Murray River meandering

We left Melbourne on Wednesday morning, after the morning traffic and the end of the school zones, heading up through Bundoora to join the ring road around to the Hume. Life will be easier when the North-East link is built! We followed the Hume then turned north, bypassing Nagambie and Shepparton on the way, enjoying lunch from the bakery at Numurkah before arriving at Tocumwal just after 2pm, when the Information Centre shuts!

Fortunately, there were signs pointing out way to Town Beach, our destination for the night. We were amazed to see 30 caravans there already, almost filling the riverbank! Luckily we found enough space for two vans, and set ourselves up with the caravan roof popped, awning out and chairs and tables ready for the arrival of our friends Ian and Jo-Anne in their "big rig". It wasn't long before they drove in, parked and we could open the champagne! We had planned dinner that night: salmon steaks, salad and lemon delicious for dessert, and we all thoroughly enjoyed it in Vanooka, retiring early to bed as the night got chilly.

Tranquil picnic at Ulupna Island

On Thursday morning we started our day with a walk to town, visiting the now-open Information Centre and enjoying coffee in a quirky antique shop. Returning to Town Beach, we made a picnic and  piled into Ian and Jo-Anne's 4WD, headed for Ulupna Island, one of their favourite "free camping" spots on the Victorian side of the Murray. We were the only ones there, so the tranquility was beautiful! After lunch we took another walk along the riverbanks, then Ian raised all our blood pressures with some four-wheel-driving along an empty creek bed before our return to camp, where Jo-Anne cooked a delicious roast turkey, followed by Eskimo Pies with black cherry sauce; we know how to eat well when camping!

Friday started with a drive to Forges Pump, to check out the camping there. While there was already a few people enjoying the location, there was certainly room had we wanted to stay in another beautiful  spot on the Murray. Instead, we returned to Cobram for coffee and muffins, then back to Tocumwal, where "the boys" did a few maintenance jobs and "the girls" went window shopping. A lazy afternoon was completed with happy hour, then the Golf Club shuttle bus collected us and a few more for dinner at the club. Very pleasant! We returned and retired to bed reasonably early, as cool nights preclude sitting outside.

Saturday was pack-up day for us, while Jo-Anne and Ian were playing golf in the morning. We were gone just after 9am, following quiet country roads from Finley to Deniliquin, then Wakool to Swan Hill and onto Speewa Ferry Crossing, our quiet campsite on the river bank. Apart from a few cars crossing the river on the ferry, we saw no other people, the only other sounds were the birds in the trees and the rain for about an hour on the caravan roof at night. It was magical.
On Sunday morning, after a leisurely breakfast, we packed up and headed back to the Murray Valley highway, pausing for morning tea in Robinvale before continuing to Mildura, arriving just before lunch. We found a lovely spot facing the river at the Riverbeach Caravan Park, where we intend staying for the next three nights before we meet our next river, the Darling, and continue north.