| BARMAH,
some 30km upstream on the Murray, is most easily reached by crossing into
NSW at Echuca and heading north on the Cobb Highway, then turning east.
This small river town is associated with red-gum milling, and with sleeper
cutting in the early railway days. The Barmah Caravan Park (tel
03/5869 3225; up to $45) has a great site on the banks of the river among
red gums, with a small, sandy beach for swimming. |
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| Barmah
State Park, 10km out of town, has Australia’s largest stands of river
red gum, some of them 40m tall and five hundred years old. The forest
runs along the Murray for over 100km and stands in an extensive flood
plain: canoeing among the trees at flood time (July–Nov) is a
magical experience; you can arrange transport and rent canoes from Echuca
Boat and Canoe Hire (tel 03/5480 6208). During the wet season more
than two hundred species of waterbird come here, and there’s plenty of
other wildlife; you might even see brumbies (wild horses). When it’s dry
you can use several well-established walking tracks: the place was of
special significance to the Yorta Yorta Aborigines and you can still see
fish traps, middens and scars on trees where the bark was used for canoes.
During the Barmah Cattle Muster every April, two thousand head of
cattle that are grazed in the forest are mustered in a frenzied, exciting
atmosphere.
Yorta Yorta culture and lore are explained in the
park’s Dharnya Centre (daily 10.30am–4pm; $2), which also has
archeological information and artefacts. A cruise in the MV
Kingfisher leaves from here (Mon, Wed, Thurs & Sun, plus other
days during busy times; 2hr; $17; reservations essential, book on tel
03/5869 3399) – a flat-bottomed boat that glides over Barmah Lake and
through stands of red gum. |