Where to Cruise
When departing from a Mildura Houseboats mooring, you have 100km of river to explore. Choose to meander 40km upstream past the historic Gol Gol Hotel, play a few holes at the Riverside Golf Course, see the skiers and wakeboarders honing their skills at Mildura Ski Club, explore Kings Billabong on foot or by canoe, enjoy winetasting and fine dining at Trentham Estate Winery restaurant and marvel at the historic Psyche Pumps which run once a month on a Sunday.
Or head downstream to the Mildura City Centre, where you can walk up to restaurants, day spa, shopping and attractions from the Ornamental Lakes houseboat moorings. Let the kids have a play at Jaycee Park, travel through the lock with one of our experienced staff to guide you, explore Lock Island, visit the award winning Inland Botanical Gardens, take a tour of Orange World and taste their amazing orange juice. Play on the sandbar at Apex Park, maybe see one of the lifeguards on summer weekends at Australia’s only inland Surf Lifesaving Club! Have a game of golf and a meal at the Coomealla Golf Club (great kangaroo spotting here!). Then head down to Wentworth for more attractions including the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers.
The houseboats have comprehensive river charts on board and our friendly staff can help you with suggested moorings overnight each night. Check out our suggested itineraries for more ideas and activities, or just find a quiet spot and relax on your beautifully appointed Mildura Houseboat. This holiday is for you to do as much or as little as you like!
Best Mooring Spots
There are a myriad of lovely spots to moor for the night along our beautiful stretch of river.
Park at the Gol Gol Hotel and stroll up for a meal, or moor at the bottom of the Riverside golf course for a game. Downstream of the Bruce’s Bend marina near the boat ramp is a great spot to moor and explore the Kings Billabong area. Upstream of the marina you will find secluded beaches, private bays and great spots to moor and explore more of the billabong area.
Our staff can show you great spots at the edge of sandbars to moor, so that you have safe areas for a campfire and for the kids to paddle in the water.
Moor at Ornamental Lakes to visit the town of Mildura, dining perhaps in Feast Street, visit Endota day spa, and shop at some of the boutiques. Also a great spot to base yourself if you wish to dine at Stefano’s restaurant or other eateries in the Mildura Grand Hotel complex. For the kids you can walk up to the dodgem cars and mini golf, and in summer the Aqua Coaster water slide. Or they can take their skateboards up to the skate park.
Further down towards the lock you will find moorings near the Mildura Tennis Club which are a great stopping off point for the Jaycee Park playground, and for a walk up to the historic Rio Vista art gallery and Arts Centre.
Moor on Lock Island (downstream) to explore the island and see the history of our lock system.
Apex Park offers a kiosk, boat ramp and sand bar. In summer it has Australia’s only inland surf lifesaving club. Great mooring spots along here, and it’s only a short taxi drive back to Mildura for an evening meal.
There are so many other great spots, most are marked on the river charts on board, but we will leave some so that you can discover them yourself!
The Best Fishing
The Mildura region is home to many well-known waterways, including the Murray and Darling rivers, making it famous as a playground to both novice and serious anglers who are keen to land the legendary native Murray cod. Try your luck from the riverbank or a boat.
The Murray River offers excellent fishing from both the shore or aboard a boat. In slower moving sections of some waterways, lure casting is also very worthwhile.
Each year just before the November Melbourne Cup public holiday, fishing enthusiasts make the trip up the Mallee to learn to fish and vie for the $500 prize money at Catch a Carp Day.
Places to cast a line
Kings Billabong is bordered by a wide stretch of the Murray River and is part of the Murray flood plain. Cast a line in the tranquil still waters that are known as a ‘fish nursery’.
Merbein Common, once the site of the original pump that serviced the Merbein irrigation area, is now a great place for barbecues, boating and fishing, swimming and walking.
The many creeks and inlets are an ideal spot to pop in a shrimp net for some bait- you may even catch a few yabbies! Yum!
The famous Murray Cod
As Australia’s largest fresh water fish, Murray cod can grow to 1.8 metres in length. The female lays up to 50,000 eggs at a time and can live for 60 years. They rely on large timber structures in the river for their home. Fishing enthusiasts on the Murray River around Mildura have reported catching Murray cod weighing over 100 kilograms. Please note that there is a closed season for cod during their breeding season, from 1st September to 1st December each year.
Don’t forget your licence
If you are planning a day of fishing, make sure you have a current fishing licence. In New South Wales a Freshwater Fishing Licence is required to fish in the Murray River. You can purchase your fishing licence from us at the start of your holiday. We also have fishing tinnies, rod hire and tips on the latest hot spots for catching the best fish!