Echuca Discovery Centre: Why was the Port of Echuca so important?

Echuca was once one of the most important ports in Australia – and it’s because it was the closest point on the Murray River to Melbourne. Discover the details at the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre.

The Victorian town of Echuca is one of the most charming spots in Australia. It’s famous for its gigantic wooden wharf, e-bike tours and paddlesteamer cruises. But the port heritage is there for a good reason, as explained at the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre.

Port of Echuca wharf and paddlesteamer — The Murray River port of Echuca in Victoria is famous for its wooden wharf and paddlesteamer cruises. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions.

Echuca kicked off in 1849 with the arrival of former convict Henry Hopwood. The next year, the Australian Colonies Act allowed colonial parliaments to impose customs duties on goods from other colonies. And when, in 1851, Victoria became a colony in its own right, it started imposing duties on goods from South Australia and New South Wales.

Your Echuca checklist

Combine a one hour Murray River paddlesteamer cruise with lunch at Morrison’s Winery.
Book a nature-focused guided e-bike tour.
Or an extended three hour e-bike tour with a winery visit.
Find the best deals on Echuca accommodation.

History of Echuca, Victoria

Hopwood quickly established a punt crossing of the river in a bid to cash in, and smuggling operations became rife. But in 1853, it was proved that the Murray was navigable. South Australia commissioned Francis Cadell to build the first paddlesteamer on the river. It was known as the Grappler, and he chose to build it in Echuca. This was partly because of the supply of timber from the nearby Barmah National Park and Murray River National Park. But proximity to Melbourne was crucial too.

How the Port of Echuca got so big

Location played a massive part in Echuca becoming Australia’s largest and busiest inland port. The heritage site is the closest point on the Murray to Melbourne, and the connection of a railway line in 1864 sparked a boom period in which Echuca became the major hub for the entire Murray-Darling Basin.

This is the critical thing – it’s not just the Murray River; it’s the rivers that connect to the Murray, creating a vast basin that covers roughly one-sixth of Australia, too. The opening up of the river trade led to pastoralists heading further and further inland, setting up sheep stations in the deep bush and borderline outback.

The wool industry at the Port of Echuca

The wool, though, would come through Echuca, and in the 1870s, the town was importing around £2m of wool a year – a colossal amount for the time. Australia was living off the sheep’s back, and Echuca was where it all came together.

But the age of rail, while initially a blessing for Echuca, eventually became a curse. In 1885, the rail connection from Sydney to Bourke in New South Wales was established, and Echuca lost much of its trade from the vast stations along the upper Darling River.

The Port of Echuca Discovery Centre also runs the Port After Dark tour. This walking tour is full of ghost stories and historical information. The drive from Melbourne to Echuca takes just over two-and-a-half hours.