Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SWAN HILL
POP 9900
Swan Hill is a sleepy river town without the tourist hype of Mildura and Echuca, but with
undeniable appeal. The riverside Pioneer Settlement is one of the best open-air museums in
Victoria and the town has some good places to eat. While you wouldn't cross the state just
to come here, it makes an ideal stopover as you meander along the Murray or head for the
Outback.
Back in 1836, Major Mitchell, explorer and surveyor, was kept awake all night by swans
on the nearby lagoon, thus giving the town its name. The area was settled by sheep graziers
soon after, and the original homesteads of the two major properties in the area, Murray
Downs and Tyntyndyer, are still looking magnificent.
Sights & Activities
Here there are plenty of opportunities for walking, fishing or swimming along the Murray.
If you just want a place to picnic, head to
Riverside Park
(Monash Dr)
, which has barbecue facil-
ities and a playground. From here, a riverside walk explores the banks of the Murray and
Marraboor (Little Murray) rivers. If you share Australia's passion for 'big things', check
out the
Giant Murray Cod
outside the train station. The
Burke & Wills Tree
, an enormous Moreton
Bay fig tree planted to commemorate the explorers as they passed through Swan Hill on
their ill-fated journey, is located on Curlewis St.
Pioneer Settlement
( 03-5036 2410;
www.pioneersettlement.com.au
;
Monash Dr, Horseshoe Bend; adult/child/family $27/20.50/74;
9.30am-4pm)
Swan Hill's main tourist attraction is a fun re-creation of a riverside port town of
the paddle steamer-era. The settlement's displays include the restored PS
Gem,
one of Aus-
tralia's largest riverboats, a great collection of old carriages and buggies, an old-time photo-
graphic parlour, an Aboriginal keeping place, a lolly shop, a school classroom and the fas-
cinating Kaiser Stereoscope. The paddle steamer PS
Pyap
makes short
cruises
(adult/child/family
$21/14.50/55; cruises 2.30pm daily, also 10.30am on weekends & school holidays)
along the Murray.
Other attractions include vintage-car and wagon rides. Every night at dusk the 45-minute
sound-and-light show
(adult/child/family $21/14.50/55)
entails a dramatic journey through the settle-
HISTORIC VILLAGE, MUSEUM
