Berri Air - Scenic Flights: In the Riverland region of South Australia

There’s no doubting that the River Murray is a stunning holiday destination but from ground level it's difficult to get a sense of just how vast and important this major waterway is. So Postcards took to the air with local pilot, Tim Laidler.

From the airstrip at Berri we strap ourselves in for a flight to the Border Cliffs - the spot where three States meet. North of the river is New South Wales, south is Victoria and to the west of the junction, South Australia. It was at this point where the reddish cliffs stand out, that the early riverboat captains pulled in to pay their excise at the local customs house.

But from up here the cares of everyday life seem a long way off as Tim Laidler takes in another glorious day flying over the Riverland with Berri Air - the charter company which he and his wife Sue established six years ago

“We're real Riverlanders now. I wasn't born here, Sue was but I've only been here since ‘62 but we've really come to love it,” said Tim. “And it's a great place to fly because you fly almost every day of the year. Because of the terrain there’s no high ground. It's all flat country.”

It may be flat but across the wide expanse there's plenty of variety. We look down on the meandering river that winds back on itself so much so that you'd be forgiven for thinking there were two mighty Murrays feeding a patchwork of vineyards and the endless groves of stone fruit and citrus.

From the air we are reminded how much we demand of the Murray. And how frightening it would be if it ever dried up. Some sections of flood plains already have.

“That applies to most of the flood plains. It’s just about ten years since they've had a decent drink,’ explained Tim. “And you can see some of the big red gums suffering.”

Back in the days before locks and weirs the river would sometimes slow to a trickle and in flood it would burst it's banks. Now it's effectively a succession of massive ponds -each one irrigating citrus blocks, olive and almond groves and vines stretching to the outer reaches of the ancient mallee.

The story of irrigation in this area harks back to the Chaffey Brothers who set up the Renmark Irrigation area.

“They came from Canada at the turn of the century and decided that irrigation might work. Took a huge gamble and started the whole thing and what you see today all is all really due to them.”

Today the Riverland makes a massive contribution to the state economy. Agricultural food industries here are worth a total of one point six billion dollars annually. But all of that demands a lot from our most important waterway and to emphasise how the river has changed, Tim flies over Lake Bonney and Barmera. It’s a holiday destination now for many South Australians but it wasn't always so.

“With the advent of locks and weirs the river has changed dramatically. Up until then Lake Bonney would occasionally dry out. And believe it or not local farmers would plant crops like wheat and barley down there.

There's still farm machinery lying on the bottom. People occasionally get hooked up on it when they're fishing. I believe a combine harvester is one of the things down there.”

Lake Bonney is just one of the many attractions during a Berri Air Charter flight. For details contact Tim and Sue Laidler on 8582 2799.

Berri Air
Scenic Flights
Contact Tim & Sue Laidler on 61 (0)8 8582 2799