Take me to the river

Echuca Moama region

The twin towns of Echuca and Moama, situated on the banks of the mighty Murray River, was the perfect place to enjoy the peace and tranquility of river life whilst learning more about our country's fascinating history. For thousands of years, the major river systems in this region have supported the aboriginal tribal clans of the Yorta Yorta and Dja Dja Wurrung nations who lived along the grassy waterways of this region to hunt, fish and gather food.

The arrival of Europeans to the region heralded significant changes as the major rivers, in concert with the newly constructed railway system, opened up the country north of Melbourne to colonial settlement. River red gum timber, gold, and paddle-steamers have shaped the recent history of this region. The heritage listed Port of Echuca is a great example of the importance of major river systems for the life and economy of these towns. These days, it is a hub for tourism with beautifully preserved paddle-steamers, house boats and other leisure craft designed for us all to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the river. You can easily imagine what the bustling port looked, sounded and felt like all those years ago.

Silo Art

This region is perfect for silo art and we found these beauties in the township of Rochester. Some of our favourite critters including the sugar glider, azure kingfisher and platypus, created by a very clever artist.

River camping

Our campsite in the Murray Valley Regional Park was located right on the banks of this iconic river in the Benarca Forest. We camped under majestic river red gums which lined both banks of the river. As an added bonus, we had perfect weather and no neighbours! The campsite was a fabulous place to relax, unwind and watch the river come to life each day. Misty mornings, river reflections, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, fabulous star-gazing, a visit from the Emmy-Lou paddle steamer a plethora of birdlife were all part of the outdoor experience. And of course, some fine camping fare and good wine!

Floods

The floods in 2022 had a devastating impact on many regions of the Murray and Campaspe river systems. At our campsite, you could clearly see the water marks on the trees where the flood waters rose up. The entire area would have been under water almost 12 months ago. The ground was damp and undergrowth had been swept away. The area was devoid of ants and other ground dwelling insects and other creatures. It may take some time to recover.

Feathered friends

Thankfully, the recent flooding had not appeared to bother the birds too much. There were plenty on display including the azure kingfisher who conveniently hunted in the river each afternoon right in front of our campsite. We also spotted galahs, corellas, wedge-tail eagles, flame robins, flycatchers, pardalotes, cormorants, herons, honeyeaters, tree-creepers and the grey shrike-thrush.