LAKE HUME
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Lake Hume is the main irrigation storage for the Murray Valley and is a vast expanse of open water. Care must be taken not to get too far from the shore, distances can appear deceptively short but take a long time to cover. The Lake is located 16km east of Albury - Wodonga and is accessible from either the Bethanga Bridge, east of Albury, and then the C542/C546 which follow the southern lakeshore of the Murray Arm, or the Murray Valley Highway (B400) out of Wodonga.
There are innumerable access points to the Lake and these provide varying degrees of interest. A useful map is the Recreational Boating Guide - Lake Hume, prepared by the Lake Hume Recreation Committee.
Rooftop’s Beechworth - Albury - Wangaratta Adventure Map also has good detail of the Lake, but doesn’t quite cover the far eastern and far northern sections.
Starting with the Victorian side, Bonegilla and the nearby Kookaburra Point have boat ramps and, further round the lakeshore, a popular launching point is Ludlows Reserve (off the Murray Valley Highway) where there are day visitor amenities and plenty of car parking. Even further round the lakeshore, Huon Reserve has a boat ramp and the usual day visitor amenities. If the Lake is low then these two launching spots are amongst the best on offer.
On the Mitta Mitta arm, the township of Tallangatta can be found 45km from Wodonga. This is in a scenic and sheltered part of the Lake and makes a convenient base for canoeing. The town has a caravan park with waterfront access (Lakelands Caravan Park) and a good offering of shops and services.
The Murray River Arm of Lake Hume is far more extensive than the Mitta Mitta Arm and has many access points from both the New South Wales and Victorian sides. It can be reached via the Wymah Ferry Road, off the Hume Highway, 20km north of Albury; or via the Bethanga Bridge and Talgarno.
When the Lake is full the water backs up close to the Dora Dora Hotel at Talmalmo. From Wymah to Talmalmo the Murray Arm is littered with dead trees which provide a habitat for many forms of birdlife. This is an interesting and secluded venue for bird watching and photography.
On the New South Wales side there are boat ramps and picnic facilities at Bowna Waters and Tabletop Park. Both of these locations can be reached via Tabletop Road off the Hume Highway, north of Albury (turn east at the Ettamogah Pub). Closer to Albury, the small township of Hume Weir has a boat ramp, a small general store and a caravan park.
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