The Giant Murray Cod, Swan Hill
The giant Murray Cod, Swan Hill
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
Australians have a love affair with all things big – no, make that HUGE. There is a big apple, banana, bottle, bull, cow, crocodile, galah, guitar, gumboot, kangaroo, koala, lobster, orange, pelican, penguin, pineapple and rocking horse. That is just a selection; there are dozens more.
The giant Murray Cod, Swan Hill
At Swan Hill we have the giant Murray Cod. This fish is much prized by anglers. Sadly there are very few left in the river system these days, though a large individual can sometimes be caught. The river system has been so tampered with through damming, irrigation and pollution that this magnificent creature is struggling for its very survival.
The giant Murray Cod, Swan Hill
Murray River at Swan Hill, Victoria
Murray River at Swan HIll, Victoria September 2007
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
During our short stay in Swan Hill last year we stayed in a cabin in one of the local caravan parks. This park fronts the Murray River, Australia’s longest river. In the morning I wandered along down to the river bank. What I saw reinforced the poor state of our major river system as a result of the prolonged drought. The low water level can be clearly seen in this series of photos. You can see where the water is normally, and how far down it was last September. I believe that the situation has not improved much since. We are hoping for extensive and significant rainfall during this winter as well as above average snow falls in the Snowy Mountains.
Murray River, Swan Hill, Victoria, September 2007
Murray River, Swan Hill, Victoria, September 2007
Swan Hill, Victoria
Our cabin, Swan Hill, Victoria
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
Our next overnight stay was at a caravan park in Swan Hill. This delightful town is located on the banks of the River Murray in north-west Victoria. This town is predominantly a service centre for the surrounding farming districts. Tourism is becoming increasingly important too. The cabin we stayed was very nice though rather on the expensive side compared to some we had hired.
Caravan Park, Swan Hill, Victoria
The caravan park is very pleasant and much of it fronts the bank of the river. It is also only a short distance from the Historic Village. We didn’t have time to visit this village on this trip. I’ll share photos of our visit some years ago when I get around to it. I know I have plenty of photographic slides of this tourist village. The replica village is a living museum paying tribute to the early settlers of the area. It also features the importance of the river boat trade before the advent of the railway.
PS Pyap, Swan Hill, Victoria
Reedy Lake Ibis Rookery, Kerang, Victoria (part 2)
Purple Swamphens, Kerang, Victoria
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
The Ibis rookery just out of Kerang in northern Victoria has a well appointed bird hide, complete with a very good telescope. This birding hot spot is always worth a visit, and every time we drive through this area I plan to stop there, have a cup of tea and do a spot of birding. Literally thousands of Straw-necked and White Ibis roost and nest in this area, along with a good range of other waterbirds, such as Purple Swamphens, Pelicans, Egrets, Herons and a range of bush birds and birds of prey like eagles, hawks and kites.
Reedy Lake Ibis Rookery, Kerang, Victoria
Reedy Lake Ibis Rookery, Kerang, Victoria
Reedy Lake Ibis Rookery, Kerang, Victoria
Kerang Bird Hide, Victoria
Our holiday in Victoria
September 2007
From Gisborne we travelled north to Bendigo. This is a beautiful city in the gold fields region of Victoria. There are many historic buildings and places in this rural city, but we had only enough time to visit a native plant nursery – my wife’s passion – and to have lunch in one of the parks.
The historic heritage of this city and the natural beauty of the area deserve more than just a quick drive through. It deserves a week or two of exploration, camera in hand. We did have an extended holiday there many years ago. I must have some photographic slides of the city that will be worth digging out and showing here sometime.
As we drove north from Bendigo we were stunned by how the drought had affected the northern parts of the state. A few kilometres out of Bendigo it was as if someone had drawn a line across the road. The rain stopped at that line. Vegetation in the paddocks north of there were bare of feed for the sheep and cattle, despite it being the middle of spring. The fields should have been lush with pasture.
Just out of the town of Kerang we stopped for a half hour to visit the Reedy Lake Ibis Rookery. Every time we use this road I make a point of stopping here for a cuppa and a spot of birding.
Reedy Lake Ibis Rookery, Kerang, Victoria