This was published 1 year ago
A luxury float in prime houseboating territory is now easier
Mildurians will tell you the river is better for houseboating in their neck of the woods than elsewhere along the Victorian Murray, for here, the river is wider thanks to the Mildura Weir.
Float on by ... setting sail in Mildura.
My only other houseboat experience was a couple of decades ago with people I didn’t know very well in a place that was not Mildura. The vessel was little more than a floating shack, the hosts brought out their bucket bong then ran the vessel aground, and I took to my bunk with a book in abject misery.
So, it’s not just a wider slice of the Murray that has me surprised that I am loving houseboating in Mildura.
It’s also the fact that times have changed and houseboats generally have upped their game significantly. (And so have I with my choice of company.)
I am at the helm of the very swish All Seasons Iconic Luxury, steering her down the Mildura slice of the mighty Murray at seven kilometres an hour, and I am loving the experience.
Though apparently, you might not know I am. All Seasons co-owner, Sean Bromley is by my side, instructing me on the finer points of piloting, his fellow co-owner and wife, Jodie Bromley behind me. She laughs as he wryly says, “I’ve never seen anyone take skippering a houseboat so seriously.”
You can’t blame me for a bit of game face. This hulking houseboat is only 12 months old, worth quite a lot and is at the top of the Mildura Murray’s range of floating accommodation.
Iconic Luxury is a six-bedroom, six-bathroom, seven-toilet, two-storey, solar-powered flash pad with special touches such as an espresso machine, Wi-Fi, wine fridge, hot tub and filtered fresh water tap. I’ve been in less lavish penthouses.
Roomy interiors mean the houseboat is great for groups.
Waiting for us at the Mildura Marina, just down the hill from town, Iconic Luxury doesn’t look particularly alluring: just a big white box on the water, like most houseboats (though most are single storey, hence big white oblongs.)
But as soon as I step onboard, she starts to live up to her name.
Entry is to the fore (because, as this now experienced houseboat captain knows, you moor a houseboat nose first), an easy step up and through a little gate, across the front portion of a wraparound deck, and through a side door that leads into a chic, bright lobby.
It features Iconic Luxury’s all-glass frontage rising two storeys past the mezzanine edge of the upper level. It looks like the entry to a fancy city townhouse, except it has a steering station in the middle of it.
An elegant wide and rather spectacular staircase spirals upwards, leading to a huge open-plan living area with big windows flooding in light and yet another steering station.
I’ll admit, I’m expecting adapted furniture of some sort: built-in seats, or bolted down tables, but of course, the river doesn’t get rough like the ocean. Everything is home-sized and so nicely styled, it’s like I’ve walked into an interior design magazine spread. Lavish lounges front a gas fireplace and enormous TV connected to Foxtel.
A full kitchen centres around a large island bench. Beyond it, there’s a 12-seater dining setting and beyond that, a wide outdoor area with lovely lounges from which to watch the river roll by.
Downstairs, the six king bedrooms all have their own TV. Each en suite contains a full-sized shower. And at the end of the corridor lies another smaller deck where the eight-person hot tub awaits, as does the barbecue.
Spa horizons.
You could just not leave; stock the pantry and fridge, set sail and enjoy, stopping each night in a different spot.
Or you could take in the sights and tastes of the region.
The city, built around irrigation, immigration, soldier settlement, and a RAAF base, remains an agricultural centre, supplying 75 per cent of Australia’s table grapes and nearly all of its dried grape products.
Across the region, water table salinity produces pretty pink lakes. A river salinity mitigation solution has created Murray River Salt, the family-owned business producing mounds of pink flake salt for gourmets around the world.
Mungo National Park is within a couple of hours’ drive, but there are plenty of other bush and almost-outback landscapes to explore and some great tour companies who will take you out for a half or full day.
Thanks to a strong Italian immigrant influence, Mildura is home to some fantastic restaurants, including the famous Stefano’s Restaurant and cafe, 400 Gradi for pizza and pasta extraordinaire, or fine dining at The Province. Cafes include The Italian, where the panini and cannoli are outstanding, and Brother Chris for big breakfasts.
There are places closer to Melbourne, Sydney and Canberra to go houseboating.
Echuca is, in fact, 223 kilometres’ or two hours 45 minutes’ drive from Melbourne, whereas Mildura is 541.6 and over six hours. Echuca is closer to Sydney and Canberra; Mildura closer to Adelaide. There are, of course, other places along the Murray.
But with the new airline Bonza flying Melbourne-Mildura, the intriguing top corner of Victoria is an easier reach for many. Even before Bonza began that route, many people chose Mildura time and again for their Murray River holidays.
Grey nomads and others on road trips also put a Mildura river stay on their itinerary: a common route for Sydney folk is Broken Hill, Mildura, then Adelaide, with plenty of NSW outback stops along the way.
As for Mildura and me, well, captaining a houseboat 21st century-style feels like my jam, especially when it’s a luxury houseboat, and it’s combined with good food, great exploring, and great company.
My only regret is I didn’t bring my Greek fisherman’s cap with the word “Captain” embroidered on it that I found at an op shop a few months earlier.
Water beds.
“If I had a dollar for every captain’s hat that’s left behind on our boats … ” says Sean Bromley, and wanders off to grab a beer, leaving me to the river, and my thoughts of why he doesn’t keep a stash at the ready for freshly minted captains like me.
THE DETAILS
Fly
Bonza operates its Melbourne-Mildura return flights three times a week. See flybonza.com
Cruise
Iconic Luxury is part of the All Seasons’ Houseboats’ fleet of 16 vessels. Iconic Luxury, sleeping up to 12, costs from $4800 for three nights. See allseasonshouseboats.com.au
Tour
Discover Mildura un day tours in and around Mildura and the Sunraysia region. See discovermildura.com.au
Murray Offroad Adventure are a personalised 4WD bus tour company providing morning tea and lunch on adventures to the national parks surrounding Mildura. See murrayoffroadadventures.com.au
The writer travelled as a guest of All Seasons Houseboats, Visit Victoria and Bonza Airlines.
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