Echuca

Introducing Echuca

Echuca, which means ‘the meeting of the waters’, is where the Goulburn and Campaspe Rivers join the Murray River. The ‘world’s paddle-steamer capital’, it’s also one of the state’s major tourism centres, 2½ hours’ drive from Melbourne, popular for water skiing, paddle-steamer cruises, swimming and houseboat holidays. Whilst undeniably touristy, the town has an authentic charm to it as well as several serious restaurants and gourmet delis for the travelling gastronome.

The town was founded in 1853 by ex-convict Harry Hopwood. At the peak of the river-boat era there were more than 100 paddle steamers plying the water between Echuca and outback sheep stations. The Melbourne–Echuca railway line opened in 1864 and within a decade the boom years of the river-boat trade had ended.

Last updated: Feb 17, 2009