Murraylands Guides Attractions Events in South Australia

Karoonda is only 150 kilometres from Adelaide and 110 kilometres from Loxton, which is why Karoonda is referred to as the Heart of the Mallee.

Go to Pioneer Park, offering a look at the history of the Karoonda district. Other features are the Bakara Plains, with unusual limestone caves, and near Mercunda an Aboriginal Rock Pool is a must visit for anyone interested in carvings. The rise and fall of the continental land mass and sea levels plus extreme climatic changes have all contributed to the present land forms. Below our feet at about sea level is one ancient sea bed holding the sub artesian water basin which is tapped with bores. This water gravitated from the Grampians in Victoria over thousands of years.

Established in 1911, the area is well served by such facilities as health care, banking, farming and related industries. Karoonda is an Aboriginal word meaning winter camp.

Known as one of South Australia's most attractive townships, Lameroo is a centre for shopping and education for the surrounding Mallee rural area.

Lameroo welcomes visitors with lawned picnic areas, an 18-hole golf course and comfortable hotel motel. The Mallee District National Parks and Wildlife office is located here and offers information on conservation parks and camping grounds in the area.

One of the larger towns in the Mallee region of the Murraylands, Lameroo is a main service centre for the surrounding farming area.

National Parks and Wildlife South Australia’s Mallee District Office is in Lameroo and has information on the various conservation parks and camping grounds in the area.

The nearby Ngarkat Group of Conservation Parks features 270,000 hectares of unspoilt natural habitat and is home to walking trails, 4WD tracks and an abundance of native wildlife.

Although proclaimed in 1884, it wasn’t until 1906 – when the railway opened – that Lameroo began to flourish. During World War II, Lameroo was the site of a prisoner of war internment camp, and the mainly Italian prisoners were sent to work on local farms. The Lameroo Historical Museum is a great place to gain an insight into this and other aspects of the rich history of the town and its surrounding areas. The outback dunny exhibit is a must see!

Discover these towns of the Murraylands' Mallee region.

Karoonda
The township of Karoonda is 60 kilometres northeast of Murray Bridge. Here visitors can inspect the Railway Museum and Pioneer Park, or enjoy the peace of the Apex caravan and camping area.

The town has become a popular rest area for interstate travellers because of its modern facilities and good takeaway food outlets.

Look out for the concrete statue of a ram standing in the shadow of the town's giant silos, highlighting the importance of farming to this mallee community.

Karoonda is well known in scientific circles due to a meteorite that fell to Earth just 3.6 kilometres from the township in the 1930s. The meteorite was observed falling from as far away as the Eyre Peninsula – witnesses of this rare sight described it as 'turning night into day'. Due to the meteorite's structural type, it shattered on impact. A piece of the Karoonda meteorite is on display in the council offices and visitors are encouraged to view it.

Lameroo
Lameroo is situated on the Mallee Highway and has a population of 550.The township is like a green oasis in the dry mallee area, with an abundance of lush lawns and trees to greet the visitor. The neat lawn rest areas with good, clean facilities are popular for travellers passing through the region.

The Lameroo Golf course within the town boasts 18 watered greens and fairways that provide a pleasant country setting to enjoy your game of golf. The clubhouse has bar facilities and catering facilities are available. Visitors are always welcome.

The Ngarkat group of conservation parks includes Ngarkat, Mount Rescue, Mount Shaugh and Scorpion Springs and cover an incredible 262,700 hectares. The best time to visit these parks is in late autumn, throughout winter and in early spring. Facilities are limited and four wheel vehicles are the most suitable form of transport. The park is large and isolated – the perfect place to really get away from it all! For detailed information on Ngarkat touring options get a copy of the 'Tracks of the Mallee' from National Parks and Wildlife South Australia – Mallee Office, Railway Terrace North, Lameroo

Pinnaroo
Pinnaroo is in the heart of the wheat, oat and barley belt that stretches from western Victoria through to South Australia, and is situated not far from the Victorian border.

The Pinnaroo township is located on the site of one of the original pastoral leases. It began to develop in earnest in the 1900s, as the coming of the railway attracted more and more settlers to the area. The first shop was opened in 1905, and the first bank, hotel and school were all established in the following year.

In recent times Pinnaroo has become highly regarded for its good horticultural crops, with varieties of potatoes, carrots, onions, grapes, olives and flowers becoming a common sight. The town of Pinnaroo has a good shopping area, hotels, motel and recreational facilities including a 9-hole golf course. There are a number of popular farm-stays in this area, too.

The Mallee Tourist and Heritage Centre at Pinnaroo offer a fascinating glimpse into the region's past. Here you'll find a world-renowned grain collection, restored stationary engines and farm machinery, along with a heritage museum full of local artefacts, photographs, historic items and more… all in one complex. In addition, the town boasts a comprehensive printing museum.

An animal park is located within the Soldiers Memorial Park and features a wide range of native animals including extensive bird aviary.

Karte Conservation Park can be found 30 kilometres northwest of Pinnaroo. A stroll along the walking trail from the picnic area will soon display the amazing flora found in this part of the mallee. From its highest point there are good views of the park and surrounding farmlands.

Wanbi
The tiny settlement of Wanbi lies 54 kilometres south of Loxton. Although it has a population of less than 20, it boasts a two-storey hotel built in 1932. The Wanbi pub is the only 'watering hole' between Karoonda and Loxton.

Alawona
Billiatt Conservation Park sits 18 kilometres south of Alawoona and 37 kilometres north of Lameroo. In the umbrella-like canopy, pygmy-possums have been seen, along with many birds, including the rare western whip-bird and the red-lored whistler. At ground level mallee fowl scratch in the leaf and bark litter. Although park facilities are limited, this is another perfect place for nature enthusiasts to get away from it all.

Geranium
Geranium has to be one of South Australia's best-kept towns. In 1999 the Geranium community won South Australia's Tidiest Town Award. It went on to compete in the National Finals of Australia's Tidiest Town and won an Award of Excellence for Environmental Action and Education 2000. The Geranium residents put in many hours to achieve this award, indicative of the community spirit of South Australians, who have the highest participation in the tidy town judging of any State in the nation. The Tidy Towns Competition is judged by KESAB (Keep South Australia Beautiful Inc). Geranium won the competition from a huge field of 316 separate communities and 220 schools, competing with many towns far greater in size and population.

Geranium sits on the Mallee Highway between Tailem Bend and Lameroo. The town has approximately 80 residents, with a hall, two churches, a store, a garage, extensive sporting facilities including lawn bowling greens making it an important local centre, and an attractive township for farmers to retire to. In an era of centralisation to big towns, Geranium's future as a small centre seems assured.

Mindarie
The two towns of Mindarie and Halidon are situated on the Karoonda – Loxton road. Although these two towns are small rural communities, every year they host the Mindarie Halidon races in September.

Parilla
Parilla Township was proclaimed in 1907, and like Pinnaroo owed its initial growth to the construction of the railway. Between 1907 and 1912 the town developed rapidly, with the construction of general stores, a public hall, a school, a church and other buildings. Now, with a population of 45, Parilla is a mixture of new modern residential buildings and historical reminders of the past.

Hot Spots
Discover the wonderful wild flowers in late winter and early spring. Enjoy bird watching year-round in the nearby conservation parks. Take a step back in time and visit the Mallee Tourist and Heritage Centre at Pinnaroo. Stop for a drink and a chat at the unique Wanbi Pub. Include a game of golf or lawn bowls when visiting the Mallee.

Mannum is a scenic and celebrated Murray River town, ideal for river holidays.

It has a beautiful riverfront and excellent recreational facilities including Mary Ann Reserve, home to a playground, boat ramp, picnic tables and kiosk. Visitors can hire water-skis, jet-skis, canoes, kneeboarding equipment or simply drop a line and enjoy the fishing.

Mannum's attractive main street has an art gallery, antiques, craft and bric-a-brac shops, and there is a good choice of cafes and hotels, including the award-winning Pretoria Hotel, which offers quality riverfront dining. There are several scenic and historic walks in the town and nearby Mannum Falls has easy and moderate level tracks passing winter-flowing waterfalls, abundant bird life and interesting rock formations.

Having celebrated its 150th birthday in 2004, Mannum is a town steeped in history. Blacksmith brothers John and David Shearer spearheaded the settlement of the town after they established their farm machinery factory where they created a string of inventions. In fact in 1897, David Shearer produced one of the first two cars in Australia, which featured a differential gear in an enclosed case.

Mannum is also the birthplace of the Murray River paddle steamers, including the first ever built, the Mary Ann, which was constructed in 1853 by Captain William Randell. At the Mannum Visitor Centre you can discover the history of the river and visit the Randell Dry Dock. Installed at Mannum in 1876 it is listed on the National Estate and the only one of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

The visitor centre is also home to the PS Marion - a restored 105-year old paddle steamer that is open to the public daily, except when cruising. There is also an art exhibition and fossil display. The Mannum Olde Days and Olde Ways Museum also provides an insight into pioneering days, while Mannum Minerals, which has one of the state's largest displays of gemstones, minerals, fossils and shells, tells the geological history of the area.

Mannum offers plenty of accommodation, including houseboats, hotels, and bed and breakfasts.

The largest town on the Murray River in South Australia, Murray Bridge has everything the visitor could need, including a large regional shopping centre, accommodation, restaurants, hotels and sporting facilities. It is also home to the riverfront Sturt Reserve, which has a playground, BMX track, barbecues and a kiosk.

Murray Bridge is a good base for water sports, boating and fishing and there are also several cruise operators based in the town, including Murray Expedition, which runs regular morning tea cruises.

Walkers can take the five kilometre Rail and River Walk, which takes in the town’s major historic sites, or the 79 kilometre Federation Trail, which meanders its way to Tungkillo. Those wanting to explore the town’s sights by car can take the Murray Bridge Scenic Drive – copies are available from the local Visitor Information Centre. Major attractions like Dundee’s Wildlife Park, which has wildlife shows, a hotel and restaurant, Avoca Dell Mini Golf and the Sturt Reserve Bunyip, make Murray Bridge a good base for families. Further afield, Willow Point Wines and the Swanport Wetland, an important habitat for fauna, are worth a visit.

Formerly known as Edwards Crossing, because of an early settler’s hospitality to passing drovers, Murray Bridge is rich in river history. The first bridge to span the Murray was built here in 1879, and was joined in 1925 by a rail bridge and in 1979 by the Swanport Bridge. The local Ngaralta Aboriginal people call the area Mooppolthawong, which means ‘haven for birds’.

The Captain’s Cottage Museum tells the history of the town through memorabilia, photographs, vintage machinery and model riverboats. Beneath the surface of the river between Sturt Reserve and upstream from the bridges, which range in depth from eight metres to 18 metres, there are nine sunken paddle steamers and barges.

Recharge on Australia's mighty Murray River during your next holiday, as it winds its way through the heart of the Murraylands, carving out steep cliffs that turn orange at sunset, winding past giant red gums and spilling into wild lagoons.

There are so many ways to take it all in when you travel to the Murray River. You can paddle a canoe through quiet backwaters; charter your own houseboat, from budget to budget-breaking luxury; take a five-night cruise on the PS Murray Princess and the MV Expedition; or take a short day trip out from the historic river ports of Mannum and Murray Bridge. You can water ski, swim and fish, or sprawl out with a good book on the banks.

But a Murraylands holiday doesn't begin and end on the water. You can find exotic wildlife in the open range sanctuary of Monarto Zoological Park. Search for rare antiques in historic towns. Or get off the beaten track for bushwalking, bird watching and four-wheel-driving through Mallee conservation parks.

And many of the best holiday attractions in the Murraylands are within an easy hour's drive of Adelaide.

Monarto Zoological Park:
Travel the world of wildlife at Monarto Zoological Park, where giraffes, lions, rhinoceros, zebra, antelope and cheetahs roam freely in a bushland setting. The 1000 hectare open-range sanctuary has long been at the forefront of international breeding programs for rare and endangered species, and you can see them all on a safari bus, walking tour or even by camel. It's a fantastic family holiday idea.

Go Bush:
Lose yourself and find rare birds, flora and fauna on a bushwalking journey through the Ngarkat Group of Conservation Parks. These four adjoining parks, deep in South Australia's Mallee, cover a combined area of 270,000 hectares and are home to a spectacular array of animals including echidnas, pygmy-possums and the endangered Mallee fowl. Walking trails will also lead you to ruins and ancient Aboriginal sites.

Big Bend by Night Eco Tours:
Watch the sun slip away over the Murray River as you enjoy a three-course alfresco meal on a Big Bend by Night Eco Tour, just outside Swan Reach. Then climb aboard a wagon to see kangaroos, hairy-nosed wombats and other native animals as they go about their nightly business. The majestic Big Bend cliffs are the tallest cliffs on the Murray River and up to 20 million years old.

Mannum Dock Museum:
Explore Australia's paddleboat history at the Mannum Dock Museum, home to the lovingly-restored, 100-year-old PS Marion. The intriguing museum can be found on the banks of the Murray River in Mannum – the birthplace of paddle-steamers on Australia's greatest waterway and now a bustling riverside town.

Murray Bridge's Sturt Reserve:
Take a short river cruise, ride the BMX track, walk the Federation Trail or look out for the bunyip. Then spread the picnic blanket and sprawl out with the family at the delightful Sturt Reserve on the banks of the Murray River.

Beds and Berths:
Indulge in a five-night cruise aboard the PS Murray Princess or take a nature cruise on the MV Proud Mary. Join the Murray River Run – staying in great country hotels as you journey right along South Australia's strip of the river. Relax in super-luxury aboard the River Dream Boatel, take your own chef along with Odyssey Charter Cruises, or take a dozen mates away to fish and enjoy a few beers around your houseboat barbecue. There's a Murray River cruise to suit every taste and budget – most within an hour of Adelaide.

Parilla sits on the Mallee Highway in the Murraylands region of South Australia.

With a population of approximately 80, Parilla is a great spot to take a break from travelling and perhaps to stay the night. Take a look at the mural as well as the other points of interest in town. It has both traditional and newer crops, including potatoes, carrots, onions, olives and grapes.

Parilla was named after an Aboriginal word meaning ‘cold place’. It was surveyed in 1904 and proclaimed a town in 1907. Like nearby Pinnaroo, Parilla too was brought to life in 1906 with the opening of the railway.

Explore more of the Murraylands - one of South Australia's favourite aquatic playgrounds, with the mighty Murray River meandering through.

This is where you'll find your perfect houseboat holiday. There's nothing that quite compares to a holiday on a houseboat, cruising up and down the river at your leisure in your own floating hotel.

And the towns of the Murraylands have a relaxed, casual feel - the ideal place to spend a lazy afternoon in the sun after a day of watersports or fishing.

There are plenty of opportunities to go bushwalking, or enjoy an old-fashioned singalong by the fire at a camping site. And you'll find a range of accommodation options, great places to relax, shop and enjoy a drink at a local pub.

Pinnaroo is as bustling town 242 kilometres east of Adelaide and five kilometres from the Victorian border. Farming is the main industry throughout the region's rolling landscapes.

Pinnaroo is the gateway to the unique landscape of the Mallee and nearby Karte Conservation Park is a good spot to see the Mallee at its best. The Scorpion Springs Conservation Park is located on the edge of Pinnaroo.

Pinaroo is also home to the biannual Spud Fest. This features fun events like the Ready Steady Mash competition, with well-known TV chefs.

For an insight into the history of the area, visit the Mallee Tourist and Heritage Centre, which features four fascinating historical collections. The area opened up around 1890, however Pinnaroo township was not settled until early 1900. The railway line was completed and opened in 1906.

Pinaroo has accommodation and a golf club. There's also modern facilities for health, welfare, sporting and public services. It's located on the shortest route from Adelaide to Sydney or Adelaide to Canberra.

Mannum

Situated just 84 kilometres from Adelaide, Mannum is the birthplace of the famous Murray River paddle-steamers, with this historic town retaining strong links to its romantic river past.

Today Mannum boasts a bustling main street full of antique, craft, bric-a-brac and general retail outlets. There's also a huge range of eating options from a scrumptious bakery to cafes, hotels and numerous restaurants. Accommodation choices include a motel, houseboats, caravan parks, farm-stays, bed and breakfast and river camping grounds.

While touring the area visit Mannum Falls, only six kilometres from Mannum on the Murray Bridge Road. This area is a popular bushwalking destination, with easy to moderate tracks, featuring a winter flowing waterfall, an abundance of wildlife and fascinating geology.

Mannum owes much to brothers John and David Shearer, blacksmiths who established a farm machinery factory in the town. John Shearer is famous for inventing the differential, while David Shearer built the world's first steam car in South Australia in 1894. A talented family! The Shearer workshop site is now the Mannum Bowling Club, which is located in the main street next to the Pretoria Hotel.

Murray Bridge

A thriving hub and the largest South Australian town on the Murray River, Murray Bridge is 80 kilometres east of Adelaide on the South Eastern Freeway. This bustling river city is less than an hours drive from Adelaide and a similar distance from the Barossa Valley and Fleurieu Peninsula.

Murray Bridge offers a regional shopping centre, hotels, motels, guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, farm-stays, fine restaurants and excellent sporting facilities. Attractions include river cruises, a wildlife park, historic buildings, adventure playground and more.

The Captain's Cottage Museum captures the history of Murray Bridge with an extensive array of photos and memorabilia. Its quiet garden setting is the perfect place to picnic with the family, while also stepping back in time.

Water sports, boating, fishing, skiing, or just relaxing on the riverfront are keen pastimes with visitors, and several reserves offer excellent boating facilities. Other popular pursuits include the 18-hole golf course and, for horseracing enthusiasts, the regular race meetings at the Murray Bridge Racing Club.

Swan Reach

A great place for travellers to stop and enjoy some good old-fashioned Murraylands hospitality when driving between the Barossa and Riverland. A visit to the hotel is a must, with sweeping views of the mighty Murray River from its prominent location perched on top of golden cliffs.

There were huge floods in this region in 1917 and 1931, with the most devastating occurring in 1956, which saw most of the businesses in the main street of Swan Reach washed away. Since then the town has been proudly rebuilt. The Swan Reach Museum details the history of floods in the area.

Here the river is sheltered by high cliffs and is excellent for water sports of all kinds. Water birds are abundant here, in particular in the backwaters and billabongs fed by the river. An ideal location to relax and enjoy.

Spectacular scenery can be found at Big Bend; it boasts the tallest cliffs anywhere along the entire length of the Murray River. This area is a rich source of fossils, flora and fauna, and up to 20 million years old. It conceals many archaeological secrets and botanical marvels, with the majestic cliffs formed from the seabed laid down tens of thousands of years ago.

When touring through this area, take the opportunity to see the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats that are abundant on the limestone plains of the Old Devon Downs and Kooloola Stations.

The nearby town of Nildottie boasts great panoramic views of one of the most pristine stretches of water on the Murray, so ensure you have film in the camera!

Ngaut Ngaut boardwalk is at nearby Kroehn's Landing. The archaeological site is Australia's first archaeological dig, whose rich secrets triggered the 1929 discovery of a 7000-year-old skeleton of a young boy in a rock. In the rock with the boy's skeleton were implements unlike any known Aboriginal tools or weapons and leavings of his meals which showed he had eaten a species of mussel, long extinct. Guided tours are available by appointment.

Tailem Bend

On the banks of the Murray River, 100 kilometres from Adelaide, the township of Tailem Bend is a major road and rail junction with three highways – the Dukes, the Princes and the Mallee – all converging east of this busy township.

The nearby Coorong National Park is one of South Australia's most spectacular, covering 47,000 hectares of pristine wilderness. It lies adjacent to the mouth of the Murray River and features a long, shallow saline lagoon more than 100km long, separated from the Southern Ocean by the sand-dunes of the Younghusband Peninsula.

Scenic views can be enjoyed from many vantage points along the Coorong, with a number of handy tracks allowing conventional vehicles easy access to many major features on the mainland side.

Meanwhile, avid four-wheel drive enthusiasts are in for a treat with clear access to the Southern Ocean. More than 200 species of birds have been recorded, making this area a bird-watching paradise. It also has major international significance as a summering area for migratory birds from as far away as Siberia.

Narrung, near Meningie, lies between Lake Albert and Lake Alexandrina, with a ferry providing a link to the highway through 'the narrows'.

Wellington

Sitting at the junction of the Murray River and Lake Alexandrina, Wellington boasts one of the oldest working hotels in South Australia – licensed in 1848 – with the dining room offering a divine, panoramic view of the river. Wellington's heritage courthouse was rebuilt in 1864 and has since been fully restored to house a museum.

By the late 1890s Wellington was almost swallowed up by sand! Tens of thousands of grazing animals passing through on the droving route from the south coast exposed the sand dunes that began to drift into the town. East Wellington, on the approach to the ferry from the Princes Highway, still has ruins of buildings from early settler days. These offer a telling contrast with the architecture of the more recently built, modern marina homes.

Good views of Lake Alexandrina can be found by visiting the Wellington mini-mart or service station.

The small town of Jervois is located on the main Wellington to Murray Bridge road and is home to a thriving dairy industry. This scenic area gives the visitor an insight into dairy farming. Please note that care is needed when driving along this road in the early morning or mid-afternoon, as cows crossing the road are a common sight. The free, 24-hour vehicle ferry operates at both Wellington and Jervois, and is the only means to cross the river.

In 1846 the first ferry on the Murray River was established at Wellington. When gold was discovered in Victoria, Wellington became the gateway for many thousands of South Australians bitten by the gold bug. It was by way of ferry that the Gold Escort brought nearly $4 million worth of precious metal to South Australia. By 1914 the first power-driven ferry was established at Wellington.

The area around Swan Reach is renowned for its towering cliffs, including Big Bend – which boasts the tallest cliffs along the entire length of the Murray River. Rich in fossils, flora and fauna, Big Bend is believed to be up to 20 million years old.

Swan Reach boasts an excellent hotel with river views and a nine hole golf course. The town also has a 24 hour ferry, general store and boat ramp.

The Aboriginal name for this area is Kongorong, which refers to the large number of black swans that live in the area. White settlement was established in 1899 when Swan Reach Station owner Paul Hasse subdivided a portion of his land. Perched on the banks of the Murray, the first half of the twentieth century saw the river fight a constant battle with flood, culminating in the massive washouts of 1917, 1931 and 1956. The most devastating was in 1956, when most of the businesses in the main street were washed away.

More than 200 historic photographs from the flood can be seen in the Swan Reach Museum, located in the original school building, circa 1917. The museum has a fascinating collection of memorabilia. One of the themes of the museum’s collection is education within the district, which consists of a large collection of school photographs and memorabilia. The collection extends beyond Swan Reach to include historical items from river and rural communities of Murbko, Boolgun, Maggea, Galga, Copeville, Bowhill, Purnong, Walker Flat, Black Hill, Punyelroo, Blanchetown and settlements within this border.

You can find souvenir spoons, fridge magnets, colour 1956 flood postcards and more at the museum shop.

The northern gateway to the Limestone Coast, Tailem Bend lies alongside the majestic Murray River. It is a commercial centre for the surrounding mallee area and offers excellent facilities and points of interest for travellers making it an ideal stopover or destination.

Tailem Bend also provides a great starting point for four wheel drive vehicle adventures into Mount Rescue or Ngarkat Conservation Parks and offers a fantastic experience on the Murray. Visit Fred's Landing to launch a boat and enjoy a spot of fishing on the river.

The Tailem Bend Visitor Information Centre details the town's strong historical links with transport and the importance the railway played in opening up the surrounding towns, while Old Tailem Town provides a fascinating step back in time into an original mallee township comprising 70 authentic historic buildings from the area.