Mildura/Wentworth

Well we got a good tip from a Christian couple Peter and Val Saunders from Melbourne who were our neighbours at Swan Hill that the place to stay in Mildura was actually on the NSW  side of the Murray in Buronga. So we took their advice and they were correct.  It was an excellent caravan park in a lovely location on the banks of the Murray with lots of amenities. We caught up with them again at Buronga caravan park. We stayed 4 nights in Mildura, it felt like we dwelt in the land. Tell Alex A from Sydney Trains that Mildura is indeed a city and not a town (he will understand).

My impression of Mildura is that it is a very nice place. It has the beautiful Murray River, lovely parklands and sporting facilities along the river and people are active running, cycling, playing tennis etc, leading an outdoors lifestyle. Mildura has 30 lovely lawn tennis courts right by the river and parklands. It was the perfect surroundings for playing tennis and people were. I strongly approved. Where have the grass court tennis players gone?!!!!!!

The first afternoon we headed for the visitors  information centre as has been our practice. We learned all about the Chaffey brothers and Alfred Deakin in establishing Mildura.

The next day was a rest day. I took the kids to the library to do some schoolwork. It was a blazing hot day so it was a late afternoon swim, and a visit to the park at twilight for the kids to play.

Day three was another hot day. We headed down to the Murray River lock no. 11 to watch the paddle steamer Ruby go through to Wentworth. It was very interesting and it took about 20 minutes. The water level was several metres different in height each side of the lock.

Then it was off to have a look around the central mall in town and then to a gem factory that unusually had an outdoor hedged maze attached. Fortunately my well-honed directional instincts born in the jungles of Borneo got us through. After a late afternoon swim and watching a skiing competition on the Murray,  it was off to the Mildura RSL. I put on $3 trying Paul Murphy’s keno numbers: result – useless. Home for a quiet night.

Today we visited our friends at the Mildura Baptist Church and had a lovely time. After this we headed off to Wentworth about 30 kms away where the Murray and Darling Rivers converge.  I explained to the kids that this was a significant geographical event in our trip. I told them as a symbolic gesture to mark the occasion,  I planned to fill a cup from the Murray and another cup from the Darling and pour the water out together to signify “the confluence “ of Australia’s two mightiest rivers. The children were besides themselves in anticipation and excitement.

Then we visited the Perry sand-hills which were quite impressive.

 

All in all, a lovely stay in Mildura but it was time to move on to South Australia.

Next  stop Renmark SA.