The Riverland

After creating the New South Wales and Victorian border for most of its long journey from the Australian Alps, the Murray River finally enters South Australia at the region aptly referred to as the Riverland. The entire Riverland district once resembled much of the rest of South Australia's Outback; parched, dusty, and futile for agriculture. But through the implementation of Australia's first ever irrigation scheme by the Canadian Chaffey brothers in 1887, the great Murray was tapped and a transformation had begun. Today The Riverland is one of the state's richest pastoral areas, renowned for its vast orchards and vineyards which are supported by a scattering of charming old rural towns. The towns make not only an ideal base for visiting the wineries and other attractions hidden away in the lush farmlands, but provide the facilities for a closer look at the Murray River itself. Houseboats have become the most popular way for exploring this famous waterway, and can be hired from all of towns listed below. If you can't picture yourself as a river captain, there's a range of chartered cruises on offer which run for a couple of hours up to several days. (for Cruises see Tours & Trips and for Houseboats see either Accommodation or Tours & Trips)

On the Sturt Highway 254 kilometres from Adelaide, Remark lies in the heart of the Riverland, and was the first settlement in the area to benefit from the tapping of the Murray River. The town's grand old buildings and homesteads are testament to its quick rise to prosperity, and many now house museums showcasing interesting historical relics like hand operated wine-presses and the Chaffey's first wood burning irrigation pump. On the river moored directly behind the tourist office, the traditional paddlesteamer the PS Industry is also well worthy of a look. Acting as floating museum, the boat's a classic example of the shallow-draught vessels which played such an important role in the development of the Murray. On the outskirts of Renmark, both the Renmano and Angove's wineries offer tastings and cellar door sales.

20 kilometres closer to Adelaide, the town of Berri was once a yesteryear service station, providing fuel for the constant stream of paddlesteamers transporting goods up and down the Murray. Since then the town has developed into the commercial centre of the Riverland, and supports operations like the Berri Estate, the largest wine producing facility in the Southern Hemiphere. Berri also lies on the northern fringes of the Katarapko Creek section of the Murray River National Park, which is great for bush walking, bush camping, canoeing and bird watching.

At the southern end of the Katarapko Creek section of the park, Loxton is a thriving arts and crafts community, well known for it's colourful galleries and gardens. The town's main attraction is the charming Loxton Historical Village, which is an amazing collection of over forty, fully furnished historical buildings including the pine and pug hut built by the area's original settler. On the outskirts of town, the Australian Vintage winery is open for tastings and sales every day except Sunday.

Back on the Sturt Highway 12 kilometres west of Berri, the township of Barmera is beautifully set on the sloping shores of Lake Bonney, an ideal body water for fishing, swimming, and boating. There are even a number of sandy beaches to laze about on, and nudists can get their gear off on the beach at Pelican Point. The undulating landscape surrounding the lake is just as popular, shrouded in vineyards and orchards as well as a scattering of historical ruins now classified by the National Trust. Following the Murray another 44 kilometres west, Waikerie is the citrus centre of Australia, although the town is better known for its nearby lagoons and waterways, which attract an incredible array of water birds and parrots.

Branching north-west from the Sturt Highway at Waikerie, a secondary road begins its journey to Burra (see Yorke Peninsula) before reaching Morgan 39 kilometres later. The quiet town's impressive old buildings and 12 metre wharfs are the only indication that Morgan was at one stage one of Australia's busiest river ports. On the Murray, the states oldest operating paddlesteamer (the PS Mayflower) and the Port of Morgan Historic Museum play tribute to the town's thriving past.