renowned Banrock Station Wine & Wetland Centre or staying in a historic homestead are just some of the possible options pegged to a trip to the Murraylands and Riverland regions of South Australia.

Situated just one hour’s drive from Adelaide, South Australia’s Murraylands and Riverland regions are both home to honey-coloured sandstone cliffs, ancient red gums, pristine wetlands and vast tracts of rugged mallee countryside. The Murray River, which cuts across both regions, stretches 3,700kms from the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales to the Southern Ocean in South Australia and is the fourth largest river system in the world. The South Australia section travels from Renmark to Goolwa before dramatically meeting the Southern Ocean.

HISTORY

The Murraylands and Riverland regions have been home to Aboriginals for thousands of years, and today, where they have hunted and traded along the Murray and the Coorong, the Ngarrindjeri and Nganguraku tribes still have their traditional homelands. Visitors may see traditional rock art and scarred trees, from which they carved their canoes, along the length of the river.

Australia's first paddle steamer, “The Mary Ann”, was built at Mannum on the Murray and launched in 1853. Renamed the “PS Marion”, the steamer is now more than a century old and is open to the public alongside the Mannum Dock Museum and Randell Dry Dock - one of the oldest dry docks in the southern hemisphere.

The Murray River has always played a major role in the development of modern Australia. When river trade was at its peak in the 1880’s, the Murray saw several hundred paddle steamers plying their trade, resulting in the development of numerous ports along the river, followed by Australia’s first irrigation based colony at Renmark, which helped to create the still prosperous fruit and wine industries.

SIGHTSEEING ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS

PADDLE WHEELER CRUISING
The “Murray River Queen” is a Waikerie-based paddle wheeler two hours’ drive from Adelaide. This striking vessel offers four-night breaks, five-hour lunch cruises and twilight dinner trips. Accommodation options include top deck staterooms complete with spas, executive rooms, doubles, singles and budget bunk cabins. Murrayriverqueen.com.au

One of Australia’s best-known cruise operators, Captain Cook Cruises, offers three to seven-night journeys on the “PS Murray Princess”, the country’s largest inland paddle-wheeler. These historic and nature-based cruises take in the surrounding mallee scrub, ancient red gum forests, towering gorges and ochre-coloured limestone cliffs, and include visits to historic ports and lush vineyards, guided nature walks and small boat safaris. Touring options include a three-night Wetlands Discovery Cruise and a seven-night Murraylands and Wildlife Experience. Captaincook.com.au

THE GREAT MURRAY RIVER RUN
The “Spirit of the Murray” is a 20-metre, purpose-built, environmentally friendly catamaran, designed to carry up to 43 passengers from Goolwa in South Australia to the Victorian border. Its extremely popular five-day/4-night Great Murray River Run cruise covers 640kms upstream and 426kms downstream from Renmark to Mildura. Accommodation is in riverside hotels and historic stations and excursions include tours of Banrock and Chowilla Stations. Murrayriverrun.com.au

RIVER BOAT WILDLIFE CRUISES
River of Australia Cruises offers two and five-night eco-trips on board “MV Expedition”, previously known as the “MV Proud Mary”. This famous and well-loved river boat has, along with a name change, undergone refurbishment and now features a well-appointed bar, lounge and dining areas. Catering for no more than 40 passengers, cruise options include weekend discovery breaks in order to see some of the 320 species of birdlife in the area, to longer expeditions giving participants time to view wildlife at close proximity, visit sites of significance to Aboriginal tribes, learn about the river’s fascinating history and take guided walks into the surrounding bush. Riverofaustralia.com or Proudmary.com.au.

BACKWATER DINGHY TOURS
The maze of small backwaters making up the river system near Renmark can easily be explored in Renmark River Cruises' custom designed aluminium dinghies from which the native flora, fauna and birdlife can best be appreciated. Options include two hours trips through to extended, tailor-made expeditions on any of the Ral Ral, Pike or Chowilla creek systems, all of which are part of the RAMSAR listed wetlands. Each trip is accompanied by an experienced, trained guide. Renmarkrivercruises.com.au.

Alternatively, Ecotrek takes guests for leisurely paddling trips through the billabongs and branches of the Murray backwaters exploring Chowilla, Chambers Creek and Pike River areas, all of which are famous for their bird life. Ecotrek.com.au.

CANOEING THROUGH THE RIVERLAND
Being sheltered, the Riverland region offers some of best year round canoeing in South Australia. Detailed waterproof maps may be purchased from Canoesa.asn.au.

Accompanied by a qualified and accredited guide who will provide basic skills instruction at the start of each trip Riverland Leisure Canoe Tours takes in beautiful Riverland lagoons and narrow river channels. Riverlandcanoes.com.au.

HOUSEBOATING (a driver’s license or motorboat license is all that is required to captain a houseboat)
Couples and groups of up to 12 passengers may take a self-drive houseboat trip along the Murray with specialist Unforgettable Houseboats who offer ten of the most luxurious houseboats on the river.

Established over 12 years ago, this award-winning, Mannum-based company offers houseboats with king and queen-size beds, spas, jacuzzis, gourmet kitchens, spacious entertaining areas and ducted air-conditioning as standard features. It is also possible to hire a private onboard chef to cook meals, for shopping to be delivered to the boat prior to departure and off-boat touring to vineyards, golf courses and local attractions. Houseboats.com.au.

Riverfun Houseboats offers a range of vessels for hire accommodating two -12 passengers. All houseboats are fully equipped for self-catering cruising between Paringa and Renmark. A shopping service, kayak and dinghy hire are available. Riverfun.com.au.

Deception Houseboats have been designed with state of the art facilities and contemporary décor. Moored at Mannum, only 84 kms or just over one hour’s drive from Adelaide, on arrival guests can sit back, relax and enjoy incredible views through the panoramic windows along the Murray river scape. Deceptionhouseboats.com.au.

Award-winning Quality Houseboats, based at Blanchetown, the gateway to the Riverland, offer a selection of two to 12-berth houseboats, three of which offer ensuite facilities for each bedroom. Qualityhouseboats.com.au.

Renmark’s Liba Liba Houseboats, driven by safe, economical and environmentally friendly paddlewheels, were the first Australian houseboats to achieve Eco Certified Nature Tourism accreditation. The fleet of 14 four to 12-berths boats have easy access up river to cliffs and bush land, plus a good chance of seeing kangaroos or emus drinking at the water’s edge. Within two downstream kilometres there is the largest Koala Sanctuary in South Australia. Libaliba.com.au.

Travellers who prefer the pleasure of being waited on can take a trip with Mannum-based Odyssey Charter Cruises. Their luxury vessels have four state rooms with ensuite facilities offering accommodation for up to eight guests and a crew of three - captain, housekeeper and chef. Optional tours include excursions to the Punyelroo Cave with its fascinating fossilised marine life; Big Bend on Sunnydale Station where large mobs of up to 100 kangaroos and wombats can be seen feeding on native grasses and irrigated pastures after dark; and the Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Site, ancestral home to the Nganguraku People. Odysseyrivercruises.com.au.

WILDLIFE & NATURAL HISTORY
There are over 40 national parks along the Murray offering numerous opportunities to view the region’s abundant wildlife ranging from doves, cockatoos, kingfishers, honey-eaters and parrots in the riverine woodland, to kangaroos, hairy-nosed wombats, fat-tailed dunnarts, woylies and bilbies.

Additionally, Monarto Zoo, the open range wilderness sanctuary at Murray Bridge, has giraffe, zebra, antelope, cheetah and bison roaming free, and Chowilla Game Reserve, near Renmark, offers 900,000 hectares of unspoilt river wetlands and terraces.

THE COORONG
The Coorong is a shallow saline lagoon stretching 100kms. and separated from the Southern Ocean by the sand dunes of the Younghusband Peninsula. This internationally renowned wetland is home to some of Australia’s most fragile ecosystems as well as more than 230 bird species. Parks.sa.gov.au/coorong.

GLUEPOT RESERVE
Semi arid Gluepot Reserve, located near Waikerie, is considered by many to be one of Australia’s most impressive reserves. The 50,000-hectare area of virgin mallee scrub contains no less than six nationally endangered bird species and unique flora and fauna adapted to the harsh conditions. Each year the Gluepot Reserve Environmental Education Centre presents a number of courses in its converted shearing shed. The two and three-day courses include ‘An Introduction to Nature Photography, ‘An Introduction to Bird Watching’ and ‘The Bats of Gluepot Reserve. Riverland.net.au/gluepot.

CAMEL & BOAT SAFARIS
Renowned guide Rex Ellis leads Safarico’s Camel & Boat Safaris across interesting semi-desert bushland from the Murray near Morgan, before transferring to the “MV Water Rat” to explore the backwaters. There is plenty of opportunity on these three-day camel treks to see a variety of wildlife including three species of kangaroo and rare mallee fowl, while the contrasting boat cruise takes in river scenery, Aboriginal and European history, as well as fishing and swimming. Safarico.com.au.

BANROCK STATION WINE & WETLAND CENTRE - Australia’s largest wine ecotourism complex
Since 1998 Banrock Station, in partnership with Landcare Australia, has been giving proceeds from its wine sales to fund and support projects that save wildlife habitats worldwide. Past projects have helped to save Australia’s regent parrot, freckled duck and green and golden bell frogs. Banrock Station Wine & Wetland Centre, located at Kingston on Murray, offers visitors self-guided walking trails complete with story centres and bird hides to observe native black swans, pelicans, swamp hens, ibis, spoonbills, herons and egrets. In addition there is wine tasting, excellent meals and guided walks. Banrockstation.com.au.

BIG BEND BY NIGHTS
Offers nocturnal tours with the opportunity of seeing the elusive wombat in its natural habitat along with large mobs of grey and red kangaroos as they feed on the irrigated and natural pastures on the old Sunnydale Station at Swan Reach. The eyes of other nocturnal creatures staring back as powerful spotlight scans the darkness include foxes, rabbits and hares. Tours can be undertaken on an
open top wagon behind a four wheel motor bike or in a specially modified spotlighting vehicle. Murrayriver.com.au/attractions/bigbend/default.htm.

OTHER ACTIVITIES & ATTRACTIONS

AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST ROSE GARDEN
Renmark’s Ruston’s Rose Garden is the largest rose garden in Australia and features the most diverse and important collections in the world, combining modern and heritage roses of all kinds and colours. October to June is the best time to visit.

NGAUT NGAUT ABORIGINAL CONSERVATION AREA
The Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal conversation area features Australia’s first Aboriginal Archaeological digs. It contains galleries of cave art, smoke stains from ancient fires and an excavated campsite of a civilisation over 8,000 years old.

MANNUM DOCK MUSEUM
Australia's paddle-boat history is on display at the Mannum Dock Museum, home to the lovingly-restored “PS Marion” which first entered the water in 1897. The museum is located on the banks of the Murray River in Mannum, still a bustling riverside town and the birthplace of Australian paddle-steamers.

FISHING
Callop, redfin, catfish and bony brim are all found in the Murray, as is the giant Murray cod, the ultimate river fishing catch seeing as it can grow to a weight of over 100kgs and up to 1.8 metres in length.

GOLFING
The Riverland region has five 18-hole championship courses and all are open daily at Loxton, Waikerie, Renmark, Barmera and Berri. Riverlandgolf.com.au.

FRUIT & VEGETABLE PICKERS REQUIRED
The Riverland produces 95% of South Australia’s citrus and stone fruits as well as 50% of its wine grapes. This abundance of fruit, not to mention the bountiful crops of almonds, olives and vegetables, ensures the need for year round pickers. Jobsearch.gov.au/harvesttrail, Murraylands.org.au, Riverlandonline.com.

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

PORTEE STATION – One of South Australia’s most elegant Edwardian homesteads
Set in English gardens overlooking its own lagoon, this 23,000 acre fine wool sheep station enjoys no less than 4kms of private river frontage. Portee.com.au.

THE RENMARK HOTEL – Sip & Stay packages
The hotel’s two-night “Sip & Stay” package includes a deluxe riverview balcony suite, cooked breakfasts, a full-day wine tour with two-course lunch with wine. Renmarkhotel.com.au.

THE OVERLAND CORNER HOTEL – A haunting experience
Owned by the SA History Trust, this hotel and its pub are said to be haunted by two ghosts. Over and above basic accommodation, the hotel’s walking trail of the area reveals fossils in the quarry and indigenous history.

PARINGA HOUSE – Antiques and oriental cuisine
Antique lovers will feel at home at this historic homestead. This bed and breakfast property boasts open fireplaces, stylish antiques, a bar and beautifully decorated dining area along with five individual cottages. The owner’s expertise in Thai and Japanese cooking is a further attraction. Paringahouse.com.au.

PINE VALLEY STATION - A sheep station experience
Located three hours’ drive from Adelaide, this sheep station offers both motel-style accommodation as well as a two-day water run which involves checking livestock and water points across 1,000-square kilometres of property.

BREEZE HOUSEBOATS –Floating accommodation
The luxury ten-berth “ Riverbreeze” with its full-length panoramic windows, large open-plan lounge and dining area, queen-size beds , air-conditioning and six to eight-person jacuzzi, is ideal for a group or family wishing to indulge in a leisurely Murray River break. On board catering and shopping service can be arranged, as well as ski boat and jetski hire. Breeze.com.au.

RIVER DREAM BOATEL – Australia’s first five-star rated houseboat
This luxury houseboat has five bedrooms, panoramic windows, a fully-equipped kitchen with barbecue facilities, a sky lounge with sofas, luxury dining facilities, two storey wrap-around widescreen providing panoramic views of the changing scenery, command centre controlling all the boat functions and a hi-performance six channel surround sound with big screen cinema for DVD and video. Moored overnight stays and houseboat cruising are both available options. Dreamboatel.com.au.

Varied wildlife and rare bird colonies, relaxing tours along the river, old-fashioned hospitality, spectacular scenery, historic towns, some of Australia’s best food and wine and a fascinating history are all part of the Murraylands and Riverland experience.

For further information, visit Southaustralia.com; Murraylands.info and Riverland.info.