Parking close to the river, grassed areas for picnics, shade trees, toilets, no camping, cafe and restaurant
The first Europeans to see the Murray River were Hume and Hovell when exploring a route from Sydney to Port Phillip Bay (Melbourne) in 1824. At that time they named the river “The Hume”.
Sturt changed the name to the Murray River. when he reached the junction of the Darling with the Murray in December 1829.
Here is a brief version of what has become known as Sturt’s Great Murray Journey:
On November 3, 1829 Sturt left Sydney to assume command of the expedition that eventually turned itself into the famous Murray River Voyage. With three bullock drays of supplies, a cart, and saddle-horses, it was a typical of an overland explorer’s outfit except they also took planks for building a whaleboat and one of the team was a convict carpenter with knowledge of boatbuilding. The team members, soldiers and convicts would have to prove themselves equal to the task ahead. Sent on a tough, punishing mission, with no guarantee of reward, they displayed unfailing loyalty to Sturt and endurance. Sturt above all was an ideal leader.
Sturt’s party commenced following the Murrumbidgee River across central NSW
About 20 miles from the junction of the Lachlan, Sturt decided to construct the whale-boat and take to the river due to the difficulty of following the Murrumbidgee River where it flowed through wetlands. It took them about 10 days to build the whale-boat they would use for the rest of the journey down the rivers. The boat party was made up of 8 including Sturt, 6 men were sent back across the plains with the wagons.
After a “torturous course” where their boat had on occasion been “swept at a fearful rate down its gloomy and contracted banks” at 3.00pm on 14th January 1830 they were “swept out onto a broad and noble river”, Sturt’s expedition party had reached the river that Hume and Hovell had named the Hume River (Sturt was soon to change the name this river to the Murray River)
“The day of 23 January, 1830 was to be a dramatic day with dangerous happenings:
The sail had been hoisted for the first time, and the boat was speeding when, without warning, the men saw the river shoaling fast. A huge sandbank, projecting nearly a third of the way across the channel was crowded with hostile Aboriginals. The boat ran aground. The crew were sitting shots; an engagement looked certain. "The men were given guns but instructed not to fire until I had discharged both my barrels."
An intervening chief to which Sturt had previously held out a peace offering, swam across the stream. He was a man of authority, and he persuaded the Aborigines to lower their spears. Watchful, but cool and entirely fearless, Sturt had kept control of the situation. The peacemaker received a gift; guns were put away and the boat pushed off the sandbank..."Then it was just as she floated again that our attention was drawn to a new and beautiful stream coming from the north." It was the Darling River.
Close to the Junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers, Sturt raised the British Flag and named the River Murray.
On the 8th February 1830 Captain Charles Sturt camped on the banks of the Murray near Sturt Reserve on his way to Lake Alexandrina which he reached the next day.
After exploring Lake Alexandrina and the Murray Mouth he re-entered the Murray on the 13 November and commenced the long journey back upstream.
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