| Murray
Bridge |
| Since
the 1830s, Murray Bridge has been the major thoroughfare for travellers
and trade between Melbourne and Adelaide. Explorer Charles Sturt in 1830
rightly grasped the area's ideal position and encouraged early settlement
for farming. The bridge itself wasn't built until 1879 and before that,
passengers or livestock had to make use of ferries - or swim across! The
town was known for many years as Edwards Crossing and really grew with the
arrival of the railway from Adelaide. |
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| Brookfield
Conservation Park |
| Visitors
can learn what it means to live outside Goyders Line - a division between
arable (guaranteed rainfall) and arid land. To live on the wrong side can
spell drought and anguish for farmers.
This typical Murraylands semi-arid plain of
mallee, sugarwood and bluebush is home to the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat
- South Australia's faunal emblem. While some of the park is set aside to
study this unique creature, there is a ten kilometres nature drive to
explore. Watch out for flights of parrots and the shy gaze of kangaroo and
emu. Put your ear to a wombat warren and you may hear the creatures
tunnelling.
Picnic areas have been set aside and excellent
information on the park and its creatures is available from rangers.
Attractions |
- MONARTO
ZOOLOGICAL PARK Located 10 minutes
outside Murray Bridge, with groups of blackbuck, deer, zebra,
giraffe and other large herbivorous species roaming freely across
1,000 hectares of undulating grasslands and mallee forest. The
landscape and climate at Monarto provide the ideal habitat for many
grassland dwelling species. The entire area has been enclosed by a
2.5 metre high electrified quarantine fence which keeps the Park's
animals safe and provides a sanctuary for re-establishing native
animals and plant life. Tours of the park aboard safari buses are
conducted by trained volunteer guides or Monarto Zoological Park
staff.
- BUTTERFLY
HOUSE A remarkable experience for young and old. Walk through a
secure enclosure among hundreds of live tropical butterflies and see
the cycle of life from egg to butterflies emerging from the
chrysalis. Sheep shearing is also featured at the complex.
- COTTAGE
BOX CHOCLATES Tours of this confectionary factory reveal 39
unique and mouthwatering products. Visitors can sample, buy and
watch the production process.
- PUZZLE
PARK Everyone can be a child here, exploring Australia's largest
maze. tackling giant playground equipment and sampling the puzzle
and games centre. River Murray fish swim in a large aquarium and
visitors can also make friends with the kangaroos which roam freely
around the park's lake.
- STURT
DESERT PEA GARDENS OF SA South Australia's floral emblem flowers
every week of the year at this market garden enterprise. Visitors
are welcome to tour a brilliant display of this flame red species.
- THE
CAPTAIN~S COTTAGE MUSEUM This 1890s cottage built for Captain
Johnson has been restored to original condition and features various
relics and photographs of those pioneering days
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