Winter offers a great opportunity to explore the district’s natural wonders, and many of them can be found in local forests. You can explore majestic river red gums, go walking along the trails, fish for your dinner in the mighty Murray and Edward River, paddle along in a canoe or kayak, watch for Australian animals and go birdwatching, or even tackle the mountain bike trails.
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The Murray Valley and Murrumbidgee Valley National Parks also offer the perfect back drop for your camping trip. Until Coronavirus restrictions are lifted completely, there are some limitations at camp sites. And you must pre-book a site, and pay a small booking fee, to better enable National Parks and Wildlife Service to provide a safe environment for you to camp. Limitation may vary from camp site to camp site, so make sure to check the details for your favourite camping spot online at www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/camping-and-accommodation.
For a real taste of peaceful solitude, the Willoughby’s Beach camp ground at Deniliquin is the ideal choice. It’s suitable for tents, caravans and motorhomes, and is a great camping spot for the whole family to enjoy. You can even bring your dog along to join in the fun. From this camp ground you can access the popular Beach to Beach walk which follows the Edward River to McLean Beach in Deniliquin’s west. From the walk you have easy access to the Deniliquin CBD so you can stop for a coffee, a bite to eat or a little retail therapy.
Not far from nearby Mathoura is the Edward River Bridge camp ground, which offers a very similar experience to the Deniliquin site. Edward River Bridge has been described as bush camping at its best. There’s plenty to keep everyone happy, including the energising Gulpa Creek walk.
Enjoy a barbecue at the neighbouring Edward River Bridge picnic area, or simply take the opportunity to relax under the shade of a river red gum. There’s ample room for kids and your dog to run around. Here you will also find a series of four steel sculptures by artist Geoff Hocking showing the history of the river red gum forest, from Aboriginal fishermen to pastoralists and timber cutters. It’s a unique way to learn about the rich history of the many different ways people use forests.
Both the Deniliquin and Mathoura camping grounds offer great fishing spots, with plenty of space to cast your line along the river. You could even return home with a great story to tell if you can snag one of the monster Murray Cod the region is famous for. They are also great vantage points to launch your canoe or kayak, and in the warmer months both spots are popular with swimmers.
To Deniliquin’s north, in Hay, you will find the Wooloondool camp ground in the Murrumbidgee Valley Regional Park. This is also a dog friendly location and ideal for relaxing in nature. It is part of the largest continuous red gum forest in the world, with this region hosting a unique ecosystem with more than 60 threatened native animal species and 40 threatened plant species. It is also an important place for Aboriginal people.
