Things to do in Shepparton, Victoria: Best sights and attractions

The best things to do in Shepparton, Victoria, include the Shepparton Art Museum, Aquamoves near Victoria Park Lake and camping in the Lower Goulburn National Park.

Shepparton, Victoria, is a regional hub town in the Goulburn Valley, just south of the Murray River. By the standards of Australian agricultural hub towns, Shepparton has a surprisingly strong cultural leaning.

Significant Indigenous and immigrant communities help Shepparton avoid being just another Aussie town. And there are a few good things to do in Shepparton.

Things to do in Shepparton, Victoria: Shepparton Art Museum

The top attraction in Shepparton is arguably the Shepparton Art Museum. This regional art museum makes a real effort to cover Australian art in all forms. That includes ceramics, Aboriginal art and contemporary art. Other cultural attractions include the Shepparton Heritage Centre.

This is inside the town’s oldest surviving building – the Public Hall from 1873. It very much falls into the classic well-meaning regional museum model, however. Expect old photos and rusty machinery.

Things to do in Shepparton, Victoria: KidsTown and Aquamoves

The best things to do in Shepparton are outdoors, however. The KidsTown Adventure Playground is great fun, with a miniature railway, maze, tree houses and giant slides.

Victoria Park Lake in Shepparton, Victoria. Photo courtesy of Visit Victoria.

Aquamoves is also a winner. This aquatic centre with pools, spas and waterslide is on the western side of Victoria Lake Park. Next to the Goulburn River, Victoria Lake Park is a great picnic spot. It’s also a taster for all the walking and cycling trails in the extensive parklands around the river.

Shepparton attractions: Australian Botanic Gardens and Lower Goulburn National Park

Shepparton is a remarkably green place, with the river floodplains kept largely for nature and recreation. This area includes the Australian Botanic Gardens Shepparton, a former landfill site, which is being transformed into a network of gardens. It’s still a work in progress, however. Don’t expect too much.

North-west of Shepparton is the Lower Goulburn National Park. This effectively follows the river, and is mainly used as a camping destination. There are dozens of campgrounds along the river.

There are also several wineries near Shepparton. Those within easy reach of the town include Broken River Vineyards, Tallis Wine and Goulburn Valley Estate.

If coming by public transport, the Shepparton to Melbourne train takes around two hours and 45 minutes.

Shepparton accommodation recommendations

These are the best places to stay in Shepparton.

For grandeur and lake view rooms: Carrington Hotel.
For a holiday park with lots of kid-friendly facilities: Big4 Shepparton Park Lane Holiday Park.
For high quality apartments: Quest Shepparton.
For a good value motel with a pool: Peppermill Inn Motel.

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