Day 120 Mildura Explore Day

Today we started by driving to Merbein the town was officially renamed Merbein in 1912 (derived from an Aboriginal expression for a sand hill). Initially it was called White Cliffs due to the cliffs by the river where the town resides. Initial plans focused on dairying and mixed farming, but faced setbacks from rabbits and dry conditions. Settlers pivoted to thriving citrus and dried grape industries, boosted by W. B. Chaffey building the Mildara Wines winery in 1913.

We walked along the Rotary Lookout beside the river and on the white cliffs. The timber jinker was used to haul the timber needed for the paddle steamers and pumping stations for irrigation.










These unique masterpiece mosaics wind their way through the heart of Merbein, showcasing the creativity and spirit of this fascinating town. A collaboration between Cultivator Inc, Lower Murray Water and the Merbein District Historical Society, handcrafted pieces reflect the community, its people and the vibrant local culture.






We then continued to Wentworth most famously a historic border town. It was once one of the busiest inland river ports in Australia during the paddle-steamer era. Yabbies are native Australian freshwater crayfish heavily populated throughout the still waters of the Murray River region. The Old Wentworth Gaol is the oldest of the Australian designed gaols. It was built during 1879-1881 and operated until 1927.








Perry Sandhills are 400 acres of ancient, shifting sand dunes. According to geologists, the Perry Sandhills originated after an ice age (40,000 years ago) and are formed by wind erosion over thousands of years. The dramatic desert-like landscape has served as a filming location for movies and TV shows, and it was used as a bombing range during World War II.






Lock 10 and Weir is a historic water-regulation structure in Wentworth, NSW, completed in 1929 near the confluence of the Murray and Darling rivers. Maintains stable water levels for regional irrigation and agriculture during dry periods, regulates upstream flow, and allows boats to safely navigate between different river heights via the lock chamber.





The Australian Inland Botanic Garden is a 152-hectare semi-arid sanctuary. Established in 1989 on former sheep-grazing land, it is the Southern Hemisphere's first semi-arid botanical garden and is run largely by a community management committee and volunteers. Sadly it closed at 4pm so we had to leave before we saw everything on offer.








We drove through the city on the way home and went for a walk along the mall. Sadly many shop fronts are empty and there were very few people in sight even though it is school holidays.

T&G Building in Mildura is a historic commercial landmark erected during the regional expansion of the Temperance and General (T&G) Mutual Life Assurance Society, the building dates back to the 1920s/1930s.



Originally operated as a bank before transforming into one of the city's most iconic nightlife and live music venues. The cornerstone hospitality building built in 1920's.



The Bowrings building in Mildura was a historic department store and merchant established by W. Bowring & Co. in 1888.



The Grand Hotel in Mildura began its life in 1889 as the Mildura Coffee Palace, built during the earliest days of the region's irrigation settlement. Founders W.B. Chaffey, H. Williams, and A. Croathwaite commissioned the building to align with Mildura's original design as a strict temperance settlement. The Chaffey brothers envisioned a town free from an ingrained drinking culture so working men would stay focused on their irrigation duties. As the temperance movement lost momentum around the turn of the century, operations shifted. The building gained a wine license in 1915, a full liquor license in 1919, and officially became the Mildura Grand Hotel in 1920.