Wentworth has its Big Yabbie back!

Wentworth has its Big Yabbie back, and Herbie’s return is a pretty good example of what can happen when a community decides an old local icon is worth saving.

Herbie the Giant Yabbie has officially returned to Wentworth, taking up his new home at Strother Park near the Wentworth Pioneer Museum and Old Wentworth Gaol.

For long-time locals, Herbie isn’t exactly a new face. The giant crustacean was once a familiar Wentworth landmark, sitting opposite the Old Wentworth Gaol alongside a small aquarium before eventually disappearing from public view and spending a number of years on private property.

Now he’s back, restored, repainted and once again ready for locals and visitors to stop and grab that almost compulsory photo with one of Australia’s Big Things.

Mildura Didn't Get the El Niño Memo

Photo Credit - Ross Stone

After plenty of talk earlier this year about El Niño and the prospect of drier than average conditions, Mildura's rainfall figures are telling a very different story.

And for farmers across the region, particularly those relying on winter rainfall, that's not a bad story to be telling.

As of Friday, August 14, Mildura Airport has recorded approximately 318.5mm of rain for 2026.

Mildura's long term average for an entire year is 285.1mm.

That means we've already received around 33mm more than our normal annual rainfall, with more than four months of 2026 still remaining.

A big chunk came from the extraordinary 166.6mm recorded in March, but importantly the rain hasn't completely disappeared since. June delivered 43mm, July added 29.6mm, while August has already produced around 33.4mm, exceeding the month's long term average of 25.1mm.

For Mallee farmers, winter rain arriving while crops are growing is particularly valuable, helping maintain soil moisture and giving this year's season every opportunity to keep moving in the right direction.

Of course, around here nobody starts counting bags of grain before they're in the silo. A dry spring, frost or a hot finish can quickly change things.

But for now, after the gloomy talk earlier in the year, there would be plenty of farmers happy to keep seeing rain gauges with a bit of water in them.

Austin Sevens Gather in Mildura

Photo credit - www.theclassicvaluer.com

They may be small, they may not be particularly fast by today’s standards, but when more than 35 Austin Sevens start winding their way around Sunraysia in September, they’ll certainly be hard to miss.

Members of the Austin 7 clubs of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales are heading our way for Sunraysia Sevens, with the little vintage cars spending several days exploring the district.

During their stay they’ll be doing a decent lap of Sunraysia, travelling through places including Red Cliffs, Gol Gol, Dareton, Merbein South, Wentworth, Irymple and Nichols Point.

There will also be a chance to get a closer look at these little pieces of motoring history when they gather for a public display at Psyche Pumps on Saturday, September 5.

And they really are an important part of motoring history.

The Austin Seven first appeared in Britain in 1922 and remained in production until 1939. It was designed as a small and relatively affordable car at a time when owning a motor vehicle was still well beyond the reach of many ordinary families. Over its life it appeared as tourers, saloons, sports cars and even little vans.

Australia added its own chapter to the story.

Farewell to Mr C – A Mildura Legend

Mildura has lost one of its great characters with the passing of Don Carrazza, a man whose name will forever be closely linked with the Grand Hotel, tourism and the story of our city.

But for many of us, Don Carrazza was simply Mr C.

I worked at the Grand Hotel in the early 1990s, straight out of school, as did so many young people around Mildura over the years.

Looking back now, it was much more than just a first job.

For many of us, Mr C helped shape the young adults we were becoming.

He was a strict boss. There is no point pretending otherwise.

Mr C expected things to be done properly. Attention to detail mattered. Presentation mattered. How you spoke to people mattered. Being on time mattered.

Near enough was rarely good enough.

At the time, as a young bloke just out of school, you probably didn't always appreciate those lessons.

More than 30 years later, you certainly do.

Many former Grand Hotel employees would probably admit that some of the standards Mr C drilled into us have stayed with us throughout our working lives.

But behind that demanding exterior was also a compassionate man who looked after his people.

I remember one occasion when I had a misunderstanding with someone who shall remain unnamed. Mr C could quite easily have stayed out of it, but instead he stood up for me.

I have never forgotten that.

It showed another side of a man who could certainly make you nervous when something wasn't up to standard, but who also cared about the people working for him.

His own story was a remarkable one.

Mr C came to Australia as a young immigrant with very little, but through hard work, determination and an enormous belief in what Mildura could become, he built a life and reputation that became part of the fabric of the city.

Through the Grand Hotel and his involvement in tourism, Don Carrazza became one of Mildura's great ambassadors.

He understood that visitors weren't simply coming to stay in a hotel.

They were coming to experience Mildura.

And he wanted that experience to be a good one.

That pursuit of quality became part of the Grand Hotel's reputation, but his influence went well beyond the walls of the building.

For decades, countless young Mildura people walked through those doors looking for a job.

Many walked out years later with a work ethic, confidence and standards that stayed with them for life.

I was one of them.

When someone like Mr C passes, it reminds you that a person's legacy isn't only measured by the businesses they built or the awards and recognition they received.

Sometimes it is measured in the people they influenced along the way.

There would be hundreds, perhaps thousands, of former Grand Hotel employees around Mildura and beyond who still carry a little bit of what Mr C taught them.

Attention to detail.

Take pride in what you do.

Do the job properly.

And look after your people.

Not a bad legacy for a young immigrant who arrived in Australia with very little and went on to become a legend of Mildura.

Rest easy, Mr C.

And thanks for the lessons.

Rain brings widespread road closures across Wentworth Shire

The rain may be welcome across much of the district, but it has also brought travel on Wentworth Shire’s unsealed road network to a near standstill.

Wentworth Shire Council’s latest Road Condition Report, issued at 8.40am Monday, 10 August, shows every one of the 33 roads and road sections listed in the report as CLOSED following the recent rain event.

It is a dramatic change from the council’s previous report on 24 July, when the majority of the same roads were open, with only Milkengay Road closed and a handful carrying caution warnings.

The latest closures stretch right across the Shire, affecting roads around Pooncarie, Pomona, Buronga, Rufus, Scotia, Wentworth and the Anabranch.

Among the better known routes currently closed are Arumpo Road, High Darling Road from the end of the bitumen, Low Darling Road from the end of the bitumen, Ivanhoe Road, Renmark Road from the end of the bitumen, Old Broken Hill Road, Pine Camp Road, Rufus River Road and Anabranch Mail Road.

Around Pooncarie, closures include Dockerty Road, Garnpang Road, Gol Gol Road, Karpa Kora Road, Minda Road, Nob Road, both sections of Polia Road, Top Hut Road and Wilkurra Road.

Further west and south, Nanya Road, Springwood Road and Tarawi Road are closed through the Scotia area, while Cal Lal Road, Nulla Road and Tooperoopna Road are among the closures around Rufus.

For anyone tempted to think a dirt road "doesn't look too bad", it is worth remembering that a closed road means exactly that.

For Mallee dryland farmers, the 2026 season is continuing to build nicely.

After getting one of the better starts to a growing season in recent years, another widespread rain event across the Mallee over the weekend has delivered a very welcome boost to winter crops at an important stage of development.

By early Monday morning, selected Bureau of Meteorology sites were showing some very handy totals across the region.

Mildura had received around 32mm, Hopetoun around 32mm, Walpeup about 28mm and Swan Hill around 28mm. Further south and east, Charlton was around 31mm, while Kerang had picked up around 37mm.

As always with Mallee rain, totals can vary considerably from one paddock to another, but the important part of this event is that useful rain has fallen across a large area of dryland cropping country.

This rain hasn't arrived to rescue a season that was already struggling. This year's crops already had a good head start.  

A good start to the season

Conditions earlier in the year gave many growers the opportunity to get crops established with moisture underneath them.

Useful rainfall during late summer and autumn improved soil moisture across parts of Victoria and helped provide favourable conditions for sowing and crop establishment.

For dryland growers, getting that start can make an enormous difference. Instead of putting seed into completely dry country and waiting for the season to break, many paddocks went into winter with crops already established and moisture in the profile.

Seeding in the Mallee earlier in the 2026 season.

The video here was filmed during seeding earlier this season and gives a look at where this year's crop began.

A few months later, many of those same paddocks have now received another valuable soaking, adding to the moisture already stored in the soil.

That makes this weekend's rain much more than simply a decent fall. It is another piece of the season falling into place.

Wheat, barley, lentils, canola and other winter crops are moving towards an important part of their development, and having good moisture available heading towards spring gives growers something to work with.

Little Willys Roll Into Town

Mildura will welcome a very different collection of motoring history when the Australian Willys Nationals roll into town from the 11th to the 14th of September.

Willys owners and enthusiasts from across Australia will make their way to Sunraysia for four days of cruising, local attractions, social gatherings and plenty of opportunities to admire some beautifully presented vehicles.

Ouyen Gets Ready for Another Big Mallee Root Festival

Photo Credit - Mallee Root Festival Facebook

There are plenty of festivals around our region, but there probably are not too many where throwing a lump of timber is one of the main attractions.

The Mallee Root Festival will return to the banks of Ouyen Lake on Saturday, 19 September 2026, bringing together live music, food, market stalls, entertainment for the kids and, of course, the famous Mallee Root Toss.

It is one of those events that could only really happen in the Mallee.

The festival celebrates the character of Ouyen and the wider region, with the tough old mallee root serving as a pretty good symbol for the people who live here. Hardy, difficult to shift and generally able to survive whatever the weather or the world decides to throw at them.

Storages Keep Rising, With Most Now Ahead Of Last Year

The latest storage figures are giving our region a bit more to watch, and for once, most of the comparison with last year is heading the right way.

According to Goulburn-Murray Water’s latest storage update, Hume Dam, Dartmouth Dam and Lake Eppalock are all now sitting higher than they were at the same time last year, while Lake Eildon is the one major storage still lagging behind.

Hume Dam is now sitting at 47.10 per cent, compared with 41.37 per cent at the same time last year. That puts it 5.73 percentage points ahead of last year, which is a handy turnaround after the lower levels we were looking at earlier in winter.

Dartmouth Dam is also slightly better than last year, now at 69.45 per cent, compared with 66.72 per cent at the same time last year. That puts Dartmouth 2.73 percentage points ahead.

Dartmouth is still the strongest of the four storages by percentage, but because it is such a large storage, it does not jump around as quickly as some of the smaller systems. Even so, being ahead of last year is a good sign for the broader Murray picture.

Over in the Goulburn system, Lake Eppalock has had a strong run. It is now sitting at 61.23 per cent, compared with 55.79 per cent this time last year. That puts it 5.44 percentage points ahead.

That is a decent improvement, and while Eppalock is not on the Murray itself, water from the Campaspe and Goulburn systems can eventually make its way through to the Murray, so it is still worth keeping an eye on from a Sunraysia point of view.

Lake Eildon is the one still behind last year. It is now sitting at 48.47 per cent, compared with 57.86 per cent at the same time last year. That means Eildon is still 9.39 percentage points lower than where it was twelve months ago.

So the overall picture is better, but not perfect.

Nearly 120 Years of History. Let’s Preserve It.

Photo Credit - realestate.com.au

There are some buildings around Mildura that we immediately recognise as part of our history.

Rio Vista, the Carnegie Library, the Grand Hotel, the old Mildura Settlers Club and the early churches have survived from a period when Mildura was still finding its feet as a town.

They are treated as landmarks, and rightly so.

But at the bottom of Etiwanda Avenue is another place from that same era. It did not simply witness Mildura’s growth. It helped provide the materials that made it possible.

The Mildura Brickworks began operating in 1908, the same year the Carnegie Library was built. It was established by businessman Samuel Risbey at a time when Mildura was expanding and builders were concerned about a shortage of bricks.

Suitable clay was available on the river flats, and Risbey already operated a sawmill nearby. Trial bricks were made in June 1908, and by December the works was producing building bricks, tiles and agricultural drainage pipes.

Remembering Terry “Moose” McGowan, a local artist whose work became part of Mildura

Terry “Moose” McGowan, a well known and much loved local artist.

Mildura has lost one of those people whose work quietly became part of the place itself.

Terry “Moose” McGowan was a well known and loved local artist, and for many people across Sunraysia, his art has been part of the everyday scenery for years.

It is there on walls, signs, clubs, community spaces, private properties, vehicles, boats, pools and public places. In many cases, we probably see something Moose created most days as we travel around Mildura without even stopping to think about the hands that painted it.

That is the mark of a local artist who left something real behind.

Moose’s work was bold, colourful and full of character. He had that rare ability to take a blank space and turn it into something people remembered. Whether it was a large mural on a wall, lettering on a boat, a club sign, a tribute piece, or a private job in someone’s backyard, there was always personality in it.

Moose’s sign work could be seen on vehicles, businesses and private jobs.

His art was not tucked away in a gallery where only a few people saw it. It was out in the open, right where locals lived, worked, drove, gathered and spent their weekends.

That is why his passing will be felt by so many people. Moose’s work is part of the visual story of Mildura.

He also did a lot of work for local clubs and events. These are the sorts of jobs that become part of the memory of a place. A sign at a club, a piece painted for a community event, a feature wall, a banner, a boat name, or something made specially for a local group.

They might not always make headlines, but they matter to the people connected to them.

Work for local history, clubs and community groups formed a big part of Moose’s legacy.

That was part of Moose’s gift. He helped give things an identity. He helped make ordinary spaces feel local, familiar and proud.

Around Mildura, art often becomes part of the background after a while. You drive past it so often that it feels like it has always been there. But someone had to imagine it. Someone had to design it, paint it, letter it, shade it, fix it, finish it and make it stand out.

For a lot of those pieces, that someone was Moose.

Private work also carried Moose’s unmistakable style.

The range of his work says a lot. From big public murals to detailed sign writing, from local businesses to riverboats, from clubs to private homes, Moose’s art reached across the whole community.

It was practical at times, decorative at others, but always creative.

He painted Mildura in more ways than one.

From public walls to backyard spaces, his work added colour and life.

In a region like ours, artists like Moose help shape the feel of the place. They give us the colours, signs and landmarks that become part of our memory.

Visitors might see them as murals or signs, but locals see something more. They see places they know, clubs they have been part of, businesses they have dealt with, events they remember and corners of town that feel like home.

Moose’s work was all around us, and that is probably the greatest tribute of all. He left his mark on the town he was part of.

Local names, local places and local pride were often front and centre.

His passing is sad news for Mildura and the wider Sunraysia community, but his work will continue to be seen, talked about and appreciated for years to come.

To Terry “Moose” McGowan’s family, friends and everyone who knew him, our thoughts are with you.

And to Moose, thank you for the colour, the signs, the murals, the memories and the mark you left on Mildura.

A lasting local legacy, painted across the town for everyone to see.

Sea Lake Silos Light Up The Mallee Night

Photo credit - https://illuminart.com.au

Sea Lake has long been one of those Mallee towns worth pulling into on your trip. It has Lake Tyrrell, the silo art, a good rest area and enough around it to make it more than just a quick stop on the highway.

Now there is another reason to hang around after sunset.

The GrainCorp silos at Sea Lake are already well known during the day for their stunning mural, The Space In Between, which captures the feeling of the Mallee, Lake Tyrrell and that open stillness that makes this part of Victoria so special.

But when the sun drops, the silos take on a whole new life.

The Sea Lake silos are now being promoted as Art by day, Cinema by night, with a free nightly projection turning the giant concrete towers into an outdoor screen. Instead of simply being a daytime photo stop, the silos become part of a night time experience that tells the stories of the district through light, colour, movement and sound.

The projection, created by Illuminart, celebrates the Mallee landscape, farming seasons, local heritage, Lake Tyrrell, astronomy and the resilience of small rural communities.

It is the sort of thing that fits Sea Lake beautifully, because this is a town that already sits on the edge of one of the most remarkable natural attractions in the region.

Lake Tyrrell has become famous for its sunsets, reflections, salt flats and night sky photography. Visitors come looking for that big sky Mallee magic, and now, just back in town, there is another reason to stay a little longer.

Sea Lake has managed to turn its silos into something that works twice. During the day, they are part of the Silo Art Trail. At night, they become an open air cinema telling local stories on a scale you cannot miss.

Storage Levels Rise As Farmers Watch For Better Allocation News

The latest weekly storage figures are showing a welcome move in the right direction across some of the key catchments that matter to our region.

For Sunraysia, the big ones to keep an eye on are Hume Dam and Dartmouth Dam, which are directly tied into the Murray River system. Both have had a positive week, with Hume Dam rising by 3.77 per cent and Dartmouth Dam rising by 0.59 per cent.

Hume is still sitting lower than ideal, but a rise of almost four per cent in a week is certainly worth noting. Dartmouth, being the bigger and deeper storage, moves more slowly, so even a smaller weekly percentage rise is still a positive sign.

The weekly lift also comes after the recent water allocation announcement for Sunraysia, with Murray high reliability water shares starting at 29 per cent.

That figure is not exactly something irrigators will be celebrating. It is more a case of it is what it is at this stage of the season. Farmers will now be watching the sky, the catchments and the storage updates closely, hoping further winter rain leads to stronger allocations as the season rolls on.

Lake Eildon and Lake Eppalock have also had useful gains. While they are not sitting on the Murray River itself, water from those systems eventually makes its way through the Goulburn system and into the Murray, which is why they are still worth watching from a Sunraysia point of view.

A1 Supa Karts Brings Hire Kart Racing to Mildura this Week-End!

Looking for an adrenaline-filled activity this weekend? A1 Supa Karts is bringing its popular hire kart experience to the Mildura Kart Club, giving locals and visitors the chance to experience the thrill of racing on a real kart circuit.

Whether you're a first-time driver or a seasoned motorsport enthusiast, A1 Supa Karts offers a fun, safe and exciting experience for all skill levels withno racing licence required.

Race on a Real Karting Circuit

 A1 Supa Karts will be operating at the Mildura Kart Club, allowing drivers to experience the excitement of a purpose-built kart racing circuit that's home to local and regional karting events.

With high-performance hire karts and a professionally operated event, it's the perfect opportunity to challenge your mates, enjoy some family fun or simply see what karting is all about.

Fun for the Whole Family

A1 Supa Karts caters for a wide range of ages and experience levels.

Drivers must be at least 140cm tall to race a single kart, while families with younger children can enjoy the action together in a twin kart. Twin karts allow a licensed adult to drive while passengers from 100cm tall can ride along, making it an exciting experience for younger motorsport fans.

Helmets are provided, and balaclavas are available to purchase on the day.

Sunday Harvest Feels Like Something Mildura Has Needed For A Long Time

Every now and then something pops up in Mildura that makes you think, yep, this just makes sense.

Sunday Harvest is one of those things.

The idea is simple enough. Take the produce our region is famous for, put it in the hands of people who know what they are doing, and turn it into a proper Sunday lunch experience. Not a rushed feed. Not just another event on a calendar. A relaxed, local food focused afternoon that gives Sunraysia produce the spotlight it deserves.

Sunday Harvest is being run through Sunraysia Local Food Co Op, with local chef Curtis Harper helping bring the menu to life. The event is built around seasonal produce, local growers, good food, local wine and the sort of Sunday afternoon that feels like it should have been happening here for years.

From a personal perspective, this is something I have wished our town had for a long time.

We live in one of the great food producing regions in the country. Grapes, citrus, almonds, vegetables, dried fruit, wine, olives, herbs, paddocks, orchards, blocks and roadside stalls are all part of the story here. Yet sometimes it feels like we do not celebrate that enough in a way that locals and visitors can actually sit down and enjoy.

Sunday Harvest feels like a step in the right direction.

It is not just about having lunch. It is about telling the story of the region through food. It gives growers a place in the conversation. It gives local produce a bit of respect. It gives people a reason to slow down on a Sunday and appreciate what is grown right here around us.

Balloons Ready To Rise Over Mildura This Saturday

If the weather has one job this week, it is this. Get the rain out of the way, give the gardens and paddocks a drink, then clear off in time for Saturday.

Balloons Over Mildura starts this Saturday, 4 July, and it is shaping up as one of the most colourful winter events Sunraysia has seen for a while. From 4 July through to 12 July, the skies around Mildura are expected to come alive with hot air balloons, with daily flying, competition action and plenty of chances for locals and visitors to look up and enjoy the show.

The opening Saturday also brings the Balloons Over Mildura Night Glow to the Mildura Recreation Reserve from 5pm to 8pm. Weather permitting, the glow itself is expected around 7pm, with the balloons lighting up to music and creating one of those rare night time sights that should look pretty special in the middle of winter.

Video from a previous Out and About Sunraysia visit, with the balloons at the Merbein Golf Club.

I have been lucky enough to capture the balloons before, including a previous visit out at the Merbein Golf Club, and it is one of those things that never really gets old. There is something about seeing a balloon lift over our patch that makes even familiar places feel a bit different. Sunraysia, Mildura, the river, the vineyards and the open country suddenly become a postcard.

This year’s event is not just about watching a few balloons drift past either. The program includes competition flying, fiesta flying and pilot training, bringing experienced balloonists into the region and adding another layer to the event. For the serious ballooning crowd, it is a chance to compete and sharpen their skills. For the rest of us, it is a pretty good excuse to rug up, grab the camera and enjoy something bright floating above Sunraysia.

Welcome Rain Heading for the Murray’s Big Catchments

After a dry run across much of the Murray system, this week’s forecast rain over the southern catchments is something worth watching. Rain is expected across parts of the high country and inland Victoria over coming days, including around the big storages that feed into the wider Murray system. That includes Dartmouth Dam, Hume Dam, Lake Eildon and Lake Eppalock. For those of us in Mildura and Sunraysia, it can be easy to forget just how much of the water story begins a long way upstream. Rain that falls around these dams and catchments does not simply turn up here overnight, and not every drop ends up flowing past Mildura, but it is all part of the bigger river system we rely on. And right now, those storages could certainly use it. Hume Dam is sitting at just under 35 percent, Lake Eppalock is a little over 34 percent, Lake Eildon is just over 43 percent, and Dartmouth Dam, while healthier than the others, is still only around 67 percent full. Across the broader Goulburn Murray Water storages, the system is sitting at just under half full. 

Malleefowl Documentary Brings a Very Mallee Story to Mildura

One of the Mallee’s most unusual birds is about to get its moment on the big screen, and there probably could not be a more fitting place for it than Mildura.

Malleefowl: The Most Unlikely of Birds is coming to Mildura Arts Centre on Sunday 2 August 2026, with the Mildura screening listed as the Victorian premiere of the documentary.

For locals who spend time around the scrub, sandy tracks, national parks and back country of the Mallee, this is not just another wildlife film. It is a story that belongs to this landscape.

Event: Malleefowl: The Most Unlikely of Birds

Where: Mildura Arts Centre, 199 Cureton Avenue, Mildura

When: Sunday 2 August 2026

Time: 2pm

Tickets: Book through the Mildura Arts Centre ticketing page

More information: Visit the National Malleefowl Recovery Group film page

The film has been produced through the National Malleefowl Recovery Group in partnership with Remember The Wild, and follows the people working to better understand and protect malleefowl across the country.

It shines a light on the researchers, conservationists and volunteers who spend time in the bush monitoring mounds, checking signs and trying to give one of Australia’s most remarkable birds a better chance into the future.

Malleefowl are not your average bird. They do not build a nest in a tree and they do not sit on their eggs like most birds. Instead, they create large mounds from sand, soil and leaf litter, using the heat inside the mound to incubate their eggs.

A recent look at a malleefowl nest in the Mallee.

I came across a malleefowl nest recently, and it was one of those quiet Mallee moments that makes you stop and take notice. There was no big dramatic wildlife encounter, just a mound tucked away in the scrub. But once you know what it is, you realise how much work, instinct and survival is sitting right there in front of you.

That is what makes this documentary feel so well suited to Mildura. Malleefowl are part of the story of the Mallee, even if many people have never seen one in the wild.

Their world is quiet, hidden and easy to drive past without noticing. But their mounds are a reminder that there are still remarkable things happening out in the scrub, often just beyond the edge of the track.

For Sunraysia and the wider Mallee, the film is also a chance to better understand a bird that has become something of an icon for this country. It is tough, unusual, secretive and deeply tied to the landscape.

The documentary is expected to appeal to anyone interested in wildlife, conservation, local landscapes, photography, birdlife, or simply the stories that make the Mallee different.

It is also a good excuse to support a local screening at Mildura Arts Centre and learn more about the people who are putting in the work behind the scenes to help protect these birds.

Sometimes the best local stories are not the loudest ones.

Sometimes they are sitting quietly in the scrub, under a mound of sand and leaf litter, waiting for people to take notice.

Tickets for the Mildura screening are available here:
https://mac1.sales.ticketsearch.com/sales/salesevent/165926

More information about the film is available here:
https://www.nationalmalleefowl.com.au/film

Downstream From Mildura Weir, The Murray Is Still Full Steam Ahead

After all the attention on the dropped river levels upstream of the Mildura Weir, it is worth pointing out the other side of the story.

Downstream of the weir, it is very much full steam ahead.

While the riverfront through Mildura has looked dramatically different during the weir maintenance works, the lower side of Lock 11 is a different picture. River heights downstream are sitting around normal to slightly higher than usual, and for anyone heading below the weir, the Murray is still very much open for business.

That is good news for locals, visitors, houseboat operators, fishos and anyone who still wants to enjoy a winter escape on the river.

Houseboat operators on the downstream section are still hiring boats, with plenty of river still available to explore. The lower Murray around Wentworth, Curlwaa and beyond remains one of the best stretches of river anywhere in the country, with big red gums, quiet bends, sandy banks and plenty of room to slow down for a few days.

It is also a timely reminder that the weir works have not shut the whole river down. The temporary drop in water level is mainly being seen upstream of the Mildura Weir, where the weir pool has been lowered so maintenance can be carried out. Downstream, the Murray is still flowing, still being used and still drawing people to the water.

Direct From the Farmer: A Morning at the Sunraysia Farmers and Makers Market

There are some places that remind you pretty quickly just how good we have it here in Sunraysia, and the Sunraysia Farmers and Makers Market is one of them.

In my latest video, I head down to the market for a wander through the stalls, a chat with one of the organisers, Kylie, and a closer look at the fresh local produce, handmade goods, arts and crafts that make this market such a great showcase of the region.

When you see the colour, quality and freshness sitting on those tables, it does make you ask the question: who needs supermarkets anyway?

Feast Street Plans Build On What Mildura Already Has

Artist Impression - Credit MRCC

Mildura’s Feast Street has long been one of the city’s best-known spots for a meal, a catch-up, a night out or a wander through the CBD.

Now Mildura Rural City Council is asking the community to have its say on proposed upgrades that aim to make the street safer, greener, more comfortable and more inviting.

Council is not just dropping a finished plan on the table and saying “this is it”. The community is being asked for feedback now, while the project is still in the planning stage.

So if you use Feast Street, own a business nearby, eat there, drive through it, park there, or just have an opinion about what Mildura’s CBD should look like, now is the time to speak up, there is no point sooking afterwards if you had the chance to have your say and didn’t.

The plans are part of the broader CBD Revitalisation Project and build on work already happening around Langtree Mall, the riverfront and the city heart. Rather than trying to reinvent the place completely, the idea is to strengthen what Feast Street already does well — outdoor dining, hospitality, events and giving people a reason to spend time in the middle of town.

Could an “Eat & Drink Local” Month Be the Event Sunraysia Is Missing?

Sunraysia grows it, makes it, pours it, cooks it and serves it.

So maybe it is time we packaged it properly.

One idea that could work brilliantly for Mildura and the wider region is an annual Eat & Drink Local Sunraysia campaign — not just a one-day food festival, but a full month of local food, local drinks, farm gates, cafés, pubs, wineries, breweries, markets, riverfront dining and small-town road trips.

Two hours away? Maybe. Too much fun to miss? Absolutely.

I know Murtho is about two hours from Mildura, but sometimes an event comes along that sounds just strange enough, loud enough and fun enough to justify the drive.

The Murtho Mowdown is back at Woolshed Brewery on Saturday, July 11, and how often do you get to say you spent your day beside the Murray watching lawnmowers race around a track?

From 10am, the track will come alive with the sort of racing you probably didn’t know you needed in your life, with lawnmowers stripped back, souped up and sent flying around the dirt in front of a crowd that is almost guaranteed to be having a good time.

It is one of the biggest days on the Woolshed calendar, and it is easy to see why. You have racing, food, coffee, a trackside bar, cold drinks, river views and that proper Riverland feel where everything is just a bit relaxed, a bit different and a bit hard not to enjoy.

Food will be available from Fuzion Foodz and Jimmy’s Cruisin Kitchen, with a coffee van on site, toilets available and the Woolshed’s trackside bar keeping things ticking along. Entry is by gold coin donation, with all proceeds going to support the local CFS volunteers, which gives everyone another good reason to get along.

There is no BYO, which makes sense given the event is being held at a brewery, and not just any brewery.

Woolshed Brewery is one of those places that feels like it could only exist in the Riverland. Set beside a quiet stretch of the Murray at Murtho, in a restored old shearing shed, it has that mix of history, river country and laid-back charm that makes it more than just somewhere to grab a drink.

River Camping Still Open During Hattah-Kulkyne Closure

A temporary closure inside Hattah-Kulkyne National Park does not mean every riverside camp along this stretch of the Murray is off limits.

While Hattah-Kulkyne National Park is set to close on Tuesday 23 June for a conservation program, Parks Victoria has confirmed Murray-Kulkyne Park will remain open, including access to camping along the river bends.

That means the river side of River Track — the Murray-Kulkyne Park side — is still an option for those chasing a weekend away on the Murray, provided visitors stay out of the closed national park area and follow all signs on the ground.

And what a part of the river it is.

This stretch has some of the best river camping you’ll find anywhere on the Murray. Big old river red gums, sandy beaches, quiet bends, and those classic winter days where the sun still has a bit of warmth in it before the temperature drops away at night.

I might be a bit biased, but some of the beaches through here would have to be right up there with the best along the whole river. Pull up beside the Murray, find a good patch of sand, watch the light drop through the gums, and it’s not hard to see why people keep coming back.

Balloons Over Mildura Ready to Lift Off

Mildura’s winter skies are set to come alive with colour when Balloons Over Mildura returns this July.

The event runs from 4 to 12 July 2026, bringing hot air balloons, pilots, crews and visitors to the region for more than a week of flying over Sunraysia.

For anyone who has always wanted to see Mildura from above, public joy flights will also be available around the event period. Flights are listed as running from 27 June to 12 July 2026 through Global Ballooning, giving passengers the chance to float over the Murray River, vineyards, open country and the city itself, depending on weather conditions.

The River Has Dropped — A Walk Along Mildura’s Exposed Murray

If you’ve been down around the Mildura riverfront lately, you’ve probably noticed something looks a bit different.

The Murray has dropped.

Not just a little bit either. In some spots upstream of the Mildura Weir, the river has pulled back enough to expose banks, rocks, mud, old edges and bits of riverfront you normally don’t get to see. Places that usually sit well underwater are now sitting out in the open, giving the whole riverfront a very different feel.

The drop is part of the essential maintenance works at Mildura Weir, which started on June 9 after the King’s Birthday long weekend. The works involve lowering the weir pool and closing Lock 11 to river traffic while maintenance is carried out. According to Goulburn-Murray Water, the works are expected to continue until Sunday, July 5.

Mildura Weir is no ordinary bit of river infrastructure either. It is Australia’s only trestle weir, with 24 steel trestles that can be winched out of the river for maintenance or during high-flow events. Construction of Mildura Weir and Lock 11 began in 1923 and was completed in 1927, so this piece of river history has been doing its job for nearly a century.

With the weir lowered, the river has been given a rare chance to show what sits beneath its usual level.

A walk along the Mildura riverfront showing the drop in the Murray upstream of the weir.

I took a walk along the Mildura riverfront to have a look from a few different spots, and it really does change how you see the river. The boat ramp tells the story pretty clearly. Where the water would normally sit much higher, it has now dropped away, leaving a very obvious line of just how much the weir pool has come down.

It is one of those things that is hard to appreciate until you stand there and look at it.

For locals, the Murray is something we see all the time, but we usually see it held at that familiar Mildura level. The weir creates the pool that gives the riverfront its usual look, keeps water levels steady, and supports everything from irrigation and town supply through to boating, tourism and riverfront life.

When that level drops, even temporarily, it is a reminder of just how much Lock 11 and the weir shape the river we know.

It also gives people a rare look at the river’s edges. The exposed banks show the slope of the riverbed, the marks left by normal water levels, and the areas that are usually hidden below the surface. For anyone interested in the Murray, local history, boating, fishing or just how the river works, it is well worth having a look while the works are underway.

Of course, there are a few things to remember. Lock 11 is closed to all river craft during the works, and river users should keep an eye on official updates and safety advice. Lower river levels can also reveal slippery mud, unstable banks, debris and sudden drop-offs, so it is a case of look, but use a bit of common sense.