Echuca

Named by the Aborigines for 'meeting of the water' – the junction of the Murray, Campaspe and Goulbourn Rivers - Echuca is one of Victoria's oldest river towns and boasts a number of heritage-registered buildings. The township combines the timeless romance of the paddlesteamer era with the beauty and tranquillity of quiet forests and waterways.

With close proximity to so many waterways, Echuca boasts an impressive array of premium fishing spots. The area also boasts a multitude of hidden bed and breakfasts, gourmet restaurants, perfumed day spas, holiday parks, bush walks through magnificent red gum forests, entertainment for the kids - it's all combined in the town that time forgot.

Step back in time and hear the nostalgic hoot of boat whistles, clip-clop of horse-drawn wagons, explore the alleys or tread the boards of the wharf in the footsteps of those from the 1800's. Excitingly, the rail line right to the wharf has now been re-laid, allowing steam train passengers to get off, walk a few paces across the wharf and board a riverboat.


The tour

As well as the fully cooked gourmet campfire dinners, cooked breakfasts, hamper lunches, all drinks (excellent local wines, beer, soft-drinks and juices) and snacks provided the standard tour includes:

• Walk through Echuca town - Echuca’s High Street, leading down to the Port, was the centre of town 150 years ago. Today the gorgeous heritage buildings, with their balconies and verandahs, house rows of boutiques packed with fashion clothing and shoes, antiques, arts and crafts, and the ever-important hotel or three;
• Port of Echuca / Riverside Dock - Today the Port of Echuca is a unique opportunity to enjoy and experience an authentic working steam port. The Port of Echuca shipwrights, steam engineers and river boat captains still fascinate visitors because those trades are still a vital part of the Port's operations today as they were in the late 1800's. The port tour concludes with dinner at one of Echuca’s famed riverside eateries;
• Regional winery tour - Perricoota is one of Australia's fastest growing and most respected wine districts. Our tour will be a day long remembered and takes in such great wineries as Cape Horn Vineyard, St Anne's Winery, Morrison's Riverview Estate, Chanter Estate Winery, Old School Winery, and the Murray Esplanade Cellars;
• Regional wildlife tour in Barmah state forest - Get back to nature as we take you on a fantastic scenic tour through redgum forests, criss-crossed with sandhills and walking tracks, and abundant with kangaroos, emus, wedge-tailed eagles, and other birdlife. This scenic tour takes in the wildlife pinnacle of the world-renowned Barmah Wetlands. Be surrounded by Aboriginal legend as you tour the quiet, mysterious reaches of the forest, either by vehicle or boat, surrounded by swamps, lakes, lagoons and grasslands. The wetlands are home to hundreds of species, animals, birds, plants and 180 sacred indigenous sites and are sure to leave a lasting impression; and
• Dharnya Aboriginal Centre - The rich Aboriginal history of the region can be uncovered at the Dharnya Centre at Barmah State Park, which is steeped in Aboriginal myth and legend. The centre provides the opportunity to learn about the history and culture of the Yorta Yorta people through an excellent display or an Aboriginal guided walking tour of the region explaining the significance of certain sites.

• Yesteryear regional tour - We can take you through the working lands of the region, including the rich cropping land filled with golden wheat, dairy herds and flocks of sheep that the region was built on, as well as the 1870s village of Wamboota. We can also show you the military and wartime history of the region and the seven World War II internment camps that were located in the area;
• The Echuca Art Gallery which features paintings and cards by local artists, and pottery, Aboriginal art, wrought iron work and redgum furniture which line the streets of the township;
• The Echuca Historical Society Museum with an historical collection (Circa 1867 - 1969) housed in the former Police station and cell complex comprising an extensive quantity of files of photography and documents of pioneer times, as well as family memorabilia and objects, much of which dates from the earlier portion of the 1870s;
• Sharps Magic Movie House & Penny Arcade;
• The National Holden Museum - for the rev-heads, undoubtedly one of Australia's favourite symbols, the Holden is on show in its full glory; and
• Riverside dock highlights including the Cargo Shed Museum with the fascinating 10 minute audio/visual of Echuca, an arranged tour of the Star Hotel (once a 'sly' grog shop complete with its underground bar and escape tunnel), and the 1800's squatter's suite and gallery in the Bridge Hotel, once Echuca’s finest.