Echuca | |||||||||||||
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  Echuca | |||||||||||||
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| Coordinates:36°08′0″S144°45′0″E / 36.13333°S 144.75000°E /-36.13333; 144.75000 | |||||||||||||
| Country | Australia | ||||||||||||
| State | Victoria | ||||||||||||
| LGA | |||||||||||||
| Location |
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| Government | |||||||||||||
| • State electorate | |||||||||||||
| • Federal division | |||||||||||||
| Area | |||||||||||||
• Total | 140.1 km2 (54.1 sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Elevation | 96 m (315 ft) | ||||||||||||
| Population | |||||||||||||
| • Total | 15,056 (2021 census)[2] | ||||||||||||
| • Density | 107.47/km2 (278.34/sq mi) | ||||||||||||
| Time zone | UTC+10 (AEST) | ||||||||||||
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+11 (AEDT) | ||||||||||||
| Postcode | 3564 | ||||||||||||
| County | Rodney | ||||||||||||
| Mean max temp | 22.2 °C (72.0 °F) | ||||||||||||
| Mean min temp | 9.3 °C (48.7 °F) | ||||||||||||
| Annual rainfall | 428.4 mm (16.87 in) | ||||||||||||
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Echuca (/əˈtʃuːkə/ə-CHOO-kə)[3] is a town on the banks of theMurray River andCampaspe River inVictoria,Australia. The border town ofMoama is adjacent on the northern side of the Murray River inNew South Wales. Echuca is the administrative centre and largest settlement in theShire of Campaspe. As of the2021 census, Echuca had a population of 15,056,[2] and the population of the combined Echuca and Moama townships was 22,568.[4]
Echuca lies within traditionalYorta Yorta country. The town's name is aYorta Yorta word meaning "meeting of the waters".[5] Echuca is close to the junction of theGoulburn,Campaspe, andMurray Rivers. Its position at the closest point of the Murray toMelbourne contributed to its development as a thriving river port city during the 19th century.
The riverine plains of the Goulburn Broken catchment are the traditional lands of the Yorta Yorta nation.[6] Their population before European contact is estimated to have been approximately 2400. The Yorta Yorta were dispossessed of their traditional lands and left to eke out an existence on the edges of European settlements as remnant tribal groups.[7]
Present-day Echuca was founded by one of the most enterprising figures of the early colonial period, an ex-convict namedHenry Hopwood. In 1850 he purchased a small punt to ferry people and goods across the Murray River near the Campaspe junction. The small settlement known as Hopwood's Ferry grew to become the town of Echuca. The Hopwood's Punt Post Office opened around 1854 and was renamed Echuca Post Office on 1 January 1855.[8]
By the 1870s, Echuca had risen to prominence as Australia's largest inland port.[citation needed] Being the point of shortest distance between the Murray River and the major city of Melbourne, Echuca was both a key river port and railway junction.Paddle steamers would arrive at the 332-metre longredgumEchuca Wharf, were unloaded by hydraulic crane, and the goods then transported by rail to Melbourne.[citation needed]Wool,wheat, other grains, livestock, and timber were the most common commodities transported to Echuca. The wharf has been listed as a Heritage Place on theAustralian National Heritage List.
This industrial boom led to a rapidly expanding population, from 26 inhabitants in 1854 to 4789 during the peak year of 1871. More than 80pubs/hotels serviced the needs of the town, but it is rumoured that many moresly-grog shops, wine shanties, and beer houses, circumventing licensing laws existed in the area. An iron bridge was constructed over the Murray River in 1878 by the NSW Railways Department.[9]
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The expansion of the railways from Melbourne to most parts of Victoria, as well as improvements to roads and fickle river conditions all combined to lessen Echuca's importance, and by the 1890s the paddle steamer fleet was in decline. An economicdepression and the collapse of several banks virtually ended Echuca's role as a major economic centre, and its population began to disperse.
As of the2021 census, there were 15,056 people in Echuca.[2]
Echuca is the administrative centre for the Campaspe Shire Council.[10]
At the state level, Echuca is represented by theElectoral district of Murray Plains.
At the federal level, Echuca is represented by theDivision of Nicholls.
The main industry in Echuca istourism; it earns about $250 million a year for the Echuca economy.[citation needed] Visitors are attracted to the town by its climate, the Murray River and its paddle steamers, recreational attractions, several festivals and historical features, some of which have come to public awareness by theNancy Cato novelAll the Rivers Run, which was made into a TV miniseries.
Echuca is also a major regional service economy.
Agriculture is very important to the region. Dairy, wheat, sheep, pig, and cattle farms are all within close proximity.[citation needed]
The port is home to the largest paddle steamer fleet in the world, which includes the world's oldest operating wooden hulled paddle steamer,PS Adelaide built in 1866. There are several historic vessels operating out of Echuca on a daily commercial basis, such as PSPevensey (built 1911), PSAlexander Arbuthnot (built 1923), PSAdelaide (built 1866) operating fromEchuca Wharf itself,PS Emmylou (built 1980 with a steam engine in use from 1906), PSCanberra (built 1913) and PVPride of the Murray (built 1924 as a logging bargeC24) operating from Riverboat Dock, a short distance downstream from the main wharf. These vessels conduct four to six 1-hour cruises daily, whileEmmylou offers lunch, dinner, and scenic cruises. There are also a number of privately owned paddle steamers in Echuca, including PS Hero, PS Henry Charles, and the former Church of England mission steamer,PS Etona.[11] As well as the paddle steamers there are numerous houseboats, many of which can be hired. MVMary Ann (built 1981) operates as a cruising restaurant all year round.
The Port of Echuca is also restoringPS Success to full working order. When operational, it will be added to the fleet of paddle steamers at Echuca Wharf.[12]
Annual events held in Echuca include theSouthern 80 waterski race, the largest waterski race in the world, (February), the Riverboats Music Festival (February),[13] the Echuca-Moama Weddings Expo (May),[14] the Echuca Rotary Steam, Horse and Vintage Rally (Queens Birthday weekend in June)[15] and WinterBlues Festival (July).[16][17]
In 1983, the Australian television mini-series,All the Rivers Run, based on a novel byNancy Cato and starringSigrid Thornton andJohn Waters, was filmed in and around Echuca. The local paddle steamersPevensey andEmmylou featured in the mini-series as PSPhiladelphia and PSProvidence, respectively. The airing of this series around Australia and internationally revitalised Echuca's tourism economy.[citation needed]
In 1985, parts of the Australian telemovieMy Brother Tom (based on the book byJames Aldridge) were filmed in Echuca.[citation needed]
In the TV seriesGlitch, Vic, the district supervisor for the police forces of Echuca, the fictional Yoorana, and surrounding communities, is based in Echuca.
TheABC aired an episode ofGet Krack!n on 6 February 2019 satirising morning television segments about regional food and wine tourism. There was some concern locally about how the episode depicted the town and its effect on tourism, although the intent of the segment was to "[poke] fun at commercial morning breakfast shows and their often-condescending portrayal of rural and regional areas".[18]
Echuca is connected over the Murray River to Moama by the Echuca-Moama Road Rail Bridge, completed in 1878. This historically significant bridge has riveted iron spans supported on cast iron pillars.[19] Trains no longer run on this bridge; a dedicated rail bridge has been constructed next to the old bridge, which now only carries road vehicles.
A second Murray River crossing, named Dhungala Bridge, was completed in July 2022.[20][21]
Echuca-Moama Transit runs three bus services hourly to Echuca East, Echuca South and Moama. The terminus is the Old Echuca Post Office on Hare Street.V/Line operates theEchuca line rail service fromthe local station toMelbourne viaBendigo.Echuca Airport is also located nearby.[22]
Situated at the junction of the Murray and Campaspe Rivers, Echuca lies on theNorthern Plains Grassland. It is flood prone.[23] In Yorta Yorta, the name Echuca translates as “meeting of the waters”.[24]
Echuca has acold semi-arid climate (BSk) withMediterranean climate (Csa) tendencies, with warm to hot, dry summers and cool to cold winters that are quite cloudy.
| Climate data for Echuca Aerodrome (1881–2024, extremes 1957–2024); 96 m AMSL; 36.16° S, 144.76° E | |||||||||||||
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| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 46.9 (116.4) | 46.8 (116.2) | 41.8 (107.2) | 38.2 (100.8) | 28.4 (83.1) | 24.4 (75.9) | 24.2 (75.6) | 26.8 (80.2) | 36.0 (96.8) | 38.4 (101.1) | 43.2 (109.8) | 46.3 (115.3) | 46.9 (116.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 31.0 (87.8) | 30.7 (87.3) | 27.3 (81.1) | 22.3 (72.1) | 17.6 (63.7) | 14.3 (57.7) | 13.5 (56.3) | 15.3 (59.5) | 18.4 (65.1) | 22.2 (72.0) | 26.1 (79.0) | 29.1 (84.4) | 22.3 (72.2) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 15.2 (59.4) | 15.2 (59.4) | 12.9 (55.2) | 9.4 (48.9) | 6.6 (43.9) | 4.6 (40.3) | 3.8 (38.8) | 4.7 (40.5) | 6.3 (43.3) | 8.6 (47.5) | 11.2 (52.2) | 13.5 (56.3) | 9.3 (48.8) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 5.0 (41.0) | 5.8 (42.4) | 1.0 (33.8) | 0.4 (32.7) | −1.9 (28.6) | −5.0 (23.0) | −5.5 (22.1) | −5.0 (23.0) | −1.5 (29.3) | 0.2 (32.4) | 1.3 (34.3) | 0.0 (32.0) | −5.5 (22.1) |
| Averageprecipitation mm (inches) | 28.5 (1.12) | 25.6 (1.01) | 30.6 (1.20) | 32.7 (1.29) | 40.4 (1.59) | 42.6 (1.68) | 40.5 (1.59) | 42.0 (1.65) | 38.4 (1.51) | 42.7 (1.68) | 33.0 (1.30) | 30.0 (1.18) | 426.9 (16.81) |
| Average precipitation days | 4.0 | 3.6 | 4.6 | 5.8 | 8.3 | 10.3 | 11.5 | 11.3 | 9.3 | 8.3 | 6.0 | 5.1 | 88.1 |
| Average afternoonrelative humidity (%) | 29 | 31 | 37 | 44 | 56 | 65 | 64 | 57 | 50 | 41 | 34 | 30 | 45 |
| Source:[25] | |||||||||||||
The local newspaper, TheRiverine Herald is published by McPherson Media Group[26] three days a week.
Radio stations that broadcast to the town areABC Central Victoria,Hit91.9,3BO FM, and community radio based station,EMFM.
Network television is broadcast in the Echuca region by theSeven Network,WIN Television (affiliated with theNine Network),Network 10, theAustralian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and theSpecial Broadcasting Service (SBS).
Of the three commercial networks, WIN Television airs a half-hourWIN News bulletin each weeknight at 5.30 pm, produced from a newsroom in the city and broadcast from studios inWollongong.
Short local news updates and weather updates are broadcast by Network 10 throughout the day, produced and broadcast from itsHobart studios. The Seven Network airs short local news and weather updates throughout the day, produced and broadcast from itsCanberra studios.
Echuca is served by several primary schools: 208 Primary School, Echuca East Primary School, Echuca Specialist School, St. Mary's Primary School and the newly constructed Twin Rivers Primary School (opened in 2018). Twin Rivers was formed by merging the former Echuca West and Echuca South Primary schools, and shares a place with Echuca Twin River Specialist School (formerly Echuca Specialist School)
Echuca has two high schools. Echuca College, a state secondary college, was formed in 2006 by the amalgamation of Echuca Technical College and Echuca High School. St. Joseph's College, a Catholic co-ed secondary school, occupies the site of a formerBrigidine convent that opened in 1886.[27] Moama Anglican Grammar School, just over the border in New South Wales, also attracts students from Echuca.[28]
Bendigo TAFE has a campus in Echuca, offering education up to diploma level in various fields.[29]
The town has twoAustralian rules football clubs. The Murray Bombers competes in theGoulburn Valley Football League,[30] whileEchuca United competes in theMurray Football League.
The town is also home to the Echuca Rockets, an inclusive all ability football team competing in the Victorian FIDA Football League - Northern Conference.[31]
Echuca has numerous other teams competing in regional and state sporting leagues, including netball, soccer, and field hockey. Echuca formerly fielded a baseball team, the Rich River Mariners, who played in the Goulburn Valley Baseball League.[32] The team disbanded in 2006.
Echuca has ahorse racing club, the Echuca Racing Club, which schedules around twelve race meetings a year including the Echuca Cup meeting in March.[33]
EchucaHarness Racing Club conducts regular meetings at its racetrack in the town.[34]
Golfers play at the Echuca Back Nine Golf Course on Eyre and McKenzie Streets.[35]
In 2006, the Barry Beehag water ski race was established in honour of Barry Beehag, a founding and life member of the Moama Water Sports Club.[36]
Echuca's sister city wasWhitehorse, Yukon, Canada.[39] However, Whitehorse terminated the special relationship in 2008 due to the relationship being "strictly ceremonial in nature".[40]
Media related toEchuca at Wikimedia Commons
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