Information about the Murray Bridge region

Murray Bridge  just over an hour southeast from Adelaide on the Princes Highway is a important historical city in South Australia.  Site of separate rail and  road traffic bridges, it spans the River Murray. In days gone by paddle steamers plied the Murray from Goolwa  east to Murray Bridge and then  north to Mannum and the other river towns. Nowadays, the paddle steamers lie mostly quiet except for those restored for tourism. 

If you want to capture some of that old pioneering spirit, you can hire houseboats and meander along the Murray admiring the wonderful scenery - the relaxing pace just lets the everyday busi-ness just pass you by.

Murray  Bridge is the home of the legendary bunyip that for the cost of a coin can rear up and roar. It is only kilometres from the world famous Monarto open range zoo with its fabulous African wildlife. Historical cottages and museums abound.

Murray Bridge is a thriving town and has plenty for tourists to enjoy. What about the Murray Bridge Jazz Festival in October? Or if you have a sweet tooth, nothing beats a visit to the Cottage Box Chocolate Shop.

Just a little  to the south west is Old Tailem Town found at Tailem Bend - to give you a  taste of the pioneering spirit.

The Ngarrindjeri Aborigines were  the early occupants on this area, and  stories have it that they spoke to Captain Charles Sturt telling him  that he had nearly completed his journey to the mouth of the River Murray back in 1830.

With the settlement of South Australia in 1836, colonists and explorers alike spread their adventures wide in the little colony. Murray Bridge was so named when a bridge was finally constructed over the Murray in 1879. Shortly thereafter the town of Mobilong was established and the coming of the Adelaide Melbourne Overland cemented its claim to fame. This township went through several names until in 1924 when the  new railway bridge was built, the town became known as Murray Bridge.

Find out more at the Murray Bridge Visitors Centre