Mildura Lock 11 & Weir: 100 years young next August — so how do we celebrate it properly?

Photo Credit - The Chaffey Trail 

If you’ve lived in Mildura (or you’ve ever done the touristy loop along the riverfront), chances are you’ve stood on the lock gates and watched the Murray doing its thing and thought, “How good is this?”

Well here’s a milestone worth circling in the diary: Lock 11 and the Mildura Weir started construction in August 1923 and completed in 1927 — which means we’re coming up to 100 years since completion.

A century. That’s not just “old infrastructure”… that’s local history you can walk across.

And it begs the question: should Mildura mark it with a quick one-day celebration… or do we go the full week-long “look back” with stories, photos, tours and river action?

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First, a quick refresher: why Lock 11 matters

Lock 11 and the Mildura Weir were built as part of the big push in the 1920s to steady the river level for irrigation and navigation — making the Murray more predictable for pumps, growers, and river traffic. 

And the weir itself is a bit of a unicorn: Mildura Weir is the only trestle weir of its kind left in Australia, after Torrumbarry was upgraded in the 1990s. 
(Those Dethridge steel trestles can literally be winched up for maintenance and to help manage big flows. It’s old-school engineering that still earns respect.) 

What’s changed over the years? Plenty.

Photo Credit - The Chaffey Trail

A structure that’s been doing the heavy lifting for nearly a century doesn’t just sit there untouched.

Here are a few notable “chapters” in the Lock 11 story:

1) Fish got a better deal (and that’s a good thing)

One of the big modern upgrades is about fish passage (or Ladder). A fishway at Mildura Weir was built in 2013 as part of the broader “Sea to Hume” fishway program, helping native fish move past barriers like weirs. 

2) Ongoing maintenance and upgrades (because you don’t get to 100 without it)

Locks need periodic closures and works to keep them safe and operating — including maintenance shutdowns like the 2020 closure for works at Lock 11. 

3) We’ve started talking about “replacement” planning

And here’s the big modern reality check: in 2025, early planning began to design a replacement for the Mildura Weir, because (shock horror) nearly-100-year-old infrastructure eventually needs a next chapter. 

So yep — we can celebrate the past and have a sensible conversation about what the next 100 years should look like.

So… what should a 100-year celebration look like?

Here are a few ideas that feel very “Mildura”, very river-town, and very doable.

1) “Lock 11 Long Lunch” — community BBQ + riverfront gathering

Set up a big community BBQ near the lock grounds with local clubs, CFA, SES, rotary, the lot.
Think: family-friendly, sausage sizzle energy… but with some actual history on display.

Add:

• a small stage for local musicians

• food trucks / local produce stalls

• a “then vs now” photo wall (people LOVE this)

2) Paddle steamer parade + a ceremonial lock-through

This one’s non-negotiable in my book: get the paddle boats involved.

Imagine a timed moment where we have:

• a lead paddle steamer (or a couple if available)

• a few smaller classic boats following

• people lined up on the lock crossing cheering them through

It’s the perfect living reenactment of why the lock exists in the first place: moving boats up and down the Murray like it’s normal. (Because around here… it kind of is.)

3) Vintage machinery and “old Mildura engineering” display

Lock grounds + vintage machinery = instant crowd-pleaser.

Bring in:

• classic tractors and pumps

• old irrigation gear

• heritage engines (the kind that chug and smell like history)

It ties beautifully into what the lock/weir enabled: irrigation, settlement, and the growth of Sunraysia as we know it.

4) Story week: talks, tours, and a “Lock 11 timeline”

If you want to go week-long, this is how you do it without it getting stale:

• Guided history walks (short, easy, story-based)

• a nightly “5-minute yarn” series online: one story per night (photos, old headlines, local memories)

• school visits / education day

• a mini exhibit at the library/gallery: construction, upgrades, big floods, big droughts, river trade, the works

5) A “future of the weir” community forum (keep it positive)

Because with replacement planning already being talked about, it’d be smart to include a session that asks:

• What do locals want preserved?

• What needs modernising?

• How do we keep recreation, tourism, and river health front and centre? 

Not a whinge-fest. A proper “let’s be proud of it and plan ahead” session.

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Day or week? Over to you.

Alright, I’m throwing it to the readers (and the locals who love a good opinion):

Should Mildura celebrate Lock 11’s 100 years with:

• a big one-day “Lock 11 Centenary” festival (simple, loud, memorable), or

• a full week-long look back with history, tours, paddle boats, and community events?

Because honestly… if you’re going to celebrate something that’s been quietly holding this place together since 1927, you don’t do it with a single Facebook post and a sad cupcake.

You do it properly.