Thompsons Beach, Cobram: Is this really one of Australia’s best beaches?

It might not be on the ocean, but Thompsons Beach in Cobram, Victoria, has good facilities for an inland beach. Just pretend the Murray River is the sea…

Thompsons Beach in Cobram, Victoria, raised a few eyebrows in February 2022. It was named by Tourism Australia as one of Australia’s best beaches.

This was partly a surprise because Thompsons Beach isn’t exactly well known. But mainly because Cobram is a long, long way from the ocean.

Where is Thompsons Beach, Victoria?

Thompsons Beach, Victoria, is in Cobram on the Murray River, the longest river in Australia. There are plenty of beaches along the Murray, usually where the river bends. But most of these beaches are murky, dirty affairs. Thompsons Beach, however, manages to be a passable imitation of a sandy beach on a turquoise sea.

Locals have known about this for years, of course, coming down to the Thompsons Beach, Cobram, for a swim, paddle or sunbathing session. Many of Australia’s river beaches are left wild, and come without facilities, but Thompsons Beach is a pleasant exception to the rule.

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Thompsons Beach playground, toilets and barbecues

At Thompsons Beach, Victoria, there are public toilets, free electric barbecues, and floodlights for evening get-togethers. There’s also a children’s playground.

If that seems a bit too organised for you, there are other, quieter beaches in Cobram. But Thompsons Beach is where the embrace of beach life well inland seems strongest.

Cobram lies across the Murray River from Barooga in New South Wales. You can easily add a visit to Thompsons Beach to the Albury to Echuca section of a Murray River road trip. The nearest major town is Shepparton, with the Cobram to Shepparton drive taking around 48 minutes.

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