Riverland Guides Attractions Events in South Australia

Barmera, with its ideal location on the shores of Lake Bonney, is one of South Australia's most popular aquatic playgrounds.

Throughout the year the town comes alive for many festivals and events. The Barmera 5RM Main Street Markets held once a month from February to April and October to December are no exception - you can try and buy local produce, arts and crafts.

Barmera has a range of accommodation including hotel, motels, country club, lakeside caravan parks, a backpacker hostel, bed & breakfast, self-contained cottages and numerous lakeside camping sites.

Barmera was named after the Barmera Aboriginal people that lived on the shores of Lake Bonney. The lake itself was named after Charles Bonney who saw it on the first overland trek from Sydney to Adelaide in 1838.

Things to do and see:

On and around Lake Bonney
Lake Bonney – full, fun and fantastic. In summer there are boats everywhere. The Yacht Club runs weekly races that are a great spectacle to watch from the shore. Canoeists and other boaters enjoy great fishing and sightseeing on the lake and adjoining wetlands abound with wildlife. It’s a freshwater lake and is popular with water-skiers, windsurfers and jet ski enthusiasts, and has excellent safe swimming areas. Call into Barmera Disposals and Auto Mart for all your fishing and outdoor needs. To help you enjoy your time in Barmera kayaks, golf clubs, jet skis and tandem bikes are available for hire – enquire at the visitor information centre. There is also a free putt golf course and skate park adjacent to the lake.

Country Music Hall of Fame
A family-oriented town, Barmera boasts a Country Music Hall of Fame that displays extensive memorabilia. In June of each year the town hosts an important annual country music festival attended by people from all over Australia.

Wine, Dine and Produce
Dine overlooking the lake, golf course, vineyards or even a plant nursery at the Highway Fern Haven. Barmera offers diverse dining experiences and boutique wine tasting.

Lakeside Drive-In Cinema
Take the family out for the night to one of the few remaining drive-ins in South Australia. Current releases screen each weekend.

Napper’s Ruins
Located on the north side of Lake Bonney, Napper’s Ruins once stood strong as a hotel built for former workers of Cobdogla Station. It was originally called Lake Bonney Hotel and consisted of 11 rooms that included a well stocked bar and an eating room that could cater for 12 people. This room was occasionally used as a dance room. The hotel is now nothing more than ruins and includes interpretive information around the site.

Historic Overland Corner Hotel and Walk
The historic Overland Corner Hotel, 18 kilometres north of Barmera, (off the Morgan road B64) is now both pub and museum. John Chambers commissioned the hotel in the 1850s and it was a refreshment point for weary travellers (especially overland drovers) and locals. It’s still as popular today, so stop by, soak up the atmosphere - with a cool drink as a bonus. You might even see the resident ghost!

Explore the many different river environments, from the floodplain and billabongs to the limestone cliffs on the Overland Corner Walking Trail. This trail explores the European and Aboriginal heritage of the area and features an ochre quarry with fossils.

Heritage Tours
Discover the history of the town and its charming between-war architecture on the Barmera Heritage Walk.

Another part of the area’s 20th century history is exposed at Loveday, site of a WWII Prisoner of War internment camp. While few original buildings remain, the roads and properties still mark the location. A map is available from local visitor information centres and guided tours can be booked to view the ruins.

Barmera Travel and Visitor Information Centre:
Barwell Avenue, Barmera
Telephone: 08 8588 2289
Email: barmeravic@bigpond.com
Website: www.berribarmera.sa.gov.au

Barmera, with its ideal location on the shores of Lake Bonney, is one of South Australia's most popular aquatic playgrounds.

Throughout the year the town comes alive for many festivals and events. The Barmera 5RM Main Street Markets held once a month from February to April and October to December are no exception - you can try and buy local produce, arts and crafts.

Barmera has a range of accommodation including hotel, motels, country club, lakeside caravan parks, a backpacker hostel, bed & breakfast, self-contained cottages and numerous lakeside camping sites.

Barmera was named after the Barmera Aboriginal people that lived on the shores of Lake Bonney. The lake itself was named after Charles Bonney who saw it on the first overland trek from Sydney to Adelaide in 1838.

Things to do and see:

On and around Lake Bonney
Lake Bonney – full, fun and fantastic. In summer there are boats everywhere. The Yacht Club runs weekly races that are a great spectacle to watch from the shore. Canoeists and other boaters enjoy great fishing and sightseeing on the lake and adjoining wetlands abound with wildlife. It’s a freshwater lake and is popular with water-skiers, windsurfers and jet ski enthusiasts, and has excellent safe swimming areas. Call into Barmera Disposals and Auto Mart for all your fishing and outdoor needs. To help you enjoy your time in Barmera kayaks, golf clubs, jet skis and tandem bikes are available for hire – enquire at the visitor information centre. There is also a free putt golf course and skate park adjacent to the lake.

Country Music Hall of Fame
A family-oriented town, Barmera boasts a Country Music Hall of Fame that displays extensive memorabilia. In June of each year the town hosts an important annual country music festival attended by people from all over Australia.

Wine, Dine and Produce
Dine overlooking the lake, golf course, vineyards or even a plant nursery at the Highway Fern Haven. Barmera offers diverse dining experiences and boutique wine tasting.

Lakeside Drive-In Cinema
Take the family out for the night to one of the few remaining drive-ins in South Australia. Current releases screen each weekend.

Napper’s Ruins
Located on the north side of Lake Bonney, Napper’s Ruins once stood strong as a hotel built for former workers of Cobdogla Station. It was originally called Lake Bonney Hotel and consisted of 11 rooms that included a well stocked bar and an eating room that could cater for 12 people. This room was occasionally used as a dance room. The hotel is now nothing more than ruins and includes interpretive information around the site.

Historic Overland Corner Hotel and Walk
The historic Overland Corner Hotel, 18 kilometres north of Barmera, (off the Morgan road B64) is now both pub and museum. John Chambers commissioned the hotel in the 1850s and it was a refreshment point for weary travellers (especially overland drovers) and locals. It’s still as popular today, so stop by, soak up the atmosphere - with a cool drink as a bonus. You might even see the resident ghost!

Explore the many different river environments, from the floodplain and billabongs to the limestone cliffs on the Overland Corner Walking Trail. This trail explores the European and Aboriginal heritage of the area and features an ochre quarry with fossils.

Heritage Tours
Discover the history of the town and its charming between-war architecture on the Barmera Heritage Walk.

Another part of the area’s 20th century history is exposed at Loveday, site of a WWII Prisoner of War internment camp. While few original buildings remain, the roads and properties still mark the location. A map is available from local visitor information centres and guided tours can be booked to view the ruins.

Barmera Travel and Visitor Information Centre:
Barwell Avenue, Barmera
Telephone: 08 8588 2289
Email: barmeravic@bigpond.com
Website: www.berribarmera.sa.gov.au

Berri is the commercial hub of the Riverland, set among a sea of vineyards. It's a popular riverside town and its surrounds host a number of attractions worth visiting.

Walk the meandering two kilometre riverfront from Berri to the popular recreational and camping reserve at Martins Bend. Stop in at Berri Estates, the largest winery and distillery in Australia, or Berri Direct for fruit juices, dried fruits and more.

Berri has a range of shopping facilities, accommodation and restaurants including the award-winning Mallee Fowl Restaurant, with good food served inside a former shearing shed filled with Australian memorabilia. For informal dining, try the modern Redgum Cafe, offering an alfresco experience on riverfront decking.

Just north of Berri is Monash Adventure Park. This fantastic family destination features giant swings, leaning towers, an exhilirating flying fox and more. Set amongst shady trees and water features, the park offers free barbecue facilities and free admission.

The name Berri is taken from an Aboriginal word 'bery bery' meaning 'bend in the river'.

Things to do and see

Arts, Wine and Produce
Local produce outlets with notable names such as Berri Direct are located on the outskirts of the town, including Berri Estates, the largest winery and distillery in Australia, CobbWebb Leadlight Studio and Highway Fern Haven and Pink Petal Coffee Shop.

Whilst in Berri be sure to visit the newly opened Gilbert Street Gallery, featuring works by local artists and Country Arts River Lands Gallery.

During October visit the popular Riverland Food and Wine Festival on the riverbank at Berri, here you can taste great food and wine from all over the region.

Riverside Walks
Inspect the mural under the bridge that depicts the Aboriginal heritage of the area and visit the monument that stands in tribute to Australia’s famous Aboriginal tracker, Jimmy James (born in 1910, died in 1991). Walk the meandering three-kilometre riverfront walk from Berri to the popular recreational and camping reserve at Martins Bend, where you can sit back and relax.

Dining Out
There’s a wide choice of dining in and around Berri. The multi-award-winning Mallee Fowl Restaurant is a rare experience: good food served inside an old shearing shed filled with an eclectic array of memorabilia and Australiana. The Redgum Cafe, unmistakable with its modern leaning architecture, offers alfresco informal dining on the riverfront decking - just follow the aroma of coffee. The smartly renovated Berri Resort Hotel has a good bistro offering pub classics, along with popular Asian and Italian dishes. A number of other restaurants, cafes and eateries are spread throughout the town.

Water Tower Lookout
Climb the water tower lookout in Berri for a different view of the river and town.

Birdwatching Safari
For those interested in discovering rare and endangered bird species, Jolly Goodfellows Birding is an ecotourism accredited operator offering Birdwatching Safari’s throughout the region. Many describe the experience as truly unforgettable.

Accommodation
Accommodation in the Berri area includes a country club, motel, hotel, houseboats, bed & breakfasts, a riverside caravan park and a backpacker hostel. Alternatively, pitch a tent at any of the numerous locations along the river, including the Murray River National Park - Katarapko.

Come to Blanchetown for its uncrowded waterways, sheltered river bends and sandy banks. This is a popular spot for waterskiers, and you can also watch the large riverboats that pull into Blanchetown each week. Blanchetown's towering cliffs are famous for the grand views of their changing colours.

Attractions include the Brookfield Conservation Park - a breeding ground for Hairy-nosed Wombats - and the Burk Salter Wines cellar door.

This is where the Murray River's lock and weir water flow management system starts. The old bridge gives an excellent view of Lock 1. Here you can also get a great view of the large riverboats that pull into Blanchetown weekly.

This quiet township is in essence an informal holiday town made up of unpretentious river shacks for lovers of relaxed river days. The uncrowded waterways, sheltered river bends and sandy banks are popular with water-skiers in the summer months.

Blanchetown is where the Murray River's lock and weir water flow management system starts. The system was constructed along the river in the 1920s and 1930s to help control the water level so that cargo and paddle steamers would always be able to navigate the waterways.

Although Blanchetown's towering cliffs are famous for the grand views of their changing colours, closer inspection reveals fossilised treasures such as starfish, shells and fish.

Blanchetown's history is full of quirky stories such as this: the Post Office building was originally intended to be a railway station, but the rail plans changed and no track was ever built. Discover more about its history by undertaking the Blanchetown Historical Walk. Pick up a copy of the booklet from various outlets in the town.

Blanchetown has a variety of accommodation including tourism award-winning Quality Houseboats, riverfront caravan parks, or bed and breakfasts.

This quiet township is in essence an informal holiday town made up of unpretentious river shacks for lovers of relaxed river days. The uncrowded waterways, sheltered river bends and sandy banks are popular with water-skiers in the summer months.

Blanchetown is where the Murray River’s lock and weir water flow management system starts. The system was constructed along the river in the 1920s and 1930s to help control the water level so that cargo and paddle steamers would always be able to navigate the waterways.

The old bridge in the town gives an excellent view of Lock 1 and circling above are hundreds of hungry pelicans that love to feed on the schools of fish near the spillway. Here you can also get a great view of the large riverboats that pull into Blanchetown weekly.

Although Blanchetown’s towering cliffs are famous for the grand views of their changing colours, closer inspection reveals fossilised treasures such as starfish, shells and fish.

Things to do and see

Brookfield Conservation Park
Nearby is the Brookfield Conservation Park, a breeding ground for the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats that can be seen grazing on the western side of the river. You can often see wombats at dusk coming up from their burrows.

Historical Walk
Blanchetown’s history is full of quirky stories such as this: the Post Office building was originally intended to be a railway station, but the rail plans changed and no track was ever built. Discover more about its history by undertaking the Blanchetown Historical Walk. Pick up a copy of the booklet from various outlets in the town.

Cellar Door
Call in to Burk Salter Wines for tastings and stay the night at the adjacent bed and breakfast.

Accommodation
Blanchetown has a variety of accommodation including tourism award-winning Quality Houseboats - the first fleet to offer ensuites in every room. Nearby, Bindmurra Farmstay offers accommodation on its working farm. Choose from three riverfront caravan parks or spend the night in a bed and breakfast.

Visitor Information Outlet
3 Shaw Street, Blanchetown
Phone: (08) 8540 5453
Open: Monday - Friday 1000 -1600 (Thursday nights open until 1800)
Most weekends (call to confirm)
Email: blanrtc@riverland.net.au

Cobdogla is a small irrigation settlement about five kilometres west of Barmera in the Riverland.

It's home to the Cobdogla Irrigation and Steam Museum, originally the pumping station for the district's vineyards and horticultural crops. Here, you can see pumping equipment and all manner of the machinery used in the development of the district's irrigationsystem, including the mighty Humphrey Pumps - the only remaining examples in the world.

One of these pumps is demonstrated during the four main open days during each year, often attracting visitors from the United Kingdom where they pumps were designed and built.

Cobdogla offers a caravan park, licensed club, general store, and fuel is available.

It has an historic pumping station that formerly supplied the Barmera and Cobdogla area and was first settled as a pastoral base in 1851.

Glossop is a small service town for the surrounding fruit growing area in the Riverland. The small irrigation settlement is situated on a scenic drive between Barmera and Berri on Old Sturt Highway.

If you love to dabble in a bit of wine tasting, you must visit Australia's larges winery and distillery located just on the edge of Glossop. Berri Estates Winery Cellar Door Sales is towered over by a 70-year-old lemon scented gum tree, which acts as a sentinel welcoming its visitors to a wide range of wines for tasting. It produces wines for the domestic and export market of consistently high quality under the BRL Hardy label. Products include table wines for both the bottle and cask markets, along with fortified wines and brandy. Some familiar brand names are Nottage Hill, Banrock Station and many more.

While you're driving through, you also must stop at one of the fruit stalls dotted along the Old Sturt Highway between Berri and Glossop that sell a large variety of in-season fruit and vegetables. For great fruit and vegetables fresh from the block, stop in!

Glossop was named after Vice Admiral Glossop of the HMAS Sydney, which sank the German vessel Emden in the First World War. An anchor serves as a memorial to this commander.

Loxton is a charming, vibrant town - the thriving centre of one of the most productive agricultural and horticultural regions in South Australia.

Known as the Garden Town of the Riverland, Loxton’s beautifully maintained gardens explode in a riot of colour all year-round and are testament to the proud community spirit that exists in this country town. The town often hosts Garden Alive weekends.

Visit the award-winning Loxton Historical Village with more than 38 fully furnished buildings and sites exhibiting farm equipment, machinery and household items used by early settlers. Go to one of the regular Village Alive days.

Or stop in at The Pines Loxton Historical Home and Garden, displaying antique furniture, silverware, paintings and more.

You can discover Loxton on a historical town walk or nature walk that leads through a natural riverine environment and loops back along the river frontage. Loxton also has a variety of accommodation to choose from.

The spirit of the Riverland, Loxton was established by its pioneers as the Riverland's garden town.

Some 255 kilometres east of Adelaide, Loxton has maintained its charm and character, as well as a strong community spirit.

Each Christmas the town lights up when more than 350 houses take part in a brilliant Christmas lights display. Local guides offer bus transport around the town and people come from great distances to join in the fun.

Another of the town's attractions, operating year-round, is Loxton Historical Village. The village's main street features an old school, a railway station and steam engine, and a working blacksmith's shop. This award-winning living history museum contains more than 30 buildings from the days of the Riverland's indomitable early settlers. Each building is equipped and furnished with items from the village's eclectic collection of pioneering memorabilia. Loxton Historical Village springs to life on each of its regularly scheduled 'Alive Days' – not to be missed.

Loxton Golf Course is ranked in South Australia's top 10 and open to visitors, as are numerous other sporting facilities. The Loxton Community Hotel offers golfing accommodation packages and following its recent renovation, there is now an excellent variety of dining options as well.

You'll also find several motels, farm stays and bed and breakfast properties in the area. The Loxton Riverfront Caravan Park offers water's edge camping and modern amenities.

Don't miss the astounding 'Tree of Knowledge'– a living chart with markers recording flood levels, right up to the extraordinary 1956 flood. It sits on the riverfront opposite the Loxton Caravan Park and is one of the few river red gums to survive severe flooding since the all time high flood of 1956.

Browse the arts and crafts shops lining the main street. Loxton is renowned for its local craft network. Many of the craft shops in the main street are community run and offer a wide variety of country crafts at affordable prices.

Lyrup is a small horticultural settlement close to Berri in the Riverland. It offers a shady riverbank for picnics, a community club and general store.

Explore Lyrup Flats, part of the Murray River National Park. This encompasses 2,000 hectares along the floodplain on the northern side of the Murray River opposite the township of Lyrup.

The park is easily reached by turning off the Sturt Highway just past Berri and continuing down to the river and park entrance.

The area provides wonderful opportunities to birdwatch, fish, camp, moor a boat or walk along the floodplain. Dogs on a leash are allowed in Lyrup Flats National Park.

The Lyrup village settlement was established in 1894. Lyrup was one of the first of 13 village settlements established during 1894 to provide relief for the vast number of unemployed in Adelaide and is the only surviving settlement.

Monash is home to one of South Australia's favourite family destinations - Monash Adventure Park. This delightful, modern playground includes leaning towers, gigantic swings and a maze for the whole family to explore. There are also free barbecues and plenty of shady areas set among a meandering little 'creek'.

Opposite the adventure park is a chocolate factory and also a community club for bistro dining.

It's one of the great little towns you should visit in the Riverland. The Riverland's also home to some of the best courses in South Australia; charming pioneer villages and internationally renowned bird sanctuaries, and good food and wine. There's a good reason why nearly half of South Australia's wine grapes (and 90 per cent of our oranges, stone fruits and nuts) are grown in the Riverland. It's all the sunshine … and it's sure to do you some good.

The Riverland is a couple of hours from Adelaide, and perfectly located for a few days of rest and relaxation on the drive between South Australia and the eastern states. Monash is sure to be a favourite stop for the kids.

Morgan is an historic town and popular holiday retreat on the Murray River.

The Morgan Museum overlooks the lawn riverbank area and charts early life in the Morgan area. See superb horse drawn vehicles used for the transportation, a 1926 Chevrolet truck in working order, and an 11-metre mural constructed entirely of locally grown wool. Your family will also enjoy the old telephone exchange setup near the old schoolroom and the farmhouse kitchen.

There are many reserves in the area; notable among these being Cadell, Morgan and Hogwash Flat. Hogwash Flat is a particularly good fishing spot. There are quite a number of stranded barges from the paddle wheel era - some high and dry, other are submerged. These are well worth seeing and fishing around.

The Morgan Historical Walk includes the Railway Reserve and some of Morgan township’s buildings of historical significance. The walk starts at the Morgan Museum and takes approximately an hour and a half to complete. Some of the historical buildings you can see include the morgue, the train station platform and ticket office, the wharf area, the sunken barge and steamer, the powder magazine, the Morton Bay fig tree, Post Office Row, the post office, Captain Charles Sturt’s monument, the Postmaster’s residence and the former customs house.

Morgan Visitor Information Outlet is located within the Morgan Roadhouse.

There is a good shopping centre which caters for all needs. There are two hotels, a swimming area, golf course, bowling club, caravan park, camping sites and plenty of good fishing areas.

Copies of the Heritage Walk map can be obtained from the Morgan Visitor Information Centre, Council Office or most of the businesses in the town.

Morgan preserves its history with flair. The restored wharf precinct captures the early river trading days and the town's museums bring to life the stories of the paddle steamer era. A 'must do' for visitors is Morgan's heritage walk, taking in historic landmarks and leading to a panoramic view of the town and river.

Charles Sturt passed the site of the town on his voyage down the Murray and back in 1830. Known originally as North West Bend, the Great Bend or the Great Elbow, it became a point for overlanders, on their way to Adelaide with stock, to leave the Murray and make for Adelaide. In 1878 the town was proclaimed and the Kapunda to Morgan railway officially opened. The purpose of the railway was to tap the river trade from the Darling and Upper Murray regions by providing quicker access to a coastal port and thereby forestalling similar efforts by the Victorian Government.

In its glory days, as a port, Morgan was the second biggest port in South Australia, behind Port Adelaide, dispatching six trains a day to Port Adelaide and saw long queues of laden steamers and barges stretching downstream from the Morgan wharf awaiting their turn to unload. Reminiscent of Morgan's early days was the great River Ramble of 1986, when two flotillas, 536 craft of all shapes and sizes, converged on Morgan at the culmination of this week-long Jubilee 150 event.

Morgan is a historic town and popular holiday shack retreat on the Murray River for anyone seeking relaxation and water sports. At the height of the paddle-steamer era, Morgan was the busiest inland port in South Australia and has preserved its history with considerable flair.

Things to do and see:

Historic Ports and Museum
The restored wharf precinct captures the early river trading days, and the town’s museums bring to life the stories of the paddle steamer era. The Landseer Building, once a shipping agent’s storehouse, is filled with a remarkable collection of old engines and wagons - even a mural made from wool. The historic railway station that once handled an assortment of cargo and passengers transferring from river to rail has been transformed into a museum of river and rail history. Make time for a close look at the fascinating historic photos here.

Heritage Walk
A 'must do' for all visitors is Morgan's heritage walk. It meanders past a number of historic landmarks, revealing stories of the town’s past, and leads to a panoramic view of the town and river.

Local Organic Produce
Look for Mallyons on the Murray Bush Cafe and Gallery, just outside Morgan, which not only sells organic produce, local arts and crafts, mouthwatering meals, but also has magnificent views overlooking the Mighty Murray River.

Accommodation
Two hotels boast prominent locations overlooking the huge lawned riverfront - a popular recreation spot for residents and visitors. There's also a riverside caravan park, bed and breakfasts and motel, and the town is the homeport for an impressive fleet of houseboats for hire.

Quench your thirst at Overland Corner in one of South Australia's most quirky historic hotels.

Built in 1859, the Overland Corner Hotel was originally an isolated frontier pub, frequented only by cattlemen. Today it's owned by the National Trust and includes a museum, nearby mines and a cemetery.

Overland Corner sits in the Riverland, where the Murray River weaves its way through some of Australia's more impressive river scenery. See graceful river red gums, limestone cliffs, and the region's lush vineyards, orchards and citrus groves.

Overland Corner became famous from 1838 as a river crossing and stopover for overlanders moving from the eastern states to South Australia. You are welcome to use it as your stopover, too!

Paringa is close to Renmark in the Riverland and is one of the first towns visitors reach in South Australia when they cross the border from Australia's eastern states. It's the base for some Murray River houseboat fleets and backwater canoe tours.

Here, you can see Paringa's suspension bridge. Opened in 1927, it's just one of four to cross the Murray River. It opens between 9.30 am and 2.30 pm to allow paddlesteamers through.

Opposite the Paringa Bridge, you'll find Bert Dix Memorial Park. Stop for a picnic or a barbecue while the children clamber over the playground. This is also a good spot to launch boats.

Murtho Forest and Heading Cliffs are 15 kilometres north of Paringa and a great place to explore. See the view from Heading Cliffs on the way to Murtho Landing - one of the finest vantage points on the shores of the Murray. There are more spectacular views from a lookout tower.

Murtho Forest Landing has a parking area and a place for launching boats.

As well as being the base for many Murray River houseboats, you'll find plenty of other accommodation in and around Paringa including hotels, caravan parks, cottages and cabins.

Located 260 kilometres north east of Adelaide and 4 kilometres from Renmark.

Renmark is a friendly Riverland town that is home to Australia's largest rose garden and hosts a glorious Rose Festival every year.

It's a great spot for some Murray River cruising. The houseboat-style Big River Rambler makes regular cruises from the wharf, while the historic paddle steamer Industry fires up on the first Sunday of every month. It’s one of the few remaining paddle steamers from the busy river trade days. The riverfront is also the base for several houseboat fleets, including the Liba Liba fleet. Original proprietor Ian Showell conceived the idea of a floating house while in Egypt. The boats he saw along the Nile became the inspiration for what is now a multi-million dollar Murray River industry.

Riverland Leisure Canoe Tours can also meet you in Renmark and help you discover the fascinating backwaters of the Murray River. Or, you can hire a canoe or kayak and take off to explore for yourself.

Stroll along the Renmark riverfront interpretive walk. This easy five-kilometre walk (also suitable for bikes) interprets historical information about the town and river. An extension of the walk takes you to the nearby town of Paringa.

Visit Olivewood Estate. The watershed in the town’s history was the development of the irrigation schemes in the late 1880s that turned this countryside into Australia’s food bowl. The Canadian-born Chaffey brothers are often called the founders of Renmark. Their original home, Olivewood, is now a National Trust museum and gives an important insight into the history of the town.

And three kilometres outside Renmark is the McCormick Centre, which includes an interpretive model that shows the enormity and importance - and workings - of the Murray-Darling Basin.

Ideal for horticulture, Renmark’s climate is also perfect for roses and from September to July the main street is flush with blooms. Ruston’s Rose Garden is the largest rose garden in Australia and hosts a glorious mix of modern and heritage roses of all kinds and colours. The newly opened Rustons Rose Garden Visitor Centre offers a coffee and gift shop with a display of classic vehicles; you can also view floral arranging on site. All things ‘rose’ are celebrated in October in the town’s nine-day Rose Festival.

Visit nearby Chowilla Station and Reserve, just 40 kilometres from Renmark. Go with a group and stay in the Shearers’ Quarters overlooking the Murray River, hire a canoe and explore this pristine natural bushland or discover this peaceful location on a houseboat. Camping and tours are available.

Accommodation in Renmark includes riverfront caravan parks, hotels and motels, bed and breakfasts and self-contained cabins. An extensive range of houseboats is available for hire.

It takes its name from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘red mud’. The town was founded in 1887 following a joint agreement between the state government and Canadian engineers George and Ben Chaffey. The brothers were instrumental in helping to establish the system of irrigation still in use on the Murray today. Renmark is Australia’s oldest irrigation settlement.

Renmark is a friendly Riverland town that is home to Australia's largest rose garden and hosts a glorious Rose Festival every year.

It takes its name from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘red mud’. The town was founded in 1887 following a joint agreement between the state government and Canadian engineers George and Ben Chaffey. The brothers were instrumental in helping to establish the system of irrigation still in use on the Murray today. Renmark is Australia’s oldest irrigation settlement.

Things to do and see

River Cruising
Begin your stay with a cruise on boats old or new. The houseboat-style Big River Rambler makes regular cruises from the wharf, while the historic paddle steamer Industry fires up on the first Sunday of every month. It’s one of the few remaining paddle steamers from the busy river trade days.

Riverfront Walk
Take a stroll along the Renmark riverfront interpretive walk. This easy five-kilometre walk (also suitable for bikes) interprets historical information about the town and river. An extension of the walk takes you to the nearby town of Paringa.

Houseboating
The riverfront is also the base for several houseboat fleets, including the Liba Liba fleet. Original proprietor Ian Showell conceived the idea of a floating house while in Egypt. The boats he saw along the Nile became the inspiration for what is now a multi-million dollar Murray River industry.

Learn to Ski
Don’t miss this great opportunity to walk on water. Learn to ski or wakeboard with Footing Fever Water Ski School (by appointment).

Olivewood Estate
The watershed in the town’s history was the development of the irrigation schemes in the late 1880s that turned this countryside into Australia’s food bowl. The Canadian-born Chaffey brothers are often called the founders of Renmark. Their original home, Olivewood, is now a National Trust museum and gives an important insight into the history of the town.

McCormick Centre for the Environment
Three kilometres outside Renmark is the McCormick Centre, which includes an interpretive model that shows the enormity and importance - and workings - of the Murray-Darling Basin.

Wine and Dine
Sample the local drop at Mallee Estates, Kahlon Estates, Renmano and Angove Winery cellar doors. You can also get a taste of the region’s great food and wine at many of the restaurants, pubs and the community club. Renmark Hotel is a good dine with great river views. Make sure you drop into Almondco Hut or Nuts about Fruit to get a taste of the local produce.

Backwater Expeditions
Discover the backwaters of the Murray on a backwater dinghy tour. You will see a very different side to this great river – extensive birdlife, plus diverse flora and fauna.

Rose Garden
Ideal for horticulture, Renmark’s climate is also perfect for roses and from September to July the main street is flush with blooms. Ruston’s Rose Garden is the largest rose garden in Australia and hosts a glorious mix of modern and heritage roses of all kinds and colours. The newly opened Rustons Rose Garden Visitor Centre offers a coffee and gift shop with a display of classic vehicles; you can also view floral arranging on site. All things ‘rose’ are celebrated in October in the town’s nine-day Rose Festival.

Wildlife Park
There’s adventure of a different kind at Bredl’s Wonder World of Wildlife: one of their informative guides will allow you to feed and hold a massive python!

Chowilla Station and Reserve
Just 40 kilometres from Renmark, where the Outback meets the river, are a wealth of natural, historic and cultural experiences. Go with a group and stay in the Shearers’ Quarters overlooking the Murray River, hire a canoe and explore this pristine natural bushland or discover this peaceful location on a houseboat. Camping and tours are available.

Accommodation
Accommodation in Renmark includes riverfront caravan parks, hotels and motels, bed and breakfasts and self-contained cabins. An extensive range of houseboats is available for hire.

Did you know?
Rustons Rose Garden and Visitor Centre in Renmark is the largest rose garden in Australia (27 acres or 11 hectares in size).

Cruise among great little riverside towns in your own floating home during a Riverland holiday.

Stop for a round of golf at some of the best courses in South Australia; or explore charming pioneer villages and internationally renowned bird sanctuaries before getting down to the serious business of food and wine.

The Riverland is a couple of hours from Adelaide, and perfectly located for a few days of rest and relaxation while you travel between South Australia and the eastern states. There's a good reason why nearly half of South Australia's wine grapes (and 90 per cent of our oranges, stone fruits and nuts) are grown in the Riverland. It's all the sunshine … and it's sure to do you some good!

Banrock Station Wine and Wetland Centre:
Please all your senses at the Banrock Station Wine and Wetland Centre, near Kingston-on-Murray. The company has rejuvenated the surrounding wetlands to attract birds back into the area, with pelicans, black swans, blue-winged shovelers and rare white-eyed ducks now thriving here. A seven-kilometre boardwalk will lead you right around the wetlands, and afterwards you can take it all in over a wine or two at the cellar door and café.

Riverland Wine & Food:
Known as the engine room of Australia's wine industry, the Riverland has a growing reputation for premium and boutique wines. Taste the variety at cellar doors including Hardy’s, Berri Estates (the southern hemisphere's largest winery and distillery), Simeon and Angove's, plus smaller operations such as Burk Salter Wines at Blanchetown and Bonneyview Wines at Barmera. On the food front, you can taste stone fruits, citrus and almonds at roadside produce stalls throughout the region, or look out for great outlet centres like Berri Direct in Berri. Pick up a copy of the Riverland Wine and Food Trail Map at local visitor information centres, or visit in October for the Riverland Wine & Food Festival in Berri.

Canoeing the Riverland:
Paddle a canoe into the backwaters of the Murray at the Loch Luna Game Reserve or Katarapko Creek in the Murray River National Park. They're ideal canoeing holiday spots for novice paddlers and families. And at Chowilla Creek, near Renmark, you can paddle into three states (South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales) in one day. Pick up a canoe trail brochure at local visitor information centres.

Bookmark Biosphere Reserve:
Along the Murray River, vegetation and woodlands support a diverse array of birds, from doves and cockatoos to kingfishers, honeyeaters, pelicans and parrots. Birds Australia Gluepot Reserve, in the UNESCO-listed Bookmark Biosphere Reserve, is one of the most important sanctuaries for protected birds in South Australia and is dedicated to preserving local eco-systems. Six threatened species and more than 180 other bird varieties also thrive here.

Golfing Greats:
Few regions in Australia can boast five top quality golf courses within 25 minutes of each other. The Riverland’s endless sunshine makes the links not only lush and verdant, but great to play all year round. You'll find excellent courses in Waikerie, Barmera, Berri, Loxton and Renmark.

River Ramblings:
Let the locals lead you astray on a dinghy expedition through the lush backwaters of the Murray River around Renmark. With Renmark River Cruises, you'll discover a different side of Australia's greatest river as you meander through stunning bushland settings and hear expert commentary on the plants and animals living within this fragile ecosystem.

Overland Corner Hotel:
Quench your thirst at one of South Australia's most quirky historic hotels. Built in 1859, the Overland Corner Hotel was originally an isolated frontier pub, frequented only by cattlemen driving cattle between South Australia and New South Wales. Later it became a vital outpost on the mail run between Adelaide and Sydney. The Overland Corner is still a licensed hotel, but today it's owned by the National Trust and includes a museum, nearby mines and a cemetery with resident ghosts.

Ruston's Rose Garden:
Wander among 50,000 perfumed rose bushes in one of the best rose gardens in the world. Ruston's Rose Garden in Renmark is open daily from 15 September to 1 July and peak bloom is usually from mid-October to mid-November. Visit in October for the Renmark Rose Festival at Renmark and Paringa.

Get a Hold on History:
Step back in time at the award-winning Loxton Historical Village, with more than 35 fully furnished buildings featuring farm equipment, machinery and household items used by the early settlers. Regular "Village Alive" days allow you to experience life as it was in the early 1900s. Other great historical attractions include Renmark's Olivewood Estate (it was built by the town's founders, the Chaffey brothers, and is now a National Trust museum) and the Cobdogla Irrigation and Steam Museum.

The Riverland town of Waikerie offers one of the longest stretches of accessible riverbank in South Australia. The width of this stretch of the Murray River makes it popular for thrilling water sports, fishing, and relaxing houseboats.

Waikerie is surrounded by more than a million fruit trees, making it the centre of the citrus and fruit industry in South Australia.

Enjoy the town's 18-hole, bunkerless golf course. Take a joy flight with the Waikerie International Soaring Centre. Ride the ferry crossing or take the 2-kilometre clifftop walk from the ferry for spectacular views of the Murray River.

Drop in to Orange Tree Giftmania off the highway, where a spiral staircase leads to a 360° view of Waikerie and its environs. You'll love Haven Hand chocolate factory and the cellar door of Thomsons Woolpunda Wines. Behind the Rainmoth Gallery (a local artists and craft workers outlet) you'll find the Interpretive Park – an opportunity for children to interact with the science of irrigation.

Dine and stay the night on a floating motel - the Murray River Queen. Absorb great river views from its fine restaurant or on deck at the cafe where you can try some Riverland boutique wines. With 52 renovated cabin rooms to suit any budget, this will be an experience to remember.

The name Waikerie is said to mean "many wings", after the giant swift moth "wei kari", the name given by the original indigenous community. It’s an appropriate name, considering the teeming birds of the lagoons and wetlands that edge the river.

You'll find the Waikerie Visitor Information Centre is on Sturt Highway, Waikerie.

The Riverland town of Waikerie offers one of the longest stretches of accessible riverbank in South Australia. The width of the river makes it popular for thrilling water sports, fishing, and relaxing houseboats.

This community is surrounded by more than a million fruit trees, making Waikerie the centre of the citrus and fruit industry in South Australia. The town also boasts an 18-hole, bunkerless golf course.

Gliding
In recent times, the birds have been joined in the skies by gliders, with pilots worldwide raving about the thermals on which they soar. The best way to understand their fervour is from the front seat of a glider: the Waikerie International Soaring Centre arranges joy flights. As a bonus the views of the river and waterways are inspiring.

Ride the Ferry
The ferry crossing at Waikerie is one of the few remaining on the Murray. A trip across the ferry and a turn to the right will take you on a clifftop scenic drive of the river with great views.

Clifftop Walk
Head off on the 2 kilometre clifftop walk from the Waikerie Ferry for spectacular views of the river.

Locally Made
Drop in to Orange Tree Giftmania off the highway. A spiral staircase leads to a 360° view of Waikerie and its environs. You'll love Haven Hand chocolate factory and the cellar door of Thomsons Woolpunda Wines. Behind the Rainmoth Gallery (a local artists’ and craft workers’ outlet) you'll find the Interpretive Park – an opportunity for children to interact with the science of irrigation.

Fauna Park
A fauna reserve located near the caravan park allows close contact with Australian animals.

Murray River Queen
Dine and stay the night on a floating motel. The Murray River Queen offers great river views from its fine restaurant or on deck at the café where you can try some Riverland boutique wines. With 52 renovated cabin rooms to suit any budget, this will be an experience to remember.

Camel and Boat Safaris
For a hands-on experience, head off in the bush on a camel or take to the river on a boat safari – or why not do both? Camel and boat safaris operate from October to April.

Bird-watching at Gluepot Reserve
North from the town is Gluepot Reserve, renowned for prolific birdlife and great camping. Before heading out on your walk, visit the new Michael Hyde Interpretive Centre to get all the information you need for a great wildlife experience. Collect the key to the reserve at the Shell Service Station in Waikerie.

The name Waikerie is said to mean "many wings", after the giant swift moth "wei kari", the name given by the original indigenous community. It’s an appropriate name, considering the teeming birds of the lagoons and wetlands that edge the river.

Visitor Information
The Waikerie Visitor Information Centre is on Sturt Highway, Waikerie.