Murray River Drive and Scenic Tour
Drive Time: 45 minutes (Add time for stops)
Distance: 19km

The Alfred Deakin Centre

Departing The Alfred Deakin Visitor Information Centre we travel towards the Riverfront and
7th Street.

The Mildura Working Mans' Club is located on the right as we drive along Deakin Avenue. Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner, the club was once home to the longest continuous bar in the world.

After crossing the 8th Street intersection on the left we find The Citrus Shop and The A.D.F.A. Shop. The Citrus Shop has a scrumptious range of citrus products. Open Monday to Friday 9:30am to 5pm and Saturday. At The A.D.F.A. Shop you can select from a wide range of dried fruits, vitamins, and health foods. Open 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 12noon on Saturday.

From Deakin Avenue follow Tourist Drive 1 signage into 7th Street then under the Railway Bridge. Driving down the hill veer to the right passing the Ornamental Lakes Park. The George Chaffey Bridge is ahead and beyond is a boat ramp and toilet facilities. Just before the bridge a turn to the right brings us to the tree stump with a memorial to George Chaffey. We will now go back the way we came. Directly ahead is the Mildura Wharf and car park. Veer to the right into Hugh King Drive.

During the day you may see the P.S. Melbourne, Showboat Avoca or the P.V. Rothbury getting ready for one of Mildura's famous Murray River Cruises. The P.S. Melbourne departs twice Daily at 10:50am and 1:50pm for a 2 hour cruise down stream through the lock. Day cruises are available on the P.V. Rothbury to Golden River Zoo on Wednesdays (during school holidays) and a winery cruise on Thursdays. The Showboat Avoca has luncheon and evening cruises. Luncheon cruises are 12noon to 2pm most days, and evening cruises are Thursdays and Saturdays. Bookings can be made for theses cruises at the Mildura Visitor Information Centre, corner Deakin Avenue and 12th Street, Mildura.

Proceeding further on our right is the pumping station of Lower Murray Water, the Mildura Rowing Club rooms and the Rowers lawns containing a cairn which commemorates Charles Sturt's passing in 1830.

Meanwhile, to our left are the Bill Hyder Scented garden, designed to provide the visually impaired with a wonderful garden experience and the old powerhouse, now home to our local theatre companies.

The Paddleboat Coonawarra may be seen at its moorings. It offers a splendid way to spend a few days on the river. The Alfred Deakin Visitor Information Centre can provide cruise information. To our left is the popular Jaycee Park. The park offers a wonderful playground for children, Fee gas BBQs, complimentary hot water and toilet facility.

Following the tourist drive signage we pass the magnificent Mildura Lawn Tennis Club (host of the 1998 Davis Cup Tennis Tie between Australia and Zimbabwe), one of the largest lawn tennis complexes in Australia with more than 30 beautifully maintained courts. Rated the best lawn courts in Australia.

On our right, as we pass the courts, a fence crossing the river noticed. This is the Mildura Weir. During normal river flow there is a 12 foot drop between the river levels. We are driving adjacent to the Lock channel known as Lock 11. On the opposite side of the river Lock Island. When the locks were established along the Murray in the 1920s, most were built with the lock and weir adjacent, but here the island, formed when the river channel was dug in 1927 separated them. During the day the public is permitted to cross the lock and visit the Island. The P.S. Melbourne may be observed passing through the lock at 11am, 12:30pm, 2pm and 3:30pm. Further along, up the hill, brings us to Cureton Avenue where we follow the Alt 1 tourist drive route, turning right onto Cureton Avenue.

The Old Mildura Homestead marks the site of the original Mildura pastoral lease and station. The present buildings are accurate reconstructions made in the 1980s. The site is open everyday from 9am to 5pm.

Continuing 150m along Cureton Avenue, turn to the right to find the Mildura Homestead Graves, including the graves of the members of the Chaffey Family.

On the left we will find the Mildura native Nursery and the Ivan George Mallee Garden. The nursery is open 8am till 4:30pm weekdays (except public holidays) and from 10am to 3:30pm on Saturday and Sunday. The Ivan George Mallee Garden is located at the Arboretum and managed by the Mildura Rural City Council.

We have now reached the popular apex Park famous for it's beachfront. The popular beach is patrolled during summer by Australia's only inland Life Saving Club. Free gas BBQs and toilet facilities are available. At the end of the park road is a concrete boat ramp. You may like to continue on a bush walk along the riverfront, enjoying natural bush land and fine bush tracks.

Exit the park the way we came and not long after passing the Old Mildura Homestead we see, on our right, the Mildura Arts Centre. This complex includes the original W.B. Chaffey home, Rio Vista (meaning river view), now a museum, the Gallery and the Theatre. The centre is open 10am to 5pm seven days (closed Christmas Day and Good Friday).

Opposite the Arts Centre, is the Amphitheatre and Sculpture Park. Here can be found the famous One Sun, One Earth, One Peace sculpture, part of a network of similar pieces around the world.

Drive now past the front of the Arts Centre and into Chaffey Avenue.

Follow the tourist drive signs as they guide us along 8th Street past Mansell Reserve, home of netball and croquet in Mildura. Continuing along 8th Street and left into Riverside Avenue, through a residential area, then over 11th Street and past the Mildura Country Club Resort with its lush green fairways and 18 hole golf course. The resort has a restaurant, bistro and motel complex.

We are now guided past the Mildura Private Hospital, travelling along 13th Street until we come to the roundabout at Walnut Avenue where we are guided left then right into 12th Street, passing Sacred Heart Primary School and St Joseph's College.

Further along after crossing over Deakin Avenue we will pass The Alfred Deakin Centre, the 1st stage of the complex was officially opened on 28th June 1997 and includes the visitor information centre, a library, community rooms and a restaurant. We are now passing the Mildura Olympic pool on our left.

At the roundabout, a detour along San Mateo Avenue following Alt 1 Tourist Drive route we are guided to Pioneer Cottage in Hunter Street, where you can travel back in time to our pioneering history. Open 7 days a week 10am to 4pm.

Returning to 12th Street past the Mildura Recreation Reserve (popularly known as Mildura Showgrounds).

We are now guided via Etiwanda Avenue and 11th Street back to Deakin Avenue where
tourist drive 1 concludes.

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