Mildura on the Murray: Keith continues his voyage from the source to the mouth of Australia's greatest river
Mildura sits on the Murray near the South Australian/Victoria border smack bang in the middle of the Sunraysia.
It would have looked dramatically different when Captain Charles Sturt passed through here in the 1830s in search of an inland sea. The river he named the Murray carved a wide path through endless tracts of parched red land populated by the Latje Latje and Paakantyi people.
Head skyward with Rob Vigors of Sunraysia Helicopters, and you see how the surrounding land has been transformed into a major fruit bowl producing a staggering ninety-five percent of Australia's dried fruit.
"The river really is the lifeblood of the whole area," said Rob. "The river pretty well forms the basis for everyone's existence here. Take the river away and we loose a lot of the right to be here. "
Downstream at Wentworth, two bands of blue converge in the palette of red. The Darling River on the right - joins with the Murray to become one. It would have been a powerful site for Captain Stuart.
"The Darling is a huge river system. It starts right up in Northern Queensland and flows all the way down to here so the realisation that this system joins with the Murray would have been an enormous discovery."
Back to Mildura and paddlesteamers like the PS Melbourne are romantic reminders of the bustling days of the 1870s when the Murray/Darling river system was the interstate highway linking four states.
"The paddle steamer Melbourne was built in 1912 by the Victorian Government," said Skipper, Brendan Harvey. "It was originally built as a snagging vessel and deployed up and down the river clearing it of debris making it safe for all other riverboat users."
For more than a century, the 'power of water' has brought massive wealth particularly in big irrigation centres like Mildura. The grand residence, Rio Vista stands testament to that. It was built by Canadian, William Benjamin Chaffey. W.B, as he was known, and his older brother George brought pioneering irrigation techniques to transform the desert.
In 1886, Alfred Deacon, Victoria's commissioner for public works (and later Prime Minister) marvelled at the work the Chaffey's had done in California.
"He'd gone to the United States and met the Chaffey brothers, seen the remarkable work they'd done with pumped irrigation there," explained Julian Bowron, Mildura's Arts Manager. "He engaged them to come to Australia and do a similar thing here."
The Chaffey's took up the challenge but it wasn't all plain sailing. The first plan collapsed - allowing the South Australian Government to lure the brothers over the border and transform Renmark instead.
Eventually, the Mildura plans were resurrected in a concoction of audacious engineering, tenacity, hardship and despair. Channels were dredged by horse and cart, open drains dug and lined by hand. More vines and orchards were planted... all relying on water from the Murray.
The genius of the Chaffey's scheme even saw them use the power of paddlesteamers like the Jane Eliza to run pumps to fill the channels.
Follow the Chaffey Trail upstream to the Psyche Bend Pumping Station and marvel at the huge steam engine and pump that took over from the Jane Eliza.
"This would have been one of the first commercial pumps on the river Murray," explained enthusiast, Peter Wharton. "I think it was the first commercial set up on the River Murray when it was set up."
Modern pumps do the job now but the enthusiastic volunteers fire up 'Chaffey's Improved Pumping Engine' every now and then - just for fun!
But despite the initial success it was all to go terribly wrong. Come the 1890s Australia was crippled by depression. Add a rabbit plague and a devastating drought and the Chaffeys and many others were ruined.
"It was very hard times for everyone involved initially," said Julian. "When the water failed the boats couldn't come. The crop was fantastic but it couldn't be taken to market and that's when it unfortunately faulted and it was difficult times for everyone."
George Chaffey returned to America never to return but Ben stayed on, determined to make a go of it. Rio Vista is still a handsome homestead but maybe for William Ben Chaffey it was a mournful place to begin with because just before its completion, his wife Patty died in childbirth and the little newborn was to follow a few months later.
Despite the hardships, he did bounce back and so did Mildura. It's now a thriving city supporting a district of 55-thousand people. Vines, citrus, wine and good food remain its modern day trademarks - truly one of the Murray River's success stories.
If you want to see it for yourself get in touch with Alison and Phill at Mildura Discovery Tours. They've got regular tours or they'll take you on a private charter.
If you want to see it from the air contact Rob or James at Sunraysia Helicopters. They do charter work, joyrides and even winery visits...
After a big day you can rest your weary head at the appropriately named Best Western Chaffey International Motel. It's on Deacon Avenue. If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
Mildura Discovery Tours
Alison & Phill Stone
Ph: 0419 127 995Sunraysia Helicopters
Mildura
Ph 0409 555 232Best Western Chaffey International Motor Inn
244 Deakin Avenue
Mildura, Vic
Ph (03) 5023 5833
Toll Free: 1800 804 784Published 8th July 2007
