Exploring the Mighty Murray in Many Adventures

  ​Australia’s longest river,     the Murray  flows from the    Snowy Mountains  down to the town of Albury, and joins the Darling River in Wentworth, in the far southwest of NSW.
The slow-moving waterway is ideal for all manner of leisurely activities: paddlesteamer tours, kayaking, fishing, golfing. Match your outdoor pursuits with an equally tempting array of food and wine, with a strong emphasis on local and seasonal. It’s a 5.5-hour drive southwest from Sydney to Albury (you can also fly) — or just 3.5 hours from Canberra. If you want to tackle a longer road trip, follow the itinerary for the  Mighty Murray Drive      once you arrive.  
Sightsee on a paddlesteamer
 While you can catch a paddlesteamer up the Murray on a one-hour cruise, to fully appreciate the waterway it’s hard to look past an overnight experience. Jump aboard   PS Emmylou  for one- to six-night itineraries to and from the   Port of Echuca   (the Discovery Centre here is worth a visit).
The experience offers a leisurely look at life on the river, not in the least the staggering 600-year-old red gums that line the banks. When you dock, enjoy campfire breakfasts, guided bushwalks and visits to the cellar doors of the region’s top wineries.  
Pick up some speed 
Parts of the Murray are extremely wide, making the river ideal for waterskiing expeditions. The   Southern 80  in   Echuca Moama  is an adrenaline-pumping pro-waterskiing event attracting some of the world’s top athletes. But anyone can give this high-octane activity a go, with local operators like   Brett Sands Watersports   offering professional instruction in waterskiing, as well as wakeboarding, knee boarding and barefooting. 
Soak up serenity 
A manmade reservoir 150km east of Echuca Moama,   Lake Mulwala    was created to control the flow of the river, and is today known for its ghostly gum trunks protruding from the water’s surface. The setting is particularly magical at sunset — weave your kayak through the eerie trees, on the lookout for nesting waterbirds, your soundtrack the chatter of cockatoos, corellas and kookaburras. Contact the   Yarrawonga Mulwala Amateur Canoe Club     for rentals and tours.  
Explore on two wheels
 For cyclists,   Five Mile Mountain Bike Trail   provides seven kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike tracks, shaded by enormous red gums. Situated in the Murray Valley Regional Park, just a few kilometres north of Moama, the route is great for riders of all experience levels, offering an exhilarating mix of terrain with drops, flowing bridges and wall rides — there’s also a skills area and a pump track. 
Join the club 
There are more than a dozen world-class golf courses fringing the Murray River — some of the most highly rated in regional Australia, in fact. Head to 18-hole   Howlong Golf Resort    for immaculate greens and fairways surrounded by native bush, particularly pretty in spring when everything blooms; there’s on-site accommodation, should you wish to linger. Corowa Golf Club also has a hotel alongside its 27-hole championship golf course, not to mention the cinema, clubhouse and pro-shop. And at Yarrawonga Mulwala Golf Club Resort, you can choose to tee off from three different courses: The Murray, situated beside the river; The Lake, with views of Lake Mulwala; and the shorter Executive, ideal for beginners. 
Dine on the water
From produce-driven cafés and restaurants to foodie trails, farmers markets, orchards, olive groves, wineries, whisky distilleries and craft breweries, the Murray region doesn’t disappoint on the food front. Get a taste for the diversity of offerings at   Redgums, a moving dining room on the deck of the PS Emmylou. Enjoy local wines and seasonal produce as you cruise along the river, spotting native wildlife on the banks while you feast. 
Follow a foodie trail 
With your tastebuds piqued, explore the Murray’s culinary offerings further on the   Echuca Moama Food and Wine Trail, which points out local wineries, distilleries, farm gates, cheesemongers, markets, coffee roasteries and more. Pick up a map from the   Echuca Moama and District Visitor Information Centre    in Echuca. While you’re seeking out local produce, make the detour to   Corowa Whisky and Chocolate, set inside a 1920s flour mill and selling handmade blocks and bars made using Belgium chocolate, as well as a range of delicious distilled drops.  
Find time for wine
 A small grape-growing region on the banks of the Murray, centred on the twin towns of Echuca Moama, Perricoota is developing a reputation for producing premium shiraz, cabernet sauvignon, chardonnay and fortified wines. Stop past the cellar door at   Morrisons Riverview Winery, which also has a stellar restaurant and brewery. Visit   St Anne’s Vineyards, where the rammed-earth cellar door overlooks a tranquil lake. And check out   Restdown Wines — the organic vineyard also features a Wetland Walk, offering a glimpse of wildlife across the property.  Wine and dine in style 
For an alfresco lunch of wood-fired pizzas and wine, head to   Blacksmith Provedore   at Lake Mulwala. The dreamy design — pastel-pink sun umbrellas on a grassy patio, light-and-bright interiors flecked with greenery — is only outshone by menus favouring local producers.  
Also popular for its outside dining opportunities is   The River Deck Café   in Albury Wodonga, perched right on the water in Noreuil Park. The menu nods to the region — think fresh trout, house-cured meats and Murray cod. 
Set up home on a houseboat 
There’s no better way to take the pulse of the mighty Murray than by hiring a houseboat for a night or two — or a week. The good news is that anyone can do it — you don’t need a boat licence to captain one of these rivercraft. Pick your accommodation, whether a basic two-berth boat or a luxurious floating ‘hotel’ with a spa, air-conditioning and open-plan kitchen. Then kit it out with jet-skis, paddleboards, kayaks and fishing gear.   Echuca Luxury Houseboats  has a modern fleet of state-of-the-art boats to choose from, while   Dinky-Di Houseboat Holidays   offers good-value rentals, ideal for families (some are even pet friendly). 
Sleep on dry land Prefer not to sleep on water? Check in to the   Perricoota Vines Retreat   just north of Moama, its one- to three-bedroom timber villas overlooking vineyards and a lake. The   Moama on Murray Resort   and   Echuca Moama Holiday Villas  are other great options, offering self-contained villas and units in a serene bushland setting. For a romantic stay,  Talo Retreat  has traditional Mongolian yurts (circular tent-like structures) kitted out with domed skylights, timber floors, a kitchenette and spa. And   Atura Albury    offers modern hotel rooms with an industrial-chic design vibe.  
Pitch a tent
​ Immerse yourself in nature at   Benarca campgrounds, a free, pet-friendly camp and caravan site in the Murray Valley Regional Park — in addition to beautiful views of the river, the area is just a short stroll (or pedal) to the Five Mile Mountain Bike Trail. Enjoy fishing, birdwatching and hiking in the shade of the majestic red river gums.