Murray River Pilot

The Murray River is Australia’s longest river extending 2,508 km (1,558 miles).  The river, with its tributaries (the Murrumbidgee, Darling, Lachlan, Warrego, and Paroo Rivers), is regarded as Australia’s most important irrigated region, with the border between Victoria (Vic) and New South Wales (NSW) lying on the southern bank (the Victoria side) of the river. The West section of the Murray River, from the Victorian/South Australian border to the river mouth, is totally within the state of South Australia and stretches approximately 650km’s.

The Ngarrindjeri are the Traditional Owners of the Lower Lakes, Murray Mouth and Coorong and along the River Murray as far north as Mannum. The Ngarrindjeri Nation is made up of 18 Laklinyeris (tribes).  The First Peoples of the River Murray and Mallee Region are the Traditional Owners of the River Murray area from the SA/Vic border to Morgan SA. The river is known as “Murrundi”, a living body, formed during the Creation, central to the culture and beliefs and the traditional owners are part of its existence.[1]

During extreme droughts the Murray River has dried up completely in some parts, such as Koondrook Victoria in 1915. More often over the years the decreased flow of water and the fall in water levels have been due to over irrigation and sandbars forming at the mouth thus decreasing its sea-fresh water inlet/outlet.  Flooding of the Murray has also occurred, with the most substantial being in 1956 and lasting up to 6 months, inundating many towns on the lower reaches, with Morgan SA peaking at 12.3 metres (40ft), whilst the hotels in Mannum SA served beer from their second-floor balconies. 

The Murray River has for generations supported a variety of rural industries, including water for cropping, citrus orchards and vineyards, as well as being a life force for many people by providing a food source and wood fuel source, the cliffs as quarries for homes, to providing a transport highway for stock, timber and trade items. 

During 1855 to 1920 saw the height of the river’s commerce trade for the passage of goods and produce from Adelaide to the settlements along the river edges. In South Australia, it started in in 1830 when Captain Charles Sturt reached the river and named it the Murray River in honour of Sir George Murray (the British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies), not realising that in 1824 Hamilton Hume and William Hovell crossed the same river near Albury. Captain Sturt continued down the rive to Lake Alexandrina and the river mouth near Goolwa SA, which was explored by Captain Collet Barker in 1831. There is a monument to both Sturt and Barker at Hindmarsh Island.

The first 3 European settlers along the Murray River were noted as James Collins Hawker, Edward John Eyre and E.B. Scott and by 1852 Francis Cadell was exploring the river downstream from Swan Hill for the launch of his steamer service. Both Francis Cadell and William Randell on the steamboats, the Lady Augusta and the Mary Ann, made the first trips up the river from South Australia and by 1860 more than a dozen steamers were operating along the Murray and its tributaries.

Since 1858 the compilation of lists of birds and mammals have been accumulated, that includes the famous Murray Cod, Murray Crayfish and the Murray short-necked turtle, as well as the Fairy Tern, the Eastern Swamphens, and many more. 

The building of locks and weirs, around 1915, was started to assist with the navigation of the river during low water times and the introduction of water pump stations, to encourage the expansion of irrigated farming areas, was also affecting the fringing corridors and forests of the River Red Gums. This and the introduction of pest species, such as the European Carp, has showed the way to environmental harm along the river and the rivers health has been in substantial decline since European settlement.

With the introduction of the rail and road systems, the trade route traffic along the river has been replaced by recreational traffic, with small boats for water skiing and fishing and more commonly houseboats for commercial hire and private use, as well as the restoration of historic paddle steamers for river cruise tours.

The Murray River (River Murray[2]/ Murrundi) is a majestic waterway to explore, spend time cruising its waters, visiting townships with historic river ports, fish and camp along its banks and enjoy the spectacular wildlife during your river experience.