New day trip offers overseas visitors a slice of rural Australia

International visitors to Melbourne are about to be offered a day tour to the Murray River and a river trip on a traditional paddle steamer. 

Day tours from Melbourne take overseas tourists to Phillip Island, Puffing Billy, the Great Ocean Road, Ballarat and the Yarra Valley - but this will be the first to offer a typical Murray experience. 

Melbourne-based tour company Local Way Tours, established in 2022, is to launch a day tour from Melbourne to Echuca, where guests will enjoy a one-hour cruise on Murray River Paddlesteamers’ historic PS Canberra.

Starting from June 1 the full-day ‘Murray River Paddlesteamer and Wine Tour’ is designed primarily for international guests. 

Limited to just 15 guests per day, the small-group experience aims to offer an authentic taste of classic Australian countryside, blending river heritage, native wildlife, award-winning wine, and the Australian bush.

The 11-hour itinerary takes in Hanging Rock, the painted silos at Rochester, a cruise on Australia’s longest river, the Murray, native wildlife at the Kyabram Fauna Park and wine tasting at Mitchelton Wines on the way back to Melbourne.

The new trip will run every Wednesday to Sunday from Melbourne with a standard cost of $230 per person, or $190 for children. 

Until July 15, bookings will receive a 20% discount, with adult fares $184 and children $152. Quote ‘launch fare’ when booking direct with Local Way Tours on + 61 417 887 234. 

Local Way Tours managing director Ray Staindl said: “Day tours from Melbourne to other places like Phillip Island and Puffing Billy have become busy and everyone was offering the same thing so we decided to feature a destination no other day tour included and that was the beautiful Murray River. 

"Our new tour offers an immersive insight into the classic landscape of the Australian bush, with majestic river scenery, sweeping horizons, colourful history and our famous fauna and wines all featured in a stress-free, well-paced day and in small group comfort." 

Visit www.mrps.com.au

Mildura welcomes a "new" boutique hotel

Mildura has just welcomed a "new" boutique hotel that is described as "bold, bright, and effortlessly stylish".

Kar-Rama Hotel (a pity about the dreadful name!) has officially opened its doors, and looks like a nice spot to stay.

The publicity blurb highlights Mildura’s "world-class wine and dining scene", which might be pushing the envelop a little, but Kar-Rama has 34 rooms featuring king-sized beds with premium linen, luxurious Leif botanical amenities, Nespresso coffee machines, and Bemboka robes.

Guests can unwind in the Chill Haven lobby lounge, a relaxed indoor space with stylish seating and a poolside outlook, or soak up the sun at the Kar-Rama Poolside Terrace, complete with outdoor seating next to the heated pool. 

There can be human-free check-in with Digital Key access (coming soon), so you can unlock your room with a tap on your phone.

Kar-Rama, which was previously known as the Kar-Rama Motor Inn prior to its makeover, promises a friendly team on hand to arrange wine tastings, scenic river cruises, and tailored experiences that showcase the best of Mildura.




The property is managed by 1834 Hotels. Unfortunately there is no on-site dining, but breakfast packs are available.   

For bookings and more info visit karrama.com.au

Rolling on the river - solo

 

Solo travellers can snap up some heavily discounted voyages on the Murray River.

Murray River Paddlesteamers have scrapped a 60% solo surcharge on three-, four-, and seven-night cruises aboard the famous paddle steamer Emmylou this January, February, and June.

The special offer is available until January 31, or until sold out.

The 16-guest PS Emmylou starred in the hit 1980s TV mini-series All the Rivers Run, starring Sigrid Thornton, and is one of the most recognisable paddle steamers in Australia.

Powered by a restored 1906 steam engine and totally refurbished with deluxe cabins and en suites, the riverboat offers all-inclusive journeys along the Murray with stops to visit wineries, historic farm stations, indigenous sites, wildlife along tributaries and country towns.

PS Emmylou offers a range of three-, four- and seven-night cruises on the Murray from Echuca on the Victoria/NSW border.

Each cabin has a private en suite, air-conditioning, and wifi and opens directly onto the paddle steamer's timber deck.

Guests can enjoy meals on deck or in the saloon, as well as riverside picnics and a campfire dinner on the riverbank under the stars.

Each evening, PS Emmylou ties up at tranquil and remote moorings, allowing guests to experience the bush at night.

With solo surcharge removed, solo fares are available from $1800 for a three-night sailing.

Cruise fares aboard Emmylou and sister vessel Australian Star include all on-board meals, daily shore excursions, selected beers and wines with dinner and soft drinks, bottled water and tea/coffee throughout the journey as well as coach transfers during the cruise.

Emmylou’s sailings this June will be her last under her current program. Joining the Murray River Paddlesteamers fleet this winter is the brand new, bigger, five-star, overnight vessel, PS Australian Star, currently under construction.

See www.mrps.com.au

International recognition for Murray River houseboat

An ultra-modern houseboat operating on the Murray River has attracted international attention.

Mildura-based Riverdream Boatel has been awarded the World Luxury Travel Award for best houseboat, cementing its position as the major luxury river experience on Australia's iconic Murray River.

“We are thrilled to receive this award,” said Cheryl Broadbent-King, owner of Riverdream Boatel.

“Our focus has always been on offering exceptional service and creating lasting memories for our guests, and this award is a reflection of our team's hard work and dedication.”

As the first of its kind, Riverdream Boatel aims to blend five-star luxury with opportunities to explore the natural beauty of the Murray River.

“Our mission is to showcase the Murray’s breathtaking landscape through our carefully designed packages, all delivered in complete luxury,” Broadbent-King added. “We’re proud to offer something truly special, where guests can connect with nature in comfort and style.”

Riverdream Boatel offers its guests an array of experiences from curated culinary adventures featuring fresh local produce to sunset kayak tours.

With five luxurious staterooms, each with king-sized beds, en suite bathrooms, walk-in robes, and state-of-the-art amenities, Riverdream Boatel offers all the comforts of a high-end boutique hotel - on water.

Guests can also enjoy massages, fireside gatherings, and starry nights.

There are, of course, literally dozens of international travel awards, but the owners have reason to be pleased with this one.

See riverdreamboatel.com.au

How to explore Australia in style; on the water and by rail

Two of Australia’s greatest regional travel icons - the Murray River and the Indian Pacific train - are to be showcased in a new ‘slow travel’ rail and river cruise package released exclusively by leading small ship cruise specialist Cruise Traveller. 

Cruise Traveller’s 10-night ‘Australia by Paddlewheel and Locomotion’ package - available from July to November, 2022 - features a four-night cruise along the legendary Murray River aboard the only overnight passenger paddle steamer on the river, the deluxe, 18-guest PS Emmylou. 

That is followed by a journey on board the Indian Pacific train across the outback. 

The PS Emmylou starred in the hit 1983 TV mini-series All the Rivers Run starring Sigrid Thornton, and is still one of the most recognisable paddle steamers in Australia. 

Cruise Traveller’s itinerary begins with a night’s accommodation in Melbourne before a transfer to the Murray River town of Echuca to board PS Emmylou, which offers overnight, boutique river cruises.

A four-night trip along the meandering Murray follows, with visits to wineries, historic farm stations, indigenous sites and the World Heritage-listed river red gum wetlands at Barmah. 

Guests will also enjoy meals and complimentary barista-made espresso coffees and dinner beverages on deck, riverside picnics, a campfire dinner on the riverbank under the stars and the chance to join the crew in the wheelhouse and even try their hand at steering the boat alongside the skipper. 

At dusk, the wood-fired paddle steamer ties up at tranquil and remote moorings, allowing guests to experience the serenity and wildlife of the bush at night. 

After a night back in Melbourne, guests will fly to Adelaide for a three-night stay and free time to explore the stately city before boarding the Indian Pacific for an overnight journey to Sydney via the outback town of Broken Hill where the train will stop for a local tour. 

Offering all-inclusive fine dining, wines and beverages, the famous Indian Pacific train is designed to rekindle the golden era of rail travel, with panoramic windows in sleeping cabins and the lounge and restaurant cars. 

Three departure dates are available in 2022: July 10, August 14 and November 6. 

Including a flight from Melbourne to Adelaide, meals and beverages on the Indian Pacific and meals and dinner beverages on PS Emmylou as well as transfers along the way, the 10-night ‘Australia by Paddlewheel and Locomotion’ package is available from $4895 per person, twin-share. 

Visit www.cruisetraveller.com.au/locomotion or call Cruise Traveller on 1800 507 777.

On safari: a quintessentially Australian river experience

A guided multi-activity wildlife adventure exploring the iconic Murray River and Riverland Ramsar Wetlands is the latest addition to the Australian Wildlife Journeys collection. 

But don't expect to be roughing it - this is a bush experience with plenty of luxury thrown in.

Part of the Murray River Trails portfolio launched by Tony and Susie Sharley in 2016, the Murray River Safari is a three-day, two-night guided wildlife experience based out of Renmark in South Australia. 

It combines the comforts of houseboat accommodation with immersive nature activities including canoeing, bushwalking, creek cruising, nature drives and bird watching.

Situated along one of the most picturesque sections of Australia's longest river, the Riverland Ramsar Wetland area includes an 80km section of the Murray River and more than 200km  of creeks.

There is the chance to spot wild koalas, brush-tailed possums, red kangaroos, lace monitors and 180 bird species; including emus, wedge-tailed Eagles and sharp-tailed sandpipers,. 

The Murray River Safari accommodates up to 10 people to showcase "in-depth interpretation and personalised conversations". 

Guides cover the river's history, geology, culture, people, environmental challenges and regenerative opportunities. A menu by chef Andrew Fielke is provided throughout the trip, with a focus on natve and local produce, matched with premium local wines.

Operating between March and November, the Murray River Safari provides a perfect complement to the group's award-winning Murray River Walk that runs between May to September, with the opportunity for guests to combine the two experiences. 

“We are delighted to join a national collective that not only celebrates the importance of sharing our diverse natural landscapes, climatic zones, and amazing fauna across Australia, but provides opportunities for guests to contribute to a better future for wildlife across our most critical ecosystems” said Tony Sharley, managing director of Murray River Trails.

A 3 day/2 night Murray River Safari includes private cruising, guided woodlands and cliff walks, private guided canoeing trip, a driving safari through dunes, lodge-style accommodation for two nights on a modern houseboat and all meals and beverages including wines and beer, juice and coffee. Prices from $1,750 per person (twin share). 

See murrayrivertrails.com.au

Images: Murray River Trails