The original idea of creating botanic garden came from scientists working with the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) at Merbein. In 1983 a $10,000 grant from the Elliot bequest enabled a committee to engage the services of John Wrigley OPA B.Sc. FAIPR, recognised as one of Australia's best authorities on botanic gardens, to develop a master plan and make recommendations.
It took 5 years to select the site, acquire land, and obtain Government approvals and t...
A prime example of what community spirit can achieve is on display at the Australian Inland Botanic Gardens. As the first semi-arid botanical gardens in the southern hemisphere, this is where the desert really comes into bloom. The plantings showcase a wide variety of Australian and exotic species, the centrepiece of which may be the rose garden featurung over 1600 colour co-ordinated bushes.
On the first Sunday of each month visitors can enjoy a tract...
The picturesque golf club on the banks of the Murray River.
Situated right on the banks of the Murray River, the Coomealla Golf Club is arguably one of the country’s finest.
The Golf Club offers a comprehensive range of facilities including a comfortable, air-conditioned clubhouse. Light snacks and meals are available, complemented by a well stocked bar.
There is the welcoming Pro-Shop with a comprehensive range of equipment for sale and hire. There is also the popular outdoor barbecue area...
The Coomealla Club is a popular facility for both locals and visitors alike. With a wide range of dining, accommodation, golf, entertainment, function and sporting facilities available. For a relaxing weekend away or a fun night out, come and take part in our exciting promotions with chances to win prizes! A range of live entertainment is offered each week with regular top line circuit entertainers.
Are you a sports enthusiast? Then come and try your hand at golf, workout in our gym and saun...
The ’little grey’ Ferguson tractor wrote itself into the annals of local history through the integral part it played in saving Wentworth fron the 1956 floods.
Flood waters raced towards Wentworth via both the Darling and Murray rivers, resulting in a third of Wentworth going under water. Wentworth became an island in an inland sea.
The tenacious will of the Wentworth people saw them stay and fight to save their town from ruin when all authorities were urging them to evacuate. Media at the ti...
Former Customs Officers Residence on Darling Street. One of only two customs houses still standing today. According to research done, the Wentworth Customs house is only one of two customs houses still standing today. The other is located in the South Australian border down river from Wentworth.
The Wentworth Customs house, designed by colonial James Barnett, was built in 1884. It is now a private residence, and has been altered somewhat. During 2001, a commemorative plaque was place...
Junction Island Nature Reserve ... The shoal of land between the Darling and Murray Rivers.
Junction Island is the shoal of land between the Darling and Murray Rivers. The junction sandbar is where a large number of aborigines, armed with spears and weapons, threatened Captain Sturt as he sailed down the Murray on his expedition to find the inland sea, and here he had arrived at the Darling junction. Luckily the aboriginals were calmed down by four aboriginals from across the river whom Sturt h...
Fascinating Aboriginal and military history paired with modern day water activitie.
Lake Victoria is a fascinating place that embodies both Aboriginal and military history in addition to being a major water source for people in New South Wales, Victoria and other major towns and cities throughout South Australia.
In 1994 when the lake level was lowered for maintenance, a wealth of Aboriginal history was discovered. Artefacts such as camp sites, stone tools, grindstones, shell middens and hear...
The weir and lock were completed in 1929. The purpose of the weir is both to maintain a high level of water for irrigation in times of little and to regulate water flow. The lock enables boats to pass from the upper stream to down stream level of the Murray River and vice versa.
To allow the migration of fish species upstream past the weir at anytime, special ’fishways’ are being built at the abutments of Lock 10. A series of interconnected pools will allow the fi...
Everyone has heard of Mungo National Park, recognised for its outstanding universal value as part of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area and well-known for the record it preserves of ancient lives and stories. Mungo National Park is also significant in the lives of contemporary Aboriginal people, many of whom are involved in the present-day management of the park. The park is a fragile and sensitive place that is being managed to protect its special qualities for future generations....
The Old Wentworth Gaol offers a self-guided tour that gives you a chance to inspect the inside of a fascinating historical landmark, designed to serve a vast region.
The historic Wentworth Gaol now stands as a vivid reminder of those harsh and uncompromising days, when Wentworth stood on the edge of the lonely Australian inland.
The Gaoler’s residence is where you start your tour. It is also where you can purchase souvenirs, giftware and a large range of antiques.
Orangeworld has a tractor train tour of the orchards, with informed commentary on the unique facets of the industry that relate only to this area. The tour also includes the nursery, varietal planting's, lookout tower and packing shed.
Fruit grown are oranges, mandarins, grapefruit and avocados. With 10,000 trees and a turnover of over 20 million fruit annually, Orangeworld is truly the land of the living orange.
The Perry Sandhills are on the edge of the flood plain that includes Thegoa Lagoon. They are ancient and include Aboriginal cultural heritage areas. The sandhills are used annually for Music Under the Stars as part of the Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival are have been used as a backdrop in many films and TV shows.
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. Skeleton remains of giant mega-fauna...
Pioneer Museum houses an interesting historic collection of much of Wentworth's heritage. The Rotary Club have collected over 3,000 artefacts and relics covering all aspects on the history of Wentworth. It houses one a large photographic collection on river boats and original buildings. There are a number of exhibitions to see including Space Junk, pre-historic animals, and large display of paddleboat photos, Mystery tree and reminders of how hard early life was in Australia.
The 'Possum' lived for 50 years as a hermit around the Wentworth area.
A life size statue of a man known as 'The Possum', who when disgruntled by life during the 'Great Depression' took to living off the land in and around Wentworth. He slept in trees (thus his name), walked many miles, swam the rivers, living the life of a hermit and avoided human contact for some 50 years before his death at the age of 81 years.
A proud man, 'Possum' worked for the graziers in exchange for food and clothing...
The junction of Australia’s two largest rivers, the Murray and the Darling.
The junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers is where the town of Wentworth began. Sturt arrived at the confluence in 1830, James McLeod and a Mr Bates made camp there around 1840 after overlanders such as Thomas Mitchell, in 1836, and Joseph Hawdon and Charles Bonney in 1838 opened the way by using the junction as a ’crossing’ for cattle and sheep, to begin the ’Sydney/Adelaide Highway’.
On August 27th 1841, the Rufus River was witness to the death of what is said to be 35 people and injury to a further 16 in what became known as the Rufus River massacre.
The first white man to encounter the Aborigines of the area was Charles Sturt as he and his crew rowed down the Murray in 1930. It was Sturt also who named the Rufus River - apparently in honour of his ’friend McLeahy’s red head’.
Sturt proved to be the first of what became quite an influx of European traffic i...
'On the banks of the mighty Murray River, and but a short drive from Mildura, Trentham Estate is one of the region's best wineries and vineyards, producing ripe, sunny, and high-quality wines that once again show some of the more 'sophisticated' regions further south a thing or two.
There's a restaurant and lovely views of the river; good barbecuing facilities, and a range of invariably satisfying wines: Chardonnay, Merlot and Shiraz can be of the highest quality given the very affordable p...
Take a scenic drive from Mildura to sample the range of superb quality wines and purchase direct from the cellar door. Trentham Estate is a small boutique winery situated on the banks of the Murray River, specializing in varietal grape growing and production, amidst the largest grape growing area of Australia.
The winemaking philosophy at Trentham Estate has always been to produce high quality varietal wines at an affordable price, with an emphasis on full fruit flavour and palatability. The...
Varapodia Estate is an olive oil processing and on farm cellar door sales of olive oil and its associated products, along with a range of other locally produced goods. Tours of the grove and olive processing are available
Mungo National Park is the focal point of the Willandra Lakes Region World Heritage Area. The lunette known as the 'Walls of China' is one of the main highlights of Mungo National Park. It is a 30 kilometre long dune formation which protects many thousands of years of human history. A boardwalk has been constructed to protect this incredibly fragile and sensitive environment. A visit to the Walls allows a view across the ancient dry lakebed of Lake Mungo.
Tennis, Golf, Bowls The sporting complex on 10.4ha incorporates an 18 hole championship golf course with magnificent couch greens, 14 tennis courts, 6 on supergrass and two bowling greens, home to the popular Wentworth Bonanza.
Wentworth Golf Club Situated next to the Old Wentworth Gaol, the 18-hole Wentworth Golf Club is picturesque in every sense. While the weather may be hot there’s no shortage of water out on the course with lakes punishing those who are wayward. The lakes also attract a s...
The wharf was originally built in 1879 using local timber and was a major landmark of the town - a hive of industry. Throughout the riverboat era Wentworth was the busiest inland port within NSW (third busiest port after Sydney & Newcastle). During one week 31 steamers were docked at the wharf.
The original wharf deteriorated and was demolished in 1983. This similar replica (including the little customes office) now stands in its place.
Woodsies Gem Shop is one of Australia’s largest jewellery manufacturing complexes. Visitors can see a demonstration of how gem stones are cut and polished and how the jewellery is made each day.
Enjoy viewing the glowing rocks & glittering crystals in Alladin's Cave or relax in the tranquil setting of the Cave-Inn Restaurant. Try your luck at finding the right gate to escape the garden crazy maze which has over 100 different species of creepers, or perhaps you would like to browse through th...