Morrisons Wharf to Winery Swim

Gliding down the wide bend of the Murray River in the warmth of January, swimmers trace the river before stepping out straight onto the lawn pontoon of Morrisons Winery. This is the Morrisons Wharf to Winery Swim, an open water river swimming race held in the Murray River at Echuca, in the state of Victoria, Australia. Out on the freshwater course, the river surface stretches out flat, calm, and glassy beneath the summer sky. Tall eucalyptus-lined banks shelter the water, filling the cool morning air with birdsong and creating a serene atmosphere that surrounds the field before the strokes begin. The main event is the 3,000-metre swim, which launches near the historic Port of Echuca and charts the winding river fairway down to the floating pontoon on the banks of Morrisons Winery.

For those seeking a shorter outing, a 1,500-metre course begins further downriver at the Victoria Park Boat Ramp, joining the same peaceful stretch to finish at the floating pontoon at Morrisons Winery & Restaurant. The swim is staged as an annual event by the Echuca Moama Tri Club, running as a cornerstone fixture of their multisport weekend. Pulling through the freshwater, every stroke draws competitors forward.

A closed river, the current and the 2025 swim

For the Morrisons Wharf to Winery Swim the river is fully closed from the Port of Echuca through to Morrisons Winery and Restaurant. The Echuca Moama Tri Club says the Wharf to Winery swim is assisted by the down-river current. The 3 km Wharf to Winery swim finishes at a floating pontoon on the banks of Morrisons Winery and Restaurant on the New South Wales side of the river. In 2025 the Wharf to Winery drew over 230 swimmers, well up from the nearly 170 who competed in 2024. At the 2025 Wharf to Winery the swimmers were let loose in waves in the shadow of the historic port of Echuca. After almost 30 minutes of racing in 2025, the overall line honours had to be shared because the men's and women's winners finished with identical times.

Port of Echuca: redgum wharf and historic paddle steamers

During the 1870s Echuca flourished to become Australia's largest inland port. The monumental centerpiece of that river trade still stands at the water's edge: the redgum Echuca Wharf, an imposing 332-metre-long timber pier that is preserved as a listed Heritage Place. The port area also safeguards living maritime heritage, housing the world's oldest operating wooden-hulled paddle steamer, the PS Adelaide, built in 1866. Swimmers can picture the bustling era of river trade that once filled this waterway. An iron bridge was built over the Murray River in 1878. Today, the river retains its vibrant sporting tradition, hosting the Southern 80—the world's largest waterski race—every year in February.

Murray River border: Beveridge Island and cable ferries

Beyond the town wharves, the Murray River forms the winding state boundary, creating unique geographical features along its waterways. Further downstream, near Swan Hill, another enduring feature of river transport operates at the Speewa Ferry. Crossing the Murray River directly on the border between New South Wales and Victoria, this cable ferry is one of only two cable ferries still operating across the river between the two states. Its sister crossing, the Wymah Ferry, is located nearly 500 kilometres upstream along the winding Murray channel. Downstream, eleven additional cable ferries continue to operate along the South Australian section of the Murray River, preserving an old tradition of river travel.

Wakool and Murray crossings: timber trusses and lift spans

The river channels in this region have a long history of waterborne transport that paved the way for early settlements. Further down the Murray at Swan Hill, a punt was established in 1846 to facilitate river crossings for early pioneers. River trade expanded quickly, and the historic steamers Lady Augusta and Mary Ann visited Swan Hill in 1853. The current bridge at Swan Hill was built in 1896 as a lift-span bridge, engineered specifically to open for passing river craft. The bridge features a 17.8-metre lift span constructed with riveted lattice steel, supported by cast-iron cylindrical piers sunk into the river bed. Today, a new bridge is under construction 110 metres upstream from the existing heritage structure to carry modern traffic across the water.

Not far from Swan Hill, another historic river crossing stands over the Wakool River in New South Wales: the Coonamit Bridge. Completed in 1929, it stands as the last timber truss bridge built in New South Wales. The structure spans an overall length of 128 metres and incorporates two timber truss spans, each measuring 28.2 metres.