A floating holiday down the Murray River

THERE'S a great deal to enjoy on a floating holiday along one of the world's mightiest rivers, writes Jennifer Adams.

THE Murray River is one of the most famous waterways in Australia.

The third longest navigable river in the world behind the Amazon and the Nile, it has been a transport route, irrigation source and playground for Australians and visitors from around the world for many years.

The twin towns of Echuca in Victoria and Moama in NSW are just a 2 1/2-hour journey from Melbourne, and they straddle each side of the river, separated only by a busy bridge. Underneath, the river acts as the state border and is famous as an aquatic playground, with paddle-steamers, anglers, powerboats, water skiers, canoeists and houseboats all gravitating towards this wide stretch of beautiful water flanked by Aussie bush.

We were here to make the most of "life on the Murray", and after an easy drive up the highway in the Subaru through the heart of Victoria's countryside, we pulled into Echuca, the larger of the two towns, for a spot of lunch at one of the many historic bakeries. Shops and buildings in town hark back to the 1800s when this region was first settled, with glorious Victorian facades preserved by the townspeople today.

Directly behind town, the old historic Port of Echuca is still in operation but only gives a hint of the industry that was built here in the second half of the 19th century when Echuca was the country's largest inland port. Paddle-steamers still take passengers on leisurely journeys along the river and travellers who take the trip today can imagine the trade that took place when they glimpse the redgum wharves, old station homesteads and abandoned barges along the river now.

A popular accommodation option in this area is to hire a houseboat. What better way to experience the Murray than to stay directly on it, navigating your way along its gum tree-lined banks and immersing yourself in all it has to offer. From the Moama side of the water, we boarded Luxury on the Murray and immediately were taken aback at how far houseboats have come in style and size.

With five king-sized bedrooms, each with ensuite, a lounge room to seat 12 people, a huge kitchen and an upstairs deck that boasted an integrated barbecue area, heated spa and table for 12, this was clearly a luxurious way to kick back and relax on the river.

The beauty of the houseboat is that you can drive it as little or as much as you like, mooring it when you want some peace and quiet, where you can sit back and hear nothing more than the birds in the trees around you and the odd fish or insect breaking the water near you.

Our silence was shortly broken, however, by a guest we had invited to visit us earlier. Brett Sands is a local legend and ambassador for the Murray River region. A former triple world champion barefoot skier, he was born and bred in this area and now operates his own water sports company. He sped up to our houseboat in his slick powerboat and it wasn't long before we were speeding off with him to get a taste of the sport. Clint had wakeboarded before, but was feeling a little conscious of his skills in front of a world champion. Nevertheless, he was determined to see if he could master a jump today and, with a brave face, jumped in the water behind Brett's boat, eagerly absorbing the expert instructions he was given through a walkie talkie directly into a microphone in his helmet. He managed to stand first try and, though at many times he looked a little out of control, he did manage to stay up and jump the wake as he'd planned, albeit crashing and burning immediately afterwards. Then it was time to climb back into the boat and let the master Brett show us his work.

After enjoying a sunset barbecue on the top deck of the houseboat, and relishing in a great night's sleep, we made our way back to dry land to explore some of the highlights on offer on either side of the river.

We were keen to discover a unique little treasure we had heard about from the locals. The Great Aussie Beer Shed, on the outskirts of town, is owned and operated by local man Neil Thomas, who lovingly built it to house his collection of beer memorabilia and other Australian history amassed over many years. As well as boasting about 17,000 (empty) cans of beer from around the world, it also has beer barrels, taps, bottles, brewing equipment, signage and memorabilia to complement the display.

After a fascinating tour, it was time for lunch at Morrisons Winery, outside of Moama directly on the Murray with its own paddle-steamer dock. Visitors can disembark directly from ship to the winery, and enjoy a magnificent lunch and a drop or two of their local wine.

We topped off our stay at the Moama Riverside Holiday Park, where we set up the Jayco to enjoy the rest of our trip under tall red gums, with the sounds of the river and its activity only metres away.

Watch this story and more, on Places We Go today at 4pm, Network 10.

Go2 - MURRAY RIVER

Doing there:

Murray Regional Tourism

Brett Sands Watersports

Morrisons Winery

Great Aussie Beer Shed

Luxury on the Murray Houseboats

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