Camping in the Mallee

The Mallee is Murray River country in Victoria's dry north-west, with big red-sand desert parks between the river towns. Mildura gets only about 280 mm of rain a year, and out on the South Australian border, Murray-Sunset National Park covers 633,000 hectares, with lakes that turn pink in late summer.

Where is the best place to camp in the Mallee?

The main bases are Mildura and Swan Hill, both on the river. In Mildura, Apex RiverBeach Holiday Park is by the river, and in Swan Hill, BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill is close to the water. For bush camping, Hattah-Kulkyne National Park has a campground at Lake Hattah, and Murray-Sunset has more than 70 camping areas, including Lake Crosbie at the Pink Lakes. Further east, Kerang and Cohuna have lakeside and riverside parks.

What is there to do in the Mallee with kids?

In Mildura, river cruises and paddlesteamers run on the Murray, and the Aquacoaster is in town. Across the river in NSW, the Australian Inland Botanic Gardens are a short drive. In Swan Hill, the Pioneer Settlement is close to the parks, and a huge Moreton Bay fig, said to have been planted by the Burke and Wills expedition, grows on Curlewis Street. At Lake Boga, the Flying Boat Museum is near the caravan park.

• Australian Inland Botanic Gardens – Gardens and outdoors, Mourquong. Closest campground: Apex RiverBeach Holiday Park, 3 km
• Art Gallery of Swan Hill – Museums and history, Swan Hill. Closest campground: BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill, under 1 km
• Pioneer Settlement – Museums and history, Swan Hill. Closest campground: BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill, under 1 km
• Lake Boga Flying Boat Museum – Museums and history, Lake Boga. Closest campground: Lake Boga Caravan Park, 2 km
• Mildura Arts Centre – Museums and history, Mildura. Closest campground: Apex RiverBeach Holiday Park, 3 km
• Old Wentworth Gaol – Museums and history, Wentworth. Closest campground: Campground No1, 11 km
• Mallee Tourist Heritage Centre – Museums and history, Pinnaroo. Closest campground: Ngallo Park, 15 km
• Quambatook Historical Centre – Museums and history, Quambatook. Closest campground: Quambatook Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Rural Life Museum – Museums and history, Robinvale. Closest campground: Robinvale Riverside Caravan Park, under 1 km
• The RAAF Air Museum – Museums and history, Mildura. Closest campground: Sun Siesta Caravan Park, 1 km
• Red Cliffs Military Museum – Museums and history, Red Cliffs. Closest campground: BIG4 Red Cliffs Caravan Park, 1 km
• Mildura Holden Motor Museum – Museums and history, Buronga. Closest campground: Sun city Caravan Park, 2 km
• Military Museum – Museums and history, Dareton. Closest campground: Campground No1, 4 km
• Riverboat Rod's Model Paddlesteamer Display – Museums and history, Wentworth. Closest campground: Campground No1, 10 km
• Wentworth Pioneer Museum – Museums and history, Wentworth. Closest campground: Campground No1, 11 km
• Pyramid Hill & Districts Historical Museum – Museums and history, Pyramid Hill. Closest campground: Leitchville Van Camp, 24 km
• Splash Park – Swimming, Mildura. Closest campground: BIG4 Mildura Getaway - Holiday Park Mildura, under 1 km
• Water Play Park – Swimming, Mildura. Closest campground: Sun city Caravan Park, 2 km
• Leitchville Memorial Swimming Pool – Swimming, Leitchville. Closest campground: Leitchville Van Camp, under 1 km
• Quambatook Memorial Pool – Swimming, Quambatook. Closest campground: Quambatook Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Ouyen Swimming Pool – Swimming, Ouyen. Closest campground: Ouyen Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Swan Hill Outdoor Pool – Swimming, Swan Hill. Closest campground: BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill, under 1 km
• Waves Swimming Pool – Swimming, Mildura. Closest campground: BIG4 Mildura Getaway - Holiday Park Mildura, 3 km

What are the best nature spots in the Mallee?

In Murray-Sunset, the Pink Lakes get their colour from an algae and supported a salt industry from 1916 to 1975; walks around the lakes are the way to see them, and you may spot red kangaroos and malleefowl. Around Kerang, the Ramsar-listed wetlands hold one of the biggest ibis rookeries in the world, with an estimated 200,000 ibis breeding there each year.

• Mount Crozier Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Designated Site, Mt Crozier Camping area - Murray-Sunset NP, under 1 km
• Weir Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Apex RiverBeach Holiday Park, 2 km
• Merbein Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Merbein Caravan Park, 3 km
• Red Cliffs Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: BIG4 Red Cliffs Caravan Park, 4 km
• Kings Billabong Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: The Palms Caravan Park, 6 km
• Mount Jess Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Designated Sites, Lake Crosbie - Murray-Sunset National Park, 9 km

When is the best time to go camping in the Mallee?

Late summer is when the Pink Lakes turn pink, but Mildura has a hot semi-arid climate, so summer days are hot and dry. Murray-Sunset is remote and water is scarce, so carry plenty, book through Parks Victoria and check closures before you go.

Are there powered sites in the Mallee?

Yes. 6 campgrounds here have powered sites confirmed, including Tranquil Waters Cullulleraine, Quambatook Caravan Park and BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill. For the rest we are still confirming, so check with the park or holiday park before you book a powered site.

How far is Mildura from Melbourne?

Mildura is about 545 km from Melbourne, Murray-Sunset National Park about 440 km north-west, Swan Hill about 338 km and Kerang about 279 km. Swan Hill is 214 km from Mildura.

Facts from Wikipedia, "Mildura" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Swan Hill" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Murray-Sunset National Park" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Kerang" (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Parks Victoria, "Murray-Sunset National Park".

Map of campgrounds in the Mallee

58 campgrounds

• Tranquil Waters Cullulleraine — Cullulleraine, VIC. caravan sites, dump point, laundry, powered sites, showers, tent sites, toilets
• Kerang Caravan & Tourist Park — Kerang, VIC. bbq, caravan sites, showers, tent sites, toilets
• Quambatook Caravan Park — Quambatook, VIC. camp kitchen, dump point, laundry, powered sites
• BIG4 Riverside Swan Hill — Swan Hill, VIC. dump point, powered sites, wifi
• Kerang Apex Park - Reedy Lake — Reedy Lake, VIC. caravan sites, tent sites, toilets
• Apex RiverBeach Holiday Park — Mildura, VIC. powered sites, wifi
• Bushmans Rest Caravan Park — Cullulleraine, VIC. dump point, powered sites
• The Palms Caravan Park — Nichols Point, VIC. dump point, powered sites
• Wood Wood Caravan Park — Wood Wood, VIC. dump point, wifi
• Big 4 Holiday Park Swan Hill — Swan Hill, VIC
• BIG4 Mildura Getaway - Holiday Park Mildura — Mildura, VIC
• BIG4 NRMA Mildura Riverside Holiday Park — Mildura, VIC
• BIG4 Red Cliffs Caravan Park — Red Cliffs, VIC
• Camp Ground — Lake Meran, VIC
• Campground - Lake Hattah Campground at Hattah Kulkyne National Park. — Hattah, VIC
• Campground No 2 — Yelta, VIC
• Campground No 3 — Yelta, VIC
• Campground No 4 — Yelta, VIC
• Campground No 5 — Yelta, VIC
• Campground No 6 — Yelta, VIC
• Campground No1 — Yelta, VIC
• Camping Grounds, Designated Site, Green Opal Mine in Murray-Sunset NP — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Camping Grounds, Designated Site, Pheenys Track Campground, Murray Sunset National Park — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Camping Grounds, Designated Sites, Henschke Track campground at Murray Sunset National Park. — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Camping Grounds, Designated Sites, Pheenys Track, Border Campground MSNP — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Camping Grounds, Designated Sites, Rocket Lake Campground, Murray Sunset National Park — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Camping Grounds, Designated Sites, Shearers Quarters Campground MSNP — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Camping Grounds, Designated Sites, Sunset Tank Camping Area in Murray-Sunset NP — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Camping Grounds,Designated Sites, Underbool TK Camping area in Murray-Sunset NP — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Cohuna Waterfront Holiday Park — Cohuna, VIC
• Designated Site, Mopoke Hut Camping area - Murray-Sunset NP — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Designated Site, Mt Crozier Camping area - Murray-Sunset NP — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Designated Sites, Casuarina Campground — Big Desert, VIC
• Designated Sites, Lake Becking — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Designated Sites, Lake Crosbie - Murray-Sunset National Park — Murray-sunset, VIC
• Hilltop Resort — Tyntynder South, VIC
• IBIS Caravan Park — Kerang, VIC
• Kangaroo Lake Caravan Park — Mystic Park, VIC
• Koondrook Caravan Park — Koondrook, VIC
• Lake Boga Camp Ground 401-412 — Lake Boga, VIC
• Lake Boga Camp Ground 501-523 — Lake Boga, VIC
• Lake Boga Caravan Park — Lake Boga, VIC
• Leitchville Van Camp — Leitchville, VIC
• Lindsay Point Campground — Lindsay Point, VIC
• Merbein Caravan Park — Merbein, VIC
• Murrabit Recreation Reserve — Murrabit, VIC
• Murray River Caravan Park — Boundary Bend, VIC
• Nangiloc Caravan Park — Nangiloc, VIC
• Ngallo Park — Panitya, VIC
• Nyah Village Caravan Park — Nyah, VIC
• Ouyen Caravan Park — Ouyen, VIC
• Pental Island Caravan Park — Pental Island, VIC
• Robinvale Riverside Caravan Park — Robinvale, VIC
• Sun city Caravan Park — Mildura, VIC
• Sun Siesta Caravan Park — Mildura, VIC
• Sunrasia Holiday Park — Mildura, VIC
• Swan Hill Holiday Park — Swan Hill, VIC
• Weir Caravan Park — Robinvale, VIC

Region boundary: ABS ASGS Edition 3 Tourism Regions 2021 (Tourism Research Australia), CC BY 4.0.