Set on the banks of the Murray, Swan Hill boasts an enjoyable
Mediterranean
climate. Numerous attractions with ample quality accommodation make Swan Hill
an excellent holiday destination, with a unique blend of history with a
host of
modern facilities. From the historic Pioneer Settlement, regional Art Gallery,
historic homesteads, numerous wineries to of course daily cruises on the PS Pyap.
Enjoy the
magnificent wide open spaces and the tranquillity of inland
Australia while
you visit an award-winning winery or a fine restaurant featuring fresh
Murray Cod,
yabbies, avocado, citrus, stone fruits or vine fruits.
Take in the
beautiful surroundings at a golf course or explore nature's
remarkable
features in one of many reserves and parks. Enjoy a river cruise or a
houseboat
holiday, an historic paddleboat trip or discover the fantastic
festivals and events,
arts and many unique family attractions.
Swan Hill also offers excellent sporting facilities including six
noteworthy golf
courses. Vinifera and Nyah state forests are located to the North of Swan
Hill.
Tooleybuc further North, Robinvale, Balranald, Euston and Nyah all provide
excellent
site seeing destinations for visitors. Tyntynder, 17 km north of the town,
has a small
museum of pioneering and Aboriginal relics whilst Lake
Boga, 16 km
to the south, has waterskiing, fishing and boating.
Enjoy
hospitality and warmth while staying in comfort at your choice
of
accommodation. Make the most of the laid-back atmosphere
country hospitability
and spectacular scenery of the Swan Hill Region.
In the city of
Swan Hill, many venues are within easy walking distance to the
town centre, however for those keen to get away from it all,
there are a number
of accommodation venues located in more discrete locations
including
working farm properties.
Swan Hill is an historic town. In 1853 Francis Cadell in his paddle
steamer
Lady Augusta navigated the Murray from its mouth in South Australia reaching
Swan
Hill, his farthest point upstream. The boat was welcomed by the whole of
the town's
population - 12 people. The town grew up around the punt crossing, as it
was the only
crossing of the Murray within 100 km. Robert O'Hara Burke and William
Wills crossed the
Murray here in 1860. The punt operated until 1896 until it
was superseded by a bridge.
The Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement was established in 1961 to recreate
the thriving
river port of the 1860s to the 1890s. The settlement has an old locomotive, a
working
blacksmith's shop and an old newspaper office, as well as many other relics of
pioneer days. In 1973 the PS Murray River Queen, the largest-ever Murray River
paddle-steamer, was launched for tourist operation between Swan Hill and Goolwa.
Today, Swan Hill is a thriving, modern city.
Swan Hill and its irrigated hinterland
are home to 16,000 people. An economic catchment stretching along the Murray
Valley into the Mallee in Victoria and the Western Riverina in New South
Wales, is
also serviced by the city. Though still focused on primary production and
supplying
the needs of people and businesses in the area, Swan Hill has broadened its
activities in commerce, manufacturing and tourism. The city today combines
the
relaxed lifestyle and community spirit of traditional rural life, with the
facilities and
conveniences of a much larger urban centre.
General Information
Population:
9,771
Council:
Swan Hill Rural City Council
Location:
217 km from Mildura on the
Murray Valley Highway and only 340km from Melbourne
Naming Origin:
Named by explorer Thomas
Mitchell in 1836 after being kept awake by flocks of black swans
For more information, please contact:
Swan Hill Regional Information Centre
Cnr McCrae & Curlewis Streets
Swan Hill VIC 3585
Phone (03) 5032 3033 Fax: (03) 5032 3032
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SWAN HILL