2023/24 - 10 Days: The “Hill” & The “River” - Exploring Mildura, Broken Hill and the SA Riverland

The Mildura Region is renowned for its big skies, rich earth and welcoming locals. Australia’s two greatest rivers, the Murray and the Darling meet at nearby Wentworth supporting local flora and fauna. This is where most of Australia's dried fruit, grapes, citrus, almonds, pistachios, olives, carrots, and asparagus are grown. Wine too is in abundance. The Mildura area produces most of Australia's Chardonnay, in addition to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and several other varieties. The river is the heart and soul of Mildura. During our stay we will see it, hear it and cruise on it. To the north of Mildura is Broken Hill. Its a fascinating outback town - an artificial oasis in the vast arid lands of far western NSW. “Beyond the Darling River, on the edge of the sundown” is where they used to say you would find Broken Hill! Dominating the town is the “Line of Lode” – the seven kilometre strip of what was the biggest deposit of silver, lead and zinc in the world. Art and the Outback must work well together. This is where Pro Hart and Jack Absolom did a lot of their best work! Downstream from Mildura, in the South Australian Riverland, is the delightful town of Barmera. Overlooking Lake Bonney – venue for a world water speed record attempt in 1964 - this will be our base for the last part of our adventure. Here the Murray River is at its widest. Over 4 days we will explore the waterways, enjoy some local hospitality, visit historic Loxton and meet some characters who run wineries, woolsheds and lavender farms!

Day 1 (D) - Melbourne to Mildura

The wide reaches of the Murray River and the wide open spaces of Outback NSW create a remarkable contrast during our 10 Day tour to Mildura, Broken Hill and the South Australian Riverland. Sit back and enjoy the view and the company as we make our way out of Melbourne and onto the Western Highway. Our lunch stop today is at Donald. There is an interesting stop here on the edge of the town. Located in the old Abattoir Buildings is a thriving business called Kooka’s Country Cookies. Don’t be deceived by the dilapidated surroundings!! This is an enterprise that generates more than $10 million is sales each year and distributes homemade style cookies to most of the major supermarket chains in Australia. We take a look and enjoy a sample before a lunch stop in the main street. From here we continue into the Mallee and onto Mildura – our base for the next two nights. Check in, unpack and relax before our welcome dinner in the hotel (Meal inclusions: Welcome dinner in the hotel)

Mildura Inlander Motel - 2 nights

Day 2 (BLD) - Exploring Mildura

The provincial city of Mildura is an oasis in the North West corner of Victoria, in an area commonly known as the Sunraysia District. As most locals can tell you this name is appropriate, as Mildura and the surrounding countryside enjoy a dry, clear climate with clear blue skies and 400 more hours of sunshine each year than the Gold Coast!

Let’s hope the sun shines during our visit! After a hearty breakfast we begin our day’s touring with some local information – a guide will join our coach to give us a good insight into Mildura. Saying farewell to our guide, we make our way to the Mildura Wharf where we board the Paddle Vessel Rothbury. We will have a relaxing cruise with a carvery lunch on board. Back on dry land, we head to the Varapodio Olive Oil Farm. We’ll be met by the owners who will give us a talk on their farm as well as tastings of their award winning oils. We’ll also see their range of salad dressings, olive oil mayonnaise and olive oil cosmetics and soaps! After a fascinating day we return to our motel for dinner. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the motel, lunch cruise)

Day 3 (BLD) - Wentworth/Broken Hill

We make our way to nearby Wentworth this morning and stop at the lovely parkland area at the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers for a “birds eye” view of the waterway. Lock 10 here was constructed between 1925 and 1929 and, like all locks, it helps maintain constant river heights all year round. We also visit the Old Wentworth Gaol. Make sure to bring the camera as there are some fun photo opportunities – behind real prison bars or perhaps in the stock! A visit to the gaol shows the hard lives and extreme conditions prisoners endured amongst the beauty of the old pepper trees dating back to establishment of the gaol in 1879. Lunch at the Crown Hotel in Wentworth and then a three hour drive north to Broken Hill – our base for the next 2 nights. Before checking into our hotel we have arranged a tour of the Royal Flying Doctor Base at Broken Hill Airport. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & dinner included/Pub lunch)

Broken Hill – 2 nights

Day 4 (BLD) - Broken Hill & Silverton

This morning after breakfast we have an 8.00am appointment The School of the Air  - an unique service provided for the geographically isolated primary school aged children, by satellite radio. During today’s “Broken Hill Experience” (with the help of a locally based guide) we will hear about the history of Broken Hill and see some of the historic buildings – the Broken Hill Court House built in 1889 and the Broken Hill Trades Hall. Its facade was retained in 1974 after the main halls and offices were demolished. One of the best views of the town is from the top of the Line of Lode at the Miners Memorial (listing the names of more than 800 people who have died working at the mine). Unlike modern mining towns, where the accommodation is built well away from the mine, Broken Hill’s population, in the pick and shovel days, built their houses as close as they could to their work.

Next stop is the Silver City Mint and Art Centre. Known as one of the best galleries in town, the centre houses jewellery made from local silver, a mineral display and an extensive range of original paintings by well-known artists. However it is the dramatic “Big Picture” painted by Peter Anderson that will be one of the highlights of our tour to Broken Hill. It’s the world’s largest acrylic painting on canvas that totally immerses visitors into the local landscape.

Also on our program is Pro Hart’s Gallery and the tiny settlement of Silverton . It preceded Broken Hill and was, for a time, the largest town in the Barrier Ranges. Today it is a virtual ghost town but a number of the historic buildings remain. More recently Silverton has hosted film crews who have produced many well known movies such as Mad Max 2 and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. We have lunch at the Silverton Pub before the drive back to Broken Hill. We take the opportunity to drop by Mario’s Palace to see the interior of the hotel that was used for bar scenes in the movie ‘Priscilla - Queen of the Desert’. Finally, just on sunset we transfer to the outskirts of town to see a fascinating attraction.

The Living Desert and Sculpture Symposium was created from large pieces of Wilcannia Sandstone by twelve of the world’s finest sculptors. The arrangements of the stones is double colonnade which defines a special flow from the Pinnacles Hills to Fred Hollow’s resting place in Bourke and provides one of the most spectacular views in the area. It will be a delightful way to complete our day’s touring! (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & dinner included/Pub lunch at Silverton)

Day 5 (BLD) - Mungo National Park

We return to Mildura this morning where we meet our locally based guide for our visit to the World Heritage listed Mungo National Park. The Willandra Lakes preserve the longest continuous record of aboriginal life in Australia from 40,000 years ago to the present. Our tour across the lake floor to the "Walls of China” provides an opportunity, via the layers of the sand dunes, to experience the history of this pre historic period.

The tour slowly and gently weaves through unique geological formations of rare beauty passing by the ancient evidence of the people that once walked this land.

Lunch at the Mungo Lodge Restaurant is included. After a great day we return to Mildura. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the hotel, lunch on tour in the Mungo National Park)

Quality Hotel Mildura Grand Cnr 7th & Deakin Avenue Mildura 03 50230511 – 1 night

Day 6 (BLD) - Welcome to the SA Riverland

This morning we travel west along the Sturt Highway towards the South Australian Border. Its 140ks from Mildura to Renmark - and just a little closer is the tiny village of Paringa (Paringa is from an Aboriginal word meaning "big bend in the river").

It’s here we have our morning stop at Lock 5. Navigating the Murray River wouldn’t be possible without the series of locks and weirs that were built back in the 1920s and 1930s. Fourteen locks are still in use today. Lock 5 here at Paringa - just downstream from Renmark - is a great example of one of these locks. We then cross the Paringa Suspension Bridge and drive into Renmark where we will park at the Renmark Paringa Visitors Centre and visit Paddle Steamer Industry, which is moored here.

Commissioned in 1911, the Industry once worked for South Australian Water, keeping the River open to traffic. Following a hectic work life the steamer was retired in 1969. There is a delightful short “river bank walk” to the Renmark Club for lunch. From here it’s a short drive to Barmera. One of the traditional aboriginal camping grounds, in the Riverland Region of South Australia, was Overland Corner – on the Murray River, just to the north of Lake Bonney. With the arrival of European settlement Overland Corner, located half way between Adelaide and Mildura, became a major stopover point for drovers taking stock from New South Wales to the Port of Adelaide. Our “camping ground” on this tour is a little more comfortable!

The Comfort Inn & Suites Riverland (formerly the Barmera Country Club Motor Inn), adjacent to the Barmera Golf Club, has become a popular base for groups visiting this fascinating part of the lower Murray River. Spacious ground floor rooms - all with fairway views - an onsite restaurant, a recreation room exclusively available for visiting groups and a passionate management team make the Comfort Inn a popular choice. Over the next few days we will enjoy some excellent country hospitality, meet some local characters and sample some produce from the rich irrigated farm lands alongside the Murray River including stone fruit, citrus, grapes and vegetables. Our welcome dinner tonight will be hosted in the motel restaurant by the Motel Managers Devon & Angelique. (Meal Inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the motel/Club lunch)

Barmera Country Club Motor Inn 08 85882888 -4 nights

Day 7 (BLD) - Lets get on the water…

Barmera is a popular holiday resort town situated on the shores of Lake Bonney. The lake has been the training ground for world champion water skiers and the venue for world water speed records (Sir Donald Campbell in the 1960s).

Our first stop this morning is at Rocky’s South Australian Country Music Hall of Fame before heading to Berri - another of the four major Riverland towns and just a short drive from Barmera. Some of the widest and most picturesque sections of the Murray River are found around Berri. We have arranged to join “Fay” - a fantastic, fully restored river boat, for a two hour river cruise on this wide section of the Murray River. The bar will be open and a platter lunch will be served! This is the Murray River at its best! From Berri we head across to Renmark to visit Olivewood - a homestead and museum containing relics from 1887. Olivewood traces the story of the Chaffey Brothers who were instrumental in introducing irrigation to the area. Nearby is Angoves Winery, the largest privately owned winery in Australia. Established in 1886 and commencing operation in 1910, it is noted for a large variety of premium wines and brandy. Today, the fifth generation of the winemaking family carries on the business. We enjoy a talk and a taste before making our way back to Barmera. (Meal Inclusions: Breakfast dinner in the motel/platter lunch)

Day 8 (BLD) - Historic Riverland

Just downstream from Barmera is the award winning Banrock Station near Kingston on Murray. Banrock Station lies at the junction of the Banrock Creek and the Murray River. Here there is 12.5 kilometres of river frontage, adjacent to the Banrock Lagoon and wetlands. We will take a short walk followed by morning tea and a wine tasting. Then, travelling over the Napper Bridge (which crosses Chambers Creek - the link from the Murray River to Lake Bonney)we head to historic Overland Corner Hotel – near where the early drovers used to camp in the 1800s. The hotel was built from sandstone cut from a nearby quarry and in the 1870's it was not unusual for as many as 30,000 sheep and several mobs of cattle to be camped here overnight. We enjoy lunch here before some touring through to Waikerie, which means in the local aboriginal language, Rain Moth. There is a small gallery here named the Rain Moth Gallery which is worth a look – and a short heritage walk to the Murray River is available from the gallery (walk or coach option). Our final visit of the day is to Flavours of the Riverland - home of Backyard Bread!

It’s a rustic venue, with an extensive range of local produce that showcases the diverse flavours of the Riverland. Dinner tonight is at the nearby Bella Lavender Farm. There will be time for a walk in the garden and to check out their range of products for sale such as homemade soap, shampoo lip balm and arthritis cream. Then a scrumptious home cooked meal will be served before we head back to Barmera. (Meal inclusions: Breakfast in the motel/Pub lunch/Dinner at Bella lavender)

Day 9 (BLD) - Loxton & Renmark

One of the other major Riverland towns is Loxton - and that is where we are heading this morning. Loxton on the Murray, was first settled by people of (predominantly) German origin, who were escaping religious persecution. This proud German heritage is still evident today. Much of the town’s fascinating history is on display at the Loxton Historical Village. The town was not settled until Cobdogla Station was established in the 1850’s. A William Loxton was a stockman on the Station who lived, with his wife Mary, in a slab hut on the riverbank. A replica of this hut was built in 1970 on its original site - the beginnings of the Loxton Historical Village. Lunch today is at a local riverside brewery called Wilkadene – it will be a lot of fun! The Wilkadene Woolshed Brewery is the Riverland’s only independent craft brewery – and, as its located on the banks of the Murray River, its known as a “Brew with a View!” Based in a 100 year old shearing shed this is a truly unique cellar door experience!. On our way back to Barmera we call at the 23rd Street Distillery. This historic distillery has some very tempting products for sale!! Our farewell dinner tonight includes a free first drink and perhaps a little bit of “in house entertainment” – can anyone sing? (Meal Inclusions: Breakfast & dinner in the motel/Lunch at Wilkadene Woolshed Brewery)

Day 10 (B) - Heading Home

All good things come to an end they say and our “Hill & River Tour” is no exception! We have planned a slightly earlier breakfast this morning prior to our departure. We head back into Victoria and follow the Calder Highway back to Bendigo and then home to complete a sensational 10 day tour. (Meal Inclusions: Breakfast in the motel)

Tour Price

$2,570 per person (sharing a twin or double room)

The tour price is dependent on a minimum of 40 paying customers. Should the number of bookings not reach the minimum of 40 the following prices apply –

• Minimum 35 - $2,630 per person

• Minimum 30 - $2,710 per person

• Minimum 25 - $2,830 per person

• Minimum 20 - $3,010 per person

Add $580 for a guaranteed single room

Fares subject to change and availability of services. Includes most meals, local guides and entry fees.

This tour departs from - and finishes in - Melbourne. Several departure/arrival points – including Southern Cross Station – will be available and advised closer to departure. If you need assistance with transfers to/from the departure points please call ARJ.

This tour is available to all members of Victorian Probus Clubs. It will be escorted.

Tour Inclusions

Tour price includes deluxe coach touring, 9 nights accommodation, meals as indicated (B=Cooked breakfast, L= Light or packed lunch, D=2 course limited choice dinner) delux touring coach and other attractions and entries as per the itinerary.

Next Steps

To arrange a tour for your club simply contact Alex Corones from Australian Road Journeys on 0488 117 682 with your preferred date of travel – he will do the rest! When everything is confirmed, ARJ will provide printed itineraries for distribution to interested club members.

Read some testimonials from past groups here.

Tour Conditions

A deposit of $350 per person is required to secure your booking. This deposit is fully refundable until 60 days prior to the day of departure. Final payment is required 45 days prior to the day of departure. Bookings cancelled within 14 days prior to the day of departure are non-refundable. No additional cancellation fees apply.

Personal Travel Insurance is strongly recommended.

The Itinerary may be subject to change without notice. Whilst every effort is made to adhere to the itinerary as provided, Australian Road Journey’s reserves the right to alter the touring and attractions as dictated by circumstances and conditions outside the company’s control. Alterations may be made to ensure the smooth running of the tour.  Every attempt will be made to ensure alterations do not adversely affect the operation of the tour. Australian Road Journey’s will not be held responsible for weather based cancellations or those closures made at the venue’s discretion. All itineraries are subject to change due to occasional restrictions in opening times/days of some attractions, e.g. churches, wineries etc.