"MURRAY BRIDGE" Murray Bridge by balhannah

Murray Bridge, with a population of approx 20,000 people, is the largest town on the River Murray in South Australia.

Only 1 hour from Adelaide, its a nice trip to make to have a picnic at the Sturt Reserve, enjoy some fishing, swimming or water skiing, or have a ride on Paddle steamer CAPTAIN PROUD, which runs regular cruises.

It has a large shopping centre, accommodation, restaurants, hotels and sporting facilities.

If you like walking, there is a 5km Rail and River Walk, which takes in the town's major historic sights, or you can follow the scenic drive by Car.

Monarto Zoo is a MUST SEE.

It's located at Monarto which is before reaching Murray Bridge

Entering Murray Bridge

Before European settlement, the area was inhabited by the Ngarrindjeri Aborigines, who lived well off a diet of kangaroos, emus, wombats, goannas, lizards, ducks, turtles, fish, snakes and bird eggs.
Captain Charles Sturt was the first European Explorerer in the area. He had been sent here to solve the great mystery of why so many rivers flowed westward from the Great Dividing Range (often known as the question of whether Australia had an 'inland sea')

Rowing a whale boat down the Murrumbidgee River in late 1829, he reached the junction with the Murray River on 14 January 1830.

The original township was laid out in 1883 and was called Mobilong.

The land was sold in Adelaide in 1884 under the advertisement
"Murray traders, woolwashers, builders and all men of enterprise. Give heed to what is now offered to you."

Later it was called Edwards Crossing but it became Murray Bridge when a new railway bridge was constructed across the river in 1924.

The city's most recent Swanport Bridge, which was built 5 kms downstream from Murray Bridge and was completed in 1979.

Murray Bridge has two sister cities, according to the Australian Sister Cities Association.
Laredo, Texas, United States of America and Sanmenxia, China

Sturt Reserve @ Murray Bridge

Now we are heading up River to the town of MANNUM

• Pros:Lovely Sturt Park by the River Murray
• In a nutshell:Make sure you see Monarto Zoo!