Posts Tagged ‘Echuca’

I’ve always preferred to drive to Melbourne than fly – I just like my independence, the freedom of the road and the convenience once I get there.

The direct route down the Hume (highway) can be a little tedious, mind you – just as well I’m comfortable behind the wheel! A new touring route has officially opened, however – the Sydney to Melbourne Touring Route. It’s not a new road, just a new slant on familiar territory, opening tourists’ eyes to what’s special in the states of NSW and Victoria.

Keen to try out the multi-day ‘Mega Drive’, I arranged campervan hire through DriveNow, picking up my camper in Sydney. After meandering through Sydney’s southern suburbs, we diverted through the gorgeous Royal National Park, emerging at Stanwell Tops and the start of the spectacular Grand Pacific Drive. This new road skirts the spectacular Wollongong escarpment, with a bridge hovering above the pounding ocean and offering spectacular views down the coastline.

I’m always blown away by the beauty of the south coast beaches, particularly where the emerald green countryside edges onto cliffs and beaches. Gerringong and Gerroa are particular favourites; and further south, I’m totally in love with the villages of Central Tilba and Tilba Tilba, famed for antiques, history and, of course, cheese!

As you edge towards the border, the beaches keep getting more and more enticing – Narooma, Merimbula and Pambula.

Eden, once centre of the whaling industry, is now a great place to spot these marine giants; and make sure you stop off at Ben Boyd pub for a real blast from the past.

Over the border, Lakes Entrance is a great place for boating, fishing and beachside recreation. After this, the drive heads inland, emerging onto the Great Alpine Road at Bairnsdale. As much enamoured with mountain scenery as we are with beaches, we deviated a little for the Alpine villages of Dinner Plain and Mt Hotham before heading to Anglers Rest for a stop off at our favourite pub, the Blue Duck. Up the road from there is The Willows, a lovely rural property featuring historic cottages and brilliant horse riding through spectacular High Country scenery.

The touring route then scouts north again, reaching the mighty Murray River and the historic towns of Echuca-Moama. Here we jumped on board a paddlesteamer, reliving the romance of colonial days.

Then it was south again through Bendigo, where more gold was found between 1850 and 1900 than anywhere else in the world. This history is all showcased at a family favourite, Sovereign Hill, our final stop before hitting the road to Melbourne.

It may have taken a little longer than the usual 10-hour haul, but the drive gave us new appreciation of some of the most fantastic parts of two great eastern states.

ANGELA DE LEON

This one may not necessarily be the prettiest drives from Melbourne, but it’s certainly the fastest way to reach the magic that awaits on the mighty Murray River. Echuca, about 200km north of Melbourne on the Victoria and NSW border, was once the biggest inland port in Australia and has retained much of that old world charm in the heart of town while also offering a cosmopolitan way of life too. In a nutshell there’s the historic port to explore, great restaurants and pubs, big clubs over the border in Moama, a wealth of river activities including fishing, skiing, swimming, Paddlesteamer cruises and much more.

The journey

From Melbourne, it’s a leisurely two and a half-to-three hour drive up the Hume and Northern highways and you’ll pass through little towns including Kilmore, Heathcote, Elmore and Rochester – each with their own respective charms but nothing close to  the abundance of attractions, river appeal and cosmopolitan allure offered in Echuca.

The accommodation options are ample in this part of the world, so either grab a car, hit the highway and set up base in a hotel/B&B/resort or, better still, grab a campervan and stay in one of the excellent holiday parks (aka caravan parks) on either side of the border. Shady River Holiday Park or Murray River Holiday Park are two worth checking out online. You won’t really need to venture too far from the town itself once you get there because there’s so much to do!

Food, glorious food

Three special mentions for food and dining experiences that simply cannot be ignored: Oscar W’s Wharfside matches just about any restaurant in Australia for its amazing riverside location, it’s exquisite menu and first class service; Ceres in Nish St and in the historic Mill building; and Morrisons in Moama, another riverside treat that also doubles as a magnificent wedding and conference venue. There’s a bunch of other terrific eateries in and around town including Top of the Town for fish’n'chips, Roma pizza restaurant in the heart of the city opposite the old post office and quality coffee shops/cafes all over the place. Famous Beechworth Bakery is worth a brekky one morning, despite being a tad on the expensive side.

What to do

Or rather, what isn’t there to do! Catch a paddlesteamer cruise, hit a sandy riverbank for a swim or a fish, hire a houseboat for a few days or a week to really experience river life, check out Madison Spa, lose yourself in the world of activities at the Port of Echuca including Sharp’s Magic Movie House, explore the wharf or check out Oz Maze, National Holden Museum or Billabong Ranch.

AUSTIN BONHAM