Things to see and do around Murray Bridge

Sturt Reserve is the major riverfront picnic area. Lawns, trees, shelters, children's playground, rage cage, skate ramp, and pushbike track make it a popular spot for visitors and locals alike. Sturt Reserve is also the home of the International Pedal Prix. A 24 hour event attracting school based teams from all over Australia and around the world, and has frown in popularity at each stage. It's fascinating to watch the tandem with a difference. Two cyclists sitting back to back, pedalling in opposite directions, but the vehicle travels forward. The ingenuity of our young! Most of our major events are conducted at this very popular riverside area.

Cruises at Murray Bridge

From Sturt Reserve, short afternoon-tea cruises are available on the MV Barrangul, which are houseboat style floating restaurants. Along with the Paddle boat Captain Proud, all cater for group bookings for luncheons, dinners, parties and weddings. The MV Expedition leaves from the Proud Mary Wharf for their popular two day weekend, and two, three or five night midweek cruises, cruising up river to Blanchetown, also offering morning tea cruises from Mannum on Monday mornings and Friday mornings from Woodlane Mypolonga.

Captain's Cottage Museum

One nice place to visit is the Captain's Cottage Museum with memorabilia of early river history.

Golf Course

There is a fine 18 hole fully automatically watered golf course, with a resident professional and well stocked Pro-Shop, and the club encourages visitors for tournament and green fee play throughout the year.

Entertainment

Ten Pin Bowling is available for visitors as is the Cameo Cinema and the Drive-In Theatre which is one of only two that are still operating in the state, also a swimming pool which is open from the last weekend in October to the first weekend in April. Just some of the things to occupy your time in Murray Bridge.

Motor Sports and Horse Racing

Spectator sport such as the speedway and horse racing with their excellent facilities are very popular, attracting thousands of visitors each year.

Two marinas (Long Island and Riverglen) provide safe mooring for the many houseboats available for hire. Cruise on the mighty Murray, enjoy the scenery as you slowly glide by the willows along the banks, with inlets to lagoons giving a glimpse of the river flats where dairy cows are grazing, and see the abundant birdlife inhabiting the area, further up-stream glide past the magnificent cliffs of the Murray River. Throw in a line and you might catch a fish.

Short trips in the area

Monarto Zoological Park

A short drive west along the Princes Highway is Monarto Zoological Park which is open every day, conducting guided safari through the 1,000 hectares of open range zoo. Animals which can be seen in their natural state include giraffe, zebra, antelope, bison, ostrich, cheetah, painted dogs, barbary sheep, lions, Mongolian wild horse, which breeding programme has enabled these horses to be returned to their native country. Visiting Monarto Zoological Park, it is the people in a bus, whilst the animals roam free. There are also walking trails through the mallee woodland, with interesting native bird life and some quite unique native plants.

Old Police Station

Continue on and visit the Old Police Station at Callington which was established in 1876 when the copper mine was in production, and is now Lavande featuring over 500 lavanders, with its central fountain and rose covered arched doorway, perhaps sit back relax and enjoy a Devonshire Tea in the courtyard.

Old Tailem Town

Fifteen minutes drive east along the Princes Highway, take a walk back in time at the Pioneer Village, Old Tailem Town, wandering along streets where about 80 buildings have been set out as a country town would have looked 60 years ago. There are cottages showing how our grandparents would have lived, the corner store, a barber shop, theatre and church, railway station, post office, dance hall, dentist stables everything you would have found in a country town 60 years ago.

Adventure

For the adventurous spirit take a drive over the ferry at Wellington and try a tandem skydive with SA Skydiving, or something a little more relaxed a scenic flight with Longstar Aviation, taking in sight of the Murray River, the Coorong, Adelaide and in season a whale watch flight over Victor Harbor, No better way to see the area as a whole and don't forget your camera, bookings are essential.

Tailem Bend (Down River) - Mannum (Up River)