The Murray River: A 9-Day Riverside Itinerary from Albury to Mildura
The Murray River forces you to slow down. Once you depart Albury and start heading west, every camp is a riverbank, every afternoon is a kayak or a fishing rod or a folding chair in the shade, and every drive is short enough that you arrive with energy left for the water. This Murray River Road Trip itinerary covers nine days of riverside camping between Albury/Wodonga and Mildura. It is based on our own travels.
This Murray River itinerary uses five free bush camps on the banks of the Murray. Every overnight is on the water and free. The longest single drive is less than 280 km, and most are well below that.
This is the first stage of a broader project we are building: a “Source to Sea” series following the Murray from the alpine headwaters all the way to the Coorong. For now, this segment delivers a complete, self-contained river trip that you can flex to your own pace.
We have completed this Murray River road trip, and all details have been confirmed during our stay. We have camped in every one of the Murray River camping areas detailed here.
Why Follow the Murray?
Most travellers cross the Murray rather than follow it. They tick off Albury on the way north, glance at the water at Echuca and call it done. That’s a missed opportunity. The Murray rewards a slow approach. It provides a chain of free bush camps strung along the riverbank where the same activities (paddle, fish, swim, read, watch the parrots) play out a little differently at each stop because the river changes character as it flows west. The redgum-and-clay banks of Doolans Bend give way to the sandy beach country of Forges, the wetland silence of Barmah, the open sandbar of Wilkos and finally the citrus-and-irrigation flats around Mildura.
You do not need to be at any particular camp for any particular number of nights. The itinerary below establishes a comfortable nine-day rhythm, with one travel day and at most one rest day at each stop. However, you can stay as long as you like (within set limits, which are provided below). The camps that deserve the longest stays (Forges Beach and Barmah Lakes) are flagged.
Murray River Road Trip Quick Facts
- Duration: 9 days (easily adjusted or expanded)
- Distance: 615 km
- Start / Finish: Albury/Wodonga to Mildura
- Best Months: Autumn (March–May) and Spring (September–November) for mild temperatures and pleasant riverside camping
- Road Conditions: Primarily sealed highways and major regional roads between towns; unsealed dirt/gravel access tracks leading into riverfront reserves (can become muddy and tracks may close after heavy rain)
- Caravan Suitability: Highly suitable for off-grid touring caravans, hybrid campers, and camper trailers (high-clearance recommended for some river access tracks)
- Camping Cost: $0 (all featured riverfront campsites are free public reserves/parks)
- Fuel Availability: Excellent; regular refueling opportunities in major hub towns along the route (Albury/Wodonga, Howlong, Yarrawonga, Cobram, Barmah, Echuca, Tocumwal, and Mildura)
- Mobile Reception: Variable; strong Telstra/Optus reception in towns and on main transit routes, dropping to patchy or limited coverage down on the river bends and inside forested reserves
- Pet Suitability: Partial / Conditional; dogs on a leash are permitted at riverfront reserves (Doolans Bend, Forges Beach, Wilkos Point, Sims Campground), but strictly prohibited in Barmah National Park (Barmah Lakes)
- Highlights: Sandy river beaches, peaceful off-grid free camping, kayaking at Barmah Lakes, historic Murray River towns, Picola Silo Art detour, and sunset fires by the water
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (straightforward driving, but requires full off-grid power/water self-sufficiency and awareness of weather conditions on dirt tracks)
- Who This Trip Suits: Off-grid campers, full-time nomads, paddlers/kayakers, couples, and travellers seeking a flexible, slow-paced river escape
- Last Verified: August 2026
Murray River Road Trip Map
The map below shows the route, with campground locations, points of interest and key stops along the way. At the end of the itinerary, there is an interactive map providing more details (see interactive map now).
Murray River Road Trip at a Glance
- Day 1: Albury/Wodonga to Doolans Bend Camping Area.
- Day 2: Doolans Bend. Rest, fish, paddle.
- Day 3: Doolans Bend to Forges Beach 2, Yarrawonga.
- Day 4: Forges Beach 2. Easily extended.
- Day 5: Forges Beach 2 to Barmah Lakes Campsite.
- Day 6: Barmah Lakes. Easily extended.
- Day 7: Barmah Lakes to Wilkos Point Campground, near Boundary Bend.
- Day 8: Wilkos Point. Sandbar day.
- Day 9: Wilkos Point to Sims Campground, Mildura. Two nights.
If you are driving from the southern part of Victoria for this itinerary you may like to consider following our Great Alpine Road to get to the first camp.
Day 1: Albury/Wodonga to Doolans Bend
Onto the River
The Drive
Albury/Wodonga to Doolans Bend Camping Area via the Murray Valley Highway | 32 km | 45 minutes
On the Road
A short, easy first leg. Head west from Albury on the Murray Valley Highway (B400) towards Howlong, then drop south-east on local sealed road to the Doolans Bend turn-off. The final kilometre is unsealed and rutted in places, but a 2WD can manage it if you take it slowly. You will pass through two narrow gates on the way in and a secondary camping area that is well back from the river. Keep going. The site you want is at the end of the track, right on the bank, where there is a turning area.
Rob’s Tip: Use Albury/Wodonga as your final resupply. Top up water, fuel, groceries and gas before you leave town. From here on, the river camps are free for a reason: no power, no taps, no shops. Mildura is your next full-service town. The IGAs at Yarrawonga, Echuca and Robinvale will cover the gaps, but a full top-up in Albury saves you running around mid-trip.
The Stay
Doolans Bend Camping Area: 2 nights, free
About 10 unmarked, fairly flat sites on grass and dirt directly on the Murray, 9 km south-east of Howlong. No facilities at all: no toilets, no water, no dump point and no power. You must be fully self-contained, and it is recommended that you carry your own toilet. Tents are permitted, pets are welcome, and fires are allowed. Telstra has coverage, while Optus is weak. The site is signposted at the boat ramp, where there is a designated swimming area. Some sites enjoy more sun than others due to the tall river redgums, and there are warning signs about falling branches, so pick your spot with the canopy in mind.
The site fills up on weekends in good weather (we saw it reach capacity by mid-afternoon on a Friday), so a midweek arrival gives you the best chance of a riverside spot.
The Highlight
Just being on the water. The current here can be strong in the main channel, but there is a sheltered swimming area near the boat ramp. The bank is shaded by old redgums and the late afternoon light off the river is the photo you came for. Cast a line (a NSW fishing licence is required despite you being on the Victoria side) for Murray cod and golden perch, or push a kayak out and let the river do the work.
Day 2: Doolans Bend
The First River Day
The Drive
No driving. The rig stays put.
On the Water
Today you set the rhythm for the next eight days. A kayak on the river before the wind gets up, a long breakfast, a rod in the water by mid-morning. The boat ramp gives easy launch access for paddle craft and tinnies. The current can move fast in the main channel, so first-time paddlers should stick close to the bank or launch from the swimming area.
The Stay
Doolans Bend: second night.
The Highlight
Howlong is 9 km away if you need an excuse to drive somewhere. The bakery and the pub on Hovell Street are both worth a visit, and there is a small IGA if you need to top up bread or milk. Otherwise, the highlight is doing as little as possible. Birdlife along this stretch is excellent: keep an eye out for white-bellied sea eagles and azure kingfishers working the bank.
Day 3: Doolans Bend to Forges Beach 2
West to the Yarrawonga Beaches
The Drive
Doolans Bend to Forges Beach 2 Campground via the Murray Valley Highway | 77 km | 0.75 hours
On the Road
Back out to the Murray Valley Highway heading west. The river is on your right for the whole way. The access off Murray Valley Highway is unsealed and is bumpy in places, but 2WD-friendly if you take it easy.
The Stay
Forges Beach 2 Campground: 2 nights (easily extended), free
About 10 well-spaced, unmarked sites on a clear flat area on the Murray bank inside Yarrawonga Regional Park. There is an elevated grassed terrace that holds 3 or 4 sites, with the remaining sites on sandy ground closer to the river. Some sites are shaded, others are open enough to recharge your batteries from solar. No facilities are provided and you must be self-contained. Water and a dump point are available in Yarrawonga, and there is a second dump point across the river in Mulwala in case the one in Yarrawonga is closed (it was during our visit). Telstra and Optus both have coverage. Pets, tents and fires are all permitted.
This is the kind of camp you arrive at intending to stay two nights and end up staying a week. If your schedule has flex, build it in here. Easily extended to 3 – 4 nights.
Rob’s Tip: The area is flood-prone, so check for any BoM warnings before you commit to a stay. The ground is sandy and drains reasonably well under normal conditions, but wet weather can make the access track problematic. There are also a couple of issues worth noting regarding locals at the surrounding Forges Beach sites. We had no trouble at Forges Beach 2, but other travellers have reported confrontations at Forges Beach 1 (to the south-east). If you want a bigger, more open alternative, Little Bruce’s Beach is a short distance further north along the same track (turn left at the Y-junction and head towards the pump station). It also has no facilities. Note that it is marked as Forges Beach Number One on Google Maps.
The Highlight
The river opens out into Lake Mulwala just east of camp, which means the stretch you are paddling and fishing is wide and slow-moving with excellent birdwatching. Yarrawonga is 10 km away if you want to break the day with a meal at the foreshore or a wander around the weir. The weir wall and lock are worth a look for the engineering alone.
Day 4: Forges Beach 2
Wide Water Day
The Drive
No driving. This is the kind of camp where you put the keys in the drawer.
On the Water
Lake Mulwala backs up the Murray here, so paddling is easy with minimal current, plenty of width and the dead redgums standing in the shallows make for some of the most photogenic stretches of the entire trip. Fishing for Murray cod, golden perch and redfin is good around the submerged tree structures. The sandy beach in front of the camp is the easiest river entry on the itinerary.
The Stay
Forges Beach 2: second night.
The Highlight
If you can do nothing all day, do so. The combination of open water, sand and the strange dead-tree skyline of Lake Mulwala makes this one of the more distinctive stops on the Murray. If you must move, Yarrawonga’s foreshore parklands and the Mulwala Botanic Gardens across the river are both worth an hour or two.
Day 5: Forges Beach 2 to Barmah Lakes
Into the Redgum Forest
The Drive
Forges Beach 2 to Barmah Lakes Campsite via the Murray Valley Highway and Picola-Barmah Road | 106 km | 1.5 hours
On the Road
Sealed bitumen the whole way until the final approach. Track west along the Murray Valley Highway through Cobram (worth a stop for Thompson’s Beach and a counter lunch) and on towards Echuca/Moama. After 78 km, turn west on Katunga-Picola Road that becomes Picola-Barmah Road. The road is sealed to the turn-off, then good-quality unsealed road for most of the way in, but the final 700 m has some large holes and turns rough. With care, a 2WD can manage it; it may not be passable in wet conditions.
At Picola, stop to see the Picola Silo Art.
The Stay
Barmah Lakes Campsite: 2 nights (easily extended), free
About 15 unmarked, fairly flat sites on sandy ground beside the Murray inside Barmah National Park. This is the one camp on the itinerary that does not require full self-containment: drop toilets are provided (carry your own toilet paper, as the supply is unreliable). Tank water is also available, but must be treated before drinking, and you cannot fill tanks with it. There is no dump point and no power. Fires are permitted in the supplied fire rings outside of restriction periods. Tents are allowed. As it is a national park, pets are not permitted. Telstra and Optus both have coverage. There is a day-use area and there is a boat ramp 200 m from the campground.
Much of the area is shaded by big trees, so solar can be a struggle. Choose your site with the canopy in mind if you need to charge from the sun. Easily extended to 3 – 4 nights.
Rob’s Tip: Bird hides and the Barmah Forest wetlands are some of the best lower-Murray birdwatching country anywhere. If you are travelling with binoculars this is the camp to actually open the case. Brolgas, egrets, kingfishers and several parrot species use the area heavily, particularly at dawn. Some fishers dump unwanted carp on the bank at this camp, which creates an unpleasant smell as they rot. If you see it, you can avoid that section of the riverfront.
The Highlight
Barmah Forest is the largest river redgum forest in the world. The campsite is on the edge of the floodplain wetlands where the Murray slows and braids through the redgums, and the canoe trails through the wetlands are excellent. Hire a paddle craft in Echuca/Moama (45 km away) if you do not carry your own. The wetland silence at dawn is one of the great quiet pleasures of the entire river.
Day 6: Barmah Lakes
Wetland Day
The Drive
No driving (or a short side trip to Echuca/Moama, 45 minutes each way).
On the Water
A full day on the water in Barmah is the highlight of this segment for many travellers. Paddle the wetlands at dawn before the wind comes up, return to camp for breakfast and a swim, then spend the afternoon fishing or watching the birds work the shallows. The boat ramp 200 m from camp launches into the main Murray channel.
The Stay
Barmah Lakes: second night.
The Highlight
If you have the energy for a half-day side trip, Echuca and Moama sit on opposite banks 45 minutes south-west and are worth a visit. The Port of Echuca paddle-steamer fleet, the longest-running riverboat operation in the country, includes vessels like the PS Pevensey and PS Adelaide that have been on the water since the 1880s. A short paddle-steamer cruise from Echuca is a piece of Murray history, not a tourist trap. The river museum at the wharf is also genuinely good.
Day 7: Barmah Lakes to Wilkos Point
The Long Drive West
The Drive
Barmah Lakes to Wilkos Point Campground via the Murray Valley Highway | 280 km | 3.5 hours
On the Road
The longest driving day of the trip, but it is sealed bitumen all the way. The Murray Valley Highway tracks west through Echuca, Kerang, Swan Hill and on into the Mallee. The country opens up: the redgum forest gives way to citrus groves, then to dry mallee scrub, and finally to irrigation country. Swan Hill is the natural lunch and fuel stop, with a full-service IGA and several decent cafes. After Swan Hill, the towns thin out, so refuel here.
The Wilkos Point turn-off is just east of Boundary Bend, 45 km east of Robinvale. The access track is short (about 200 m) but the surface is rough enough that a high-clearance vehicle is preferred. With care, a 2WD can do it. There is a large area at the start of the track where you can park and walk in if you would rather check before driving in.
Rob’s Tip: Watch for kangaroos and emus through the Mallee section, particularly in the last hour before dusk. Plan to arrive at camp by mid-afternoon to give yourself time to set up while it is still light and to scout out the soft sand sites. The sand at Wilkos is clean and soft in places: walk before you drive in and pick a firm spot to avoid digging yourself in.
The Stay
Wilkos Point Campground: 2 nights, free
About 8 unmarked, well-spaced sites on clean soft sand directly on a sandy Murray beach near Boundary Bend. The site is open with very little shade, the ground is fairly level and the access to the river over the beach is the easiest of any camp on this itinerary. No facilities at all: no toilets, no water, no dump point and no power. You must be self-sufficient. Tents and pets are permitted. Fires are allowed in supplied fire rings outside of restriction periods. Telstra has coverage while Optus is weak. There is a nearby caravan park with a small shop that carries fuel, groceries and alcohol if you need a top-up.
There is some road noise from the Murray Valley Highway, but it did not disturb us at night. Camping at the far end of the site mitigates it.
The Highlight
Wilkos is the sandbar camp. The beach is wide, the river here is calm and the geography is different to anywhere else on the trip. Sunset over the river from a low chair on the sand is a highlight of the trip.
Day 8: Wilkos Point
Sandbar Day
The Drive
No driving. This is a rest day in the most literal sense.
On the Water
Wilkos is built for relaxing river days. Walk the beach, swim, paddle, fish (NSW licence required), repeat. The open aspect means full sun on the river all day, so set up shade early.
The Stay
Wilkos Point: second night.
The Highlight
The river is the highlight. Be mindful that the level can rise: keep your camp set well back from the waterline rather than right on the edge.
Day 9: Wilkos Point to Sims Campground, Mildura
Ending the Trip at Mildura
The Drive
Wilkos Point to Sims Campground via the Murray Valley Highway and Sturt Highway | 141 km | 2 hours
On the Road
Sealed all the way. Track west through Robinvale (worth a coffee and grocery stop) and on into the Sunraysia irrigation country. The road follows Sturt Highway and loops back to the campground. Mildura is the first full-service town since Albury, so it is a good place to do a proper top-up before your next stretch.
The Sims Campground turn-off is about 13 km south-east of Mildura. The last 2.5 km are on a good-quality unsealed road.
The Stay
Sims Campground: 2 nights, free
About 6 to 8 unmarked sites on black sand, elevated above the Murray, within Kings Billabong Park and close to the historic Psyche Pumps. Many sites are well shaded, so solar can be an issue if you rely on it. The ground is fairly level but can get dusty in windy conditions. No facilities at all: no toilets, no water, no dump point and no power. You must be self-sufficient. Tents and pets are permitted. Telstra and Optus both have coverage.
If the main loop is full, more private sites exist a little further along the track, and there is another camping area just before the main site on the left. A further site is located near the turn-off from the road that leads to Psyche Pumps, to the left of that intersection.
Rob’s Tip: Check the Mildura events calendar before you commit. We stayed at Sims over Easter and the river was being used by the Mildura 100 which is an annual high-speed boat race that has been running for decades. The noise from the high-speed watercraft was relentless during the day. We just about needed hearing protection. If a quiet river is the whole point of this trip for you, schedule your Mildura nights outside the Easter long weekend and check the Mildura Visitor Information Centre’s events page for any other ski-boat or speedboat events during your travel window.
The Highlight
Sims is a base camp for two distinct experiences. The first is Mildura, a river town with good cafes, the Mildura Brewery on Langtree Avenue and several worthwhile riverfront walks. The second is Kings Billabong Park and the Psyche Pumps. The Psyche Pumps are the original 1891 irrigation pump station built by the Chaffey brothers, who turned the Mildura district from desert into an irrigated fruit-growing region. The pumps and the surrounding billabong walk are an easy half-day out from camp, and the birdlife on the billabong rivals Barmah’s.
Interactive Murray River Road Trip Map
This map covers the route, with campground locations and points of interest marked.
The map has layers you can turn on and off. Click the icon in the top left to view the layers. You can zoom into areas with a high density of points.
For those who jumped to the interactive map, you may return to the static map: click to return.
How to Extend This Itinerary
This is a flexible itinerary. The two camps that earn the longest stays are Forges Beach and Barmah Lakes:
- Forges Beach: Easily holds a 4 to 5 night stay if you have a kayak, a fishing rod and a tolerance for doing nothing. The combination of Lake Mulwala’s open water, the easy sandy river entry and the proximity to Yarrawonga for resupply makes it the best base camp on the trip.
- Barmah Lakes: The wetlands and the redgum forest deserve more than two days. Add a third or fourth night if you want to seriously explore by paddle, or use it as a base for a return day trip to Echuca’s paddle-steamer fleet.
If you want a shorter trip you can drop one of the rest days at Doolans Bend and Wilkos Point to shave the itinerary to seven days. Anything shorter than that and you are passing through the river rather than camping on it.
Murray River Camping Rules
The Murray River camps on this itinerary are on the Victorian side of the river, and the rules for camping on Victorian Crown water frontages are worth understanding before you go. Since 2021 the Land (Regulated Watercourse Land) Regulations 2021 have governed recreational camping on licensed Crown water frontages in Victoria, which are the public-land strips between the river and adjoining private grazing leases.
The important points:
- Camping is only permitted in designated areas. A licensed Crown frontage is not automatically a legal camp. Designated sites are listed on the Forests and Reserves Victoria website with maps and access points. The five camps in this itinerary are all in established public camping areas (national park, regional park or local council land), not on grazing-licensed frontages, so they are outside this restriction. The issue arises if you try to free-camp on an undesignated stretch of riverbank between sites.
- Maximum stay is 14 nights on licensed designated frontages. Unlicensed Crown frontage allows up to 28 nights. Local park-specific limits may be shorter.
- No camping within 20 m of a waterway. Portable toilets must be at least 50 m from the river, and buried waste must be more than 100 m back. Pack a shovel and a cassette.
- No camping within 200 m of a residential dwelling. This is to protect adjoining landholders and applies even where the frontage is wide enough.
- Vehicle access is restricted to formed roads only. You cannot drive across a Crown frontage to your site: walk-in only from designated parking unless the access track is formed and signposted. This has no effect on the camps in this itinerary.
- No firewood collection. Carry it in. Campfires are only allowed where specifically permitted at the site and outside fire restriction periods.
- Pack everything out. No rubbish, no exceptions.
Reports of antisocial behaviour or illegal camping can be made to DEECA (13 6186) or Parks Victoria (13 1963). The rules occasionally shift as more sites are assessed and added to the designated list, so check the Forests and Reserves Victoria page for any updates before you travel, particularly if you plan to extend this itinerary by free-camping on river frontages outside the established sites listed here.
Final Tips for the Murray Drive West
- Water: None of these camps offer drinkable water on tap. Carry at least 100 L of drinking water for a couple and top up at Yarrawonga, Echuca and Mildura where town taps are accessible.
- Dump points: Yarrawonga (subject to closure, in which case Mulwala on the opposite bank), Echuca and Mildura all have public dump points. Plan your grey and black water cycle around these three stops.
- Fishing licences: A NSW recreational fishing licence is required along this stretch as the river is in NSW (the state border runs along the southern bank). Pick one up online before you leave Albury.
- Fuel: Top up at every major town. The longest fuel stretch is Swan Hill to Robinvale on Day 7. Use Petrolspy or FuelMap to compare prices.
- Wildlife: Kangaroos and emus through the Mallee section between Swan Hill and Wilkos Point, particularly at dawn and dusk. Avoid driving in the first or last hour of daylight where possible.
- Floods: The Murray floodplain is exactly what it sounds like. Check river-height forecasts before you commit to flood-prone camps like Forges Beach, Barmah Lakes and Sims, particularly in late winter and early spring.
- Events: Mildura’s Mildura 100 falls around Easter and turns Sims Campground into a very loud place. Several other speedboat and ski events occur during peak season. Check the Mildura Visitor Information Centre events calendar before you lock in dates.
- Self-containment: Four of the five camps require full self-containment. Barmah Lakes provides drop toilets, but everything else (waste, water, dump) is on you. Sort your grey-water capture, cassette toilet and waste systems before you leave Albury.
- Insects: Mosquitoes are persistent on the river at dusk through the warmer months. Pack repellent and a fine-mesh screen for the awning.
What Comes Next: Stage Two of Source to Sea
The Murray starts as snowmelt in the Australian Alps and finishes as brackish water in the Coorong, south-east of Adelaide. This itinerary covers the middle section: from the upland-fed flows of Albury to the irrigation country of Mildura. We are building this guide out as a “Source to Sea” series in three stages:
- Stage One (this guide): Albury/Wodonga to Mildura, the central river country.
- Stage Two (coming): The headwaters. Tracking the Murray back up from Albury into the alpine country around Khancoban, Bringenbrong and the high source streams in Kosciuszko National Park.
- Stage Three (coming): Mildura to the Coorong. Following the river through the South Australian Riverland (Renmark, Berri, Loxton), the Murray Bridge gorges and out through Goolwa to the mouth at the Coorong.
Each stage will follow the same model: free or low-cost riverside camps, short driving days and a river-first rhythm. Subscribe to the Nomad Club (link in the right column) if you want the next stage in your inbox when it lands.
Wrapping Up
The Murray rewards the traveller who slows down. Nine days, five free riverside camps and a paddle on the water every afternoon will reset most things that need resetting. By the time you pull into Sims Campground and look west toward South Australia, you have followed Australia’s longest river through three distinct landscapes: the redgum-and-clay country of the upper-mid river, the wetlands of Barmah and the sandy mallee reaches above Mildura.
Pack the head net for the mosquitoes, top up the tanks in Albury and check the Mildura events calendar before you commit to your Easter. We will see you on the water.
Safe travels.
