The Murray — Echuca paddlesteamers & river red gums
Full day · ~12 hours
A river-heritage day on Victoria's mighty Murray. We drive you up to Echuca-Moama and its restored 19th-century port — the wharf, the paddlesteamers, the old riverboat trade streets. Time it for a paddlesteamer cruise (you book the boat), graze the local wineries, and see the giant river red gums on the way. It's a fair drive each way, so an early start and an easy ride back.
Why it's famous
Discover The Murray.
In the 1870s Echuca was the third-largest port in Australia after Sydney and Melbourne. At its peak the town supported eight sawmills and up to 240 paddlesteamers a year. Today the Port of Echuca is a living monument to that era, centred on the heritage-listed red gum wharf built in 1865.
Authentic paddlesteamers still depart daily from the Echuca Wharf, some of them built here, like the PS Adelaide. An hour on board is the classic way to feel the slow pace of one of the world's largest navigable rivers, with river red gums lining the banks and the paddle wheel churning behind you.
Upstream, Barmah National Park on Yorta Yorta Country protects one of the great river red gum forests. These iconic trees can reach 45 metres and live for more than 500 years, and the wetlands are among Victoria's largest waterbird breeding areas, with more than 200 bird species recorded.
What you'll see & do
- Walk the heritage-listed Echuca Wharf and see paddlesteamers and barges moored along the riverbank
- Explore the Port of Echuca's working steam exhibits, the old Star Hotel and the Evans Brothers sawmill display
- Cruise the Murray for an hour aboard a historic paddlesteamer such as PS Canberra, PS Emmylou, PS Pevensey, PS Adelaide or PS Alexander Arbuthnot
- Join a guided walking tour of the Port to hear stories of the river trade
- Lunch at a riverside pub or café in the heritage precinct
- Taste local wine at a cellar door perched on the edge of the Murray
- See towering river red gums, kangaroos and waterbirds in Barmah National Park
Why you'll love it
- Cruise the Murray on a century-old paddlesteamer
- Port of Echuca's historic wharf precinct
- River red gum forests at Barmah
- Australia's great river, one long easy day
$600 AUD — total. No hidden anything.
One fixed price per vehicle (up to 7 people). Here's exactly what that covers:
- Fixed price in AUDThe price you see is the total — per vehicle, up to 7 people
- No hidden chargesNo booking fees, no card surcharges, no surprises
- Tolls, fuel & parking includedEverything the car needs is in the price
- No driver or waiting chargesYour driver and reasonable waiting are included
- Hotel / home pickup & drop-offDoor-to-door across Melbourne — included free
- FREE airport pickup with any tourBook a tour and we collect you from the airport at no charge
- Pay your wayIn advance or any time before your trip ends — PayID, card or cash
See it on film
Official videos
Port Of Echuca Welcome Video HD
Official video · Port of Echuca Discovery Centre
PS Emmylou Murray River Experience
Official video · Murray River Paddlesteamers Echuca
Echuca Moama - Your Next Getaway!
Official video · Visit Echuca Moama
Your day, stop by stop
What we’ll do.
Times are guidance — we adjust on the day to your group’s pace.
Send this itinerary to your group:
- 07
07:00
Pickup from your home
Early start — it's around 2.5 to 3 hours north.
- 10
10:00
Port of Echuca historic precinct
The world's largest paddlesteamer fleet, the heritage wharf and the old river-trade streets.
The surviving section of Echuca's great red gum wharf, built in 1865, with moored paddlesteamers, working steam exhibits and the old river-trade buildings. Entry to the Port precinct and its interactive displays is free.
Official website ↗🎟️ Booking recommended
Optional: guided Port walking tours are ticketed — book with the Port of Echuca if you'd like one
- 11
11:30
Paddlesteamer cruise (you pre-book)
An hour on the Murray aboard a working steamer — book ahead; we meet you at the wharf.
One-hour sightseeing cruises leave the Echuca Wharf daily aboard authentic paddlesteamers — the best way to see the river and its red gum banks.
Official website ↗🎟️ Booking required
Book your own sailing ahead — Murray River Paddlesteamers (PS Canberra, PS Emmylou) or the Port of Echuca (PS Pevensey, PS Adelaide, PS Alexander Arbuthnot) — and tell us the departure time
- 13
13:00
Lunch in Echuca
Riverside pubs and cafés in the heritage precinct — your pick.
Historic pubs, bars and cafés sit right in the port precinct and along Echuca's main street, a short stroll from the wharf.
Official website ↗ - 14
14:30
Murray winery or distillery
A relaxed cellar-door stop on the river plains, if you'd like one.
Echuca Moama is surrounded by rich farming country with boutique wineries, craft breweries and small-batch distilleries, some with cellar doors overlooking the river.
Official website ↗ - 15
15:30
Barmah red gums (optional)
A short drive to the towering river red gum forest and the river's edge.
A national park on Yorta Yorta Country where River Red Gums line the Murray and its wetlands, home to kangaroos, emus, koalas and more than 200 recorded bird species.
Official website ↗ - 16
16:00
Return drive
Comfortable run back down the Northern Highway.
- 19
19:00
Drop-off at home
Door-to-door return.
Getting there
How far is it?
Every numbered stop on one map — shown from the CBD for scale. Your day is door-to-door from your home, we handle all the driving, tolls and parking. Tap the map for Google Maps.
Tickets & bookings
Book your tickets before the day.
Attraction entry isn’t included in the fare — buy it directly from the official sites below (no mark-up, no middleman). Tell us your session times and we’ll plan the driving around them.
Paddlesteamer cruise (you pre-book)
Booking requiredBook your own sailing ahead — Murray River Paddlesteamers (PS Canberra, PS Emmylou) or the Port of Echuca (PS Pevensey, PS Adelaide, PS Alexander Arbuthnot) — and tell us the departure time
murrayriverpaddlesteamers.com.au
Port of Echuca historic precinct
Optional: guided Port walking tours are ticketed — book with the Port of Echuca if you'd like one
portofechuca.com.au
Murray River Paddlesteamers
Pre-book your cruise — one-hour sailings from the Port of Echuca
murrayriverpaddlesteamers.com.au
What’s included
- Premium 8-seat MPV for the whole day
- Driver, fuel and all road tolls
- Door-to-door pickup and drop-off
- Up to 12 hours from pickup to drop-off
Not included
- Paddlesteamer cruise tickets (book direct in advance)
- Port of Echuca guided tours (entry to the Port precinct is free)
- Tastings, meals and any food
Common questions
Good to know.
- Which paddlesteamer should we book?
- Several run from the Echuca wharf (PS Pevensey, PS Alexander Arbuthnot and others). Any of the one-hour cruises works with our timing — book ahead in holidays and tell us the departure.
- Is it too far for a day trip?
- It's a full day with ~3 hours' driving each way, but you're relaxed in the MPV the whole time. Groups who want it slower do it as an overnight — we quote multi-day on request.
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Ready for The Murray?
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