The Murray, Murray Riverina Region — New South Wales

The Murray region of New South Wales is one of the popular tourist destinations to those who want to experience the vibrance of nature in its purest form. The Murray region is highlighted by the Murray River which runs through the east side of South Australia, trails along New South Wales towards the Victorian border.

The Murray encompasses the towns of Albury-Wodonga on the Victorian border, Echuca and Deliquen. One can leisurely take a traditional paddle streamer or cruise around the beautiful waters. Another popular way of going around the beautiful scenic nature surrounding the region is through hiring a houseboat from one of the many set-up rental companies.

Each town in the Murray offers a variety of recreational activities. Albury-Wodonga, for instance, is very ideal for water activities including white water rafting, canoeing, skiing in winter, water skiing, fishing and bush walking. It is also home to many wineries, historic towns and gold mining villages along the river. Deniliquin, on the other hand, is located by the Edward River, which has a series of lagoons that snake off into the state forest and the parklands. Deniliquin is ideal for water skiing, boating, fishing, safe swimming, canoeing, river cruising, or even just relaxing on the sandy beaches of Willoughby and McLeans.

Lying along the southern part of the area is the Murray Bridge, which offers the Monarto Zoological Park and the Dundee Wildlife Park, along with a number of accommodations. Visitors love taking daytime cruises aboard the PS Captain Proud, the MV Barrangul or the longer PS Proud Mary from here. Located at the east side of the Murray Bridge is the Tailem Bend, which provides an interesting recreation site in the Old Tailem Town village. One can also take river cruises from here, cross the Jervois and reach the stunning hamlet of Wellingtom.

Heading north will lead to the Mannum where the first ever riverboat was made throughout the history of Australia. A floating museum about the area history is a must see site here. While in the area in winter, one can also visit the breathtaking Cascade Waterfalls at the Reedy Creek and the waterbirds based in the Purnong Road Bird Sanctuary. Going eastwards leads to the magnificent scenery and wildlife of the Swan Reach where the Big Bend and the beautiful Yellow Cliffs can be seen from.

East of Waikerie lies the quaint town of Berri, which is the gateway to the Murray River National Park and the Katarapko Creek. The Willabalangaloo Reserve is also a must-see site, offering only the greatest walking trails in the area. South of Berri lies the historical village of Loxton, while north takes one to the vineyards and delicious wines of Renmark. The nearby Chowilla Regional Reserve provides canoeing, bush walking and camping opportunities, while equally proximate is the town of Barmera which offers sandy beaches and water sports activities.

The Murray region offers a wide variety of scenic and recreation spots from every direction. Its temperate and mild climate makes it a good vacation destination whatever the season. To cater to its thousands of visitors, it has a wide variety of accommodation options that range from hotels to bed and breakfasts, holiday units to backpacking hostels, to motels to lodging houses. Whatever the preference or the budget is, there is one to fit each individual needs.