Day 141 - Mildura, 15th November 2025

So much to do in such a short time! We got up early this morning, well, it wasn’t that early, it just felt like it because we were up drinking and talking til after midnight. We dropped the caravan off at Bob Jane’s to get some new tyres and then popped in to see Rach and Shaun who were staying in the caravan park next door. We also wanted to pick up the six bottles of Kiss of Fire that we had ordered.

We headed down to the river to jump on the paddle steamer PS Rothbury.

We got pole position at the front of the boat and settled in for our cruise.


It headed down the Murray, the captain pointing out the sites along the way.


We got to Lock 11 and waited for our green light to enter. 



There are 15 locks on the Murray with big gates that they open and close to control the water level to let boats through. It was pretty cool to watch. Once we were in, they closed the gates behind us, and then opened up the valves to let the water out so that we dropped down to the level on the other side. 

Once we were at the level the gates opened up and we continued on our way. 


We went around Lock Island to have a look at the weir from the other side.

Then we travelled down the river a bit more….



…before returning back through the lock. 

This time once we were in, the valves opened and the water flooded in to raise the water level so we could head back up the river.

We went and picked up the van, dropped it back at the house and then headed up to Trentham Estate Winery. 


What a beautiful place on the river it was.


We did some tastings and bought some wine and then had a look around Gol Gol.

We made it back to town just in time to visit Rio Vista, the house built by WB Chaffey in 1889. 



The Chaffey brothers, George and WB came to Mildura in 1886 to establish the first irrigation scheme in Australia. WB died in 1926 but his second wife Hattie, remained in the house until she died in 1950. The home was sold and has now been turned into an art gallery with several rooms being used for display purposes. 



The gardens and grounds around the house are beautiful.


The fountain is a replica of the original. In 1897 one of the Chaffey children drowned in the fountain and it was turned off and sat idle until 1936 when it was donated to the people of Mildura and it now sits on Deakin Avenue in town.

We went in search of coffee but no luck so we went for a walk over the Chaffey Bridge. In Victoria one minute, New South Wales the next! 






We walked down to the water on the other side to get some pics in Buronga.


We headed back to the house and spent another night just enjoying getting to know each other. The drinks and conversation flowed, the aniseed and limoncello came out about midnight and it was half past one before we even thought about going to bed. It was a fabulous night.







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