Murray River, Mildura, Vic

The Murray River from the Hume Dam to the Ocean is more than 2000km. There are 26 locks, weirs and barrages that control the river making it navigable the whole year round. This page refers to the river between Euston/Robinvale and Wentworth. Mildura, which is in this section, is the largest city in Sunraysia region famous for its citrus fruits, grapes and wineries. It also has a large tourist industry.

The river meanders slowly through the landscape on a winding route through a mixture of farmland, national parks and wildlife reserves. There are many low but steep river banks, some low cliffs and many sandy beaches.

The is one of the main forms of recreation in this area and attracts a good number of power boats, water skiers, wake boarders and fishers.  The width of the river allows paddlers to keep clear of these towards the sides of the river. The river is also notably quieter a few km’s out of town and in some places you may not encounter anyone for many hours. 

The flow in the river varies throughout the year and due irrigation demand and rainfall in the catchment. The flow is usually gentle unless there has been a flood. Typically, it is 2-3km/h and so should be considered in any trip planning. Also be careful with distances Generally allow four times further by river than by road (Euston to Mildura is about 80km by road but 225km by river). Around the towns there are properties running down to the river, but you will never be far from public access. Around the towns you will find many moored vessels including historic paddleboats.

There is plenty of wildlife to see in and around the river. Many species of birds are likely to be encountered including eagles.

Kings Billabong

For those of you that enjoy watching wildlife, Kings Billabong, just a few kms from the Mildura CBD is a great place for a short and relaxed paddle. For further information check out this dedicated page: Kings Billabong.

Vehicle Access and Launching

Away from the towns the are many national parks and wildlife reserves, most of which provide vehicle access to the river, although sometimes a 4×4 is needed. There are many additional boat ramps used for recreational purposes suitable for any vehicle. There are many places to free camp along the river.