Mildura

Understand

Mildura is on the Murray River in the northwest corner of Victoria. The region's population of 52,000 (2018) is growing at around 1.5% annually.

Mildura and the surrounding area is a large fruit growing region. Local produce includes most varieties of citrus, grapes, avocados and almonds. The quality of local produce and the growing wine industry have helped Mildura develop a reputation for great food and wine. Mildura has become popular with backpackers drawn by the availability of farm work.

Get in

Although part of Victoria, Mildura is geographically closer the Adelaide than to Melbourne.

Get around

Local buses connect Mildura with surrounding smaller towns. Buses run on weekdays during business hours between Ransoms (Deakin Avenue & Eighth Street) and Centro (Deakin Avenue & Fifteenth Street) every half hour. For most attractions a car is necessary - major rental companies operate from the airport. Mildura is largely flat, making it ideal for cycling - several trails run around the city and along the river. Bicycle Hire is available from a local bike shop.

Driving to Wentworth takes around 30 minutes, but by bus it can take 1.5 hours.

Do

Visit wineries including Trentham Estate, Oak Valley Estate and Lindemans or one of the growing number of boutique producers. Cruise the Murray River on the Paddlesteamer Melbourne or a chartered houseboat. Watch the Speedway races. Oval, flat track motorbike racing. Time your visit to coincide with the annual jazz, country music or arts festivals. Go camping! Free camping is still available almost anywhere on the banks of the picturesque Murray River. It is easy to find a private campsite with good river access for swimming, water skiing, fishing, or just looking. Birdlife on the Murray is abundant (you will likely be woken up by the kookaburras) and you may spot the odd goanna or kangaroo. Local bands at gigs around town. Check out Thursday's Sunraysia Daily (local newspaper) for the gig guide. Usual venues include the Sandbar and The Sett's. Visit the tourist information centre at 180-190 Deakin Avenue (corner of Twelfth Street). If calling within Australia, it can be contacted on the following toll-free number 1800 039 043. It hosts a small museum containing quick information about the region. The complex includes the local library, which has free wifi and computer terminals. Also within the complex is a gym, and pools (Mildura Waves) with one out-door full sized lap-pool, an outdoor diving pool (up to 20 m), an indoor lap-pool, an indoor pool with wave generators (locally known as the "wave pool"), showers, a children's pool, spa and sauna. The main lobby area has a cafe…

Buy

Some superb Murray pink salt from the visitor centre. These salts also help farmers who have lost their fertile soil to salinity problems. Local dried fruit produce from the Australian Dried Fruits Association on Deakin Avenue. Locally grown fruit and veggies such as oranges, grapes, avocados, mandarins, rockmelon, watermelon, tomatoes, mulberries, and onions from the roadside stalls. All stalls have an 'honesty box' system and charge very reasonable rates well below local supermarkets. Local Coles & Woolworths supermarkets may buy their produce locally, but they are not permitted by company policy to negotiate their own price with growers. The supermarkets also end up having to buy their fruit from local growers at wholesale markets in Adelaide or Melbourne, meaning the carbon footprint is massive after two approx. 5-hour trips in B Double trucks, and fruit at supermarkets is not as fresh as you would expect.

Eat

Make a booking at Stefano's at the Grand Hotel, considered to be one of the best restaurants in Victoria. The Grand Hotel has a number of other restaurants, including the Pizza Cafe. Visit the restaurant strip in Langtree Avenue. Italian restaurants are by far the most common in Mildura, but there are a handful of other cuisines available, especially a few Asian restaurants.

Drink

The Mildura Brewery at the Grand Hotel serves its own boutique beer in the old Astor Theatre. For live bands check out O'Malleys Irish Pub on the corner of Deakin Avenue and 8th Street, The Sandbar on the corner of 8th St. and Langtree Ave, or the Setts. The Sandbar becomes the popular nightspot "Heaven" on Saturday nights, with a live DJ. Other clubs can be found at Dom's Nightclub in Langtree Mall, and Our House at O'Malleys.

Go next

Wentworth is said to be Mildura's twin town across the border, but its population is around 50 times smaller than Mildura's. Most notably, it's where the Murray and Darling Rivers meet. Mungo National Park is a day trip from here Broken Hill, a mining city 3 hours drive to the north Renmark – the closest South Australian town to Mildura.