Murray Valley Highway: Keith completes his journey down the Murray River in the Murraylands region of South Australia
The Murray River's long and winding journey takes in some of the country's most spectacular scenery from the precipitous valleys and gorges of the high country of the Australian Alps all the way to the great watery expanse of Lake Alexandrina, Lake Albert and the Coorong.
And finally - at the end of its momentous journey it peters out at the Murray Mouth in South Australia.
For the Postcards team, the journey down the Murray - from the source to the sea - has been a pilgrimage of sorts with a few comfort stops along the way - courtesy of the Best Western Motel Chain. It's has developed it's own Murray Valley trail which begins at the top end with the Best Western Meramie Motor Inn in Albury.
It's the first major regional centre on the Murray and it's from here you can hop on a Bright Helicopters flight to the spectacular high country where the river starts as a trickle.... makes it's way down some hair raising gorges and finally pools at the impressive Hume Dam.
From Albury, take the Murray Valley Highway or the B 400 through wine growing areas like picturesque Rutherglen and onto Corowa - the birthplace of Federation. The Murray as a highway for trade played a key role in galvanising the States in their push for nationhood.
Further down the river you come to one of the great transport hubs of the river, historic Echuca. Echuca, Swan Hill and Mildura - they all straddle the Murray and they all owe their prosperity to a waterway on which goods could be shipped in and out.
At the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement you can travel back in time to the days when the river was the lifeblood of trade bringing new settlers who would eventually turn pastoral country into citrus groves.
No where is that more obvious than our next stop on our Murray Valley trail, Mildura. Here, the land was transformed from desert to what we now call the Sunraysia District, thanks to the vision of the Chaffey Brothers.
Trade of some sort has been a feature of the river for millennia but irrigation turned this country into the 'fruit bowl' of Australia. Inside the old redbrick building stands the Psyche Pump. This is the pride and joy of volunteer Peter Wharton. At its peak the old Psyche Pump - which operated until the late 1950s - could suck up to one hundred and ten thousand gallon of water a minute from the Murray.
"It transformed the mallee," said Peter. "When the Chaffey's came here there was a sheep station covered with rabbits. They had rabbits and a few vines growing. That's when Chaffey saw it and said I like this place. This is where I'll build an irrigation colony."
It's the same sort of technology that transformed the mallee in South Australia. Renmark, Berri, Loxton, Barmera and Waikerie all owe a debt of gratitude to the Chaffeys' know-how developed through trial and error at Psyche Bend. William Chaffey was prepared to back his judgement by investing in his own vineyards here at nearby Chateau Mildura - a pivotal place in the story of Australian wine.
When we popped into the tasting room, owner Lance Milne and his colleagues were sampling another batch of Psyche Bend Cabernet Sauvignon.
Today the winery - like many in the sun drenched Sunraysia and Riverland districts - is producing more and more quality table wines. If you visit Chateau Mildura's historic cellar door area then make sure you also take time out to inspect the winery's century old distillery.
The Best Western Chaffey Motor Inn Restaurant stocks many of the districts local wines and the resort makes a great base from which to sample this part of the Murray Valley Trail.
Mildura Discovery Tours takes in all the major attractions of this desert oasis. To book contact (03) 5024 7448.
The Best Western Chaffey Motor Inn is a great base from which to explore the area... and is just one of the chain's accommodation options on the Murray Valley Highway. To plan your trip down river from its source to the sea,
Mildura Discovery Tours
Contact Alison Stone
Ph: 03 5024 7448Best Western Chaffey
244 Deakin Ave
Mildura
Ph. 03 5023 5833Published 23rd Sept 2007
