Welcome to River Country. As the warmer weather takes hold, days are longer and the blue skies stretch to the horizon in all directions.
Take an easy break from day-to-day life with a relaxing trip to southern NSW’s River Country. From Murray Downs and Swan Hill, through Barham and upriver as far as Echuca Moama, We absolutely live for the outdoor life here, and we’re ready and waiting to share it with you.
1. Colour
Jump in the car and hit the highway on the lookout for the highlighter-yellow shimmer of canola in bloom. The canola crop is a common site in these parts, but it’s still striking to see endless paddocks showing off more hi-viz than a Melbourne construction site!
Join in the Insta trend by snapping selfies with the crops. But always remember:
2. Food and drink
Everyone has to eat! Sip and savour spring flavours, whether on the deck by the river at Morrisons at Moama, or at St Anne’s or Rest Down wines. Favourites here veer to the lighter side with rose and sauv blanc, but ignore the underrated reds at your peril.
Start your food exploration at Barham’s newest food and wine bar ‘Ivy Joyce’, serving local seasonal produce, picnic in the vines at Barham Vines, or join the locals at the Tooleybuc Sporting Club or the Wakool Hotel for a bistro meal and a friendly chat.
3. Events
We always welcome visitors who come to enjoy the kinds of events only regional Australia can offer. State orchestras and laneway festivals are fine, but wait until you share the pure fun of events in River Country! The Perricoota Pop and Pour Festival is exactly as much fun as it sounds, while the Wakool Sheep Races (the Melbourne Cup of the bush!), Mathoura Speed Shear Competition, Wakool Show, and the Moulamein Gourmet Fare offer slices of community life that we are proud to share. Visitors from neighbouring regions, big cities and countries far and wide are welcomed with a generous smile.
4. Blooming lovely!
From spring to summer, these late months are the best time to enjoy our region’s famed botanic gardens. And the two main attractions offer a wonderfully unique taste of native Australian plant life. These are botanic gardens like you’ll find nowhere else in the world!
Just a few minutes’ drive from central Barham, the Barham Federation Botanic Reserve is a community-led initiative that provides habitat to over 125 species of plants that are local to our region, plus mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds.
Moama Botanic Gardens is another striking display of the local plants and trees that make River Country so unique. An ‘arid’ garden may sound dull, but the astonishing life, colour and diversity on show surprises everyone who visits. There are picnic facilities too.
5. Walks and bikes
Go on a self guided bike ride around any one of our towns. If you’re near the Murray, enjoy the easy walking and cycling trails, or head out of town for some mountain bike action or bushwalks.
With paths and trails to suit all levels of fitness, River Country is especially wonderful when explored up close. If you want the bike to do most of the work for you, there are even guided e-bike tours around Echuca and out to St Anne’s winery in Moama!
6. Picnic in nature
Pick up fresh supplies at farm gates along the Backroads Trail, or visit any of our local producers, then head out with family and friends for a picnic in the Murray Valley National Park or Yanga National Park. Both locations are teeming with wildlife in spring. Walk off your lunch with a stroll along marked tracks and look out for native birds and animals emerging in the late afternoon.
Pack your car, book somewhere to stay (or bring your tent), and get a taste of the simple life in River Country this spring and summer.
Discover River Country ... where the best memories are made.
