RUTHERGLEN - ALBURY-WODONGA

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Albury-Wodonga area via Upriver and Gooramadda Roads

An alternative to the Murray Valley Highway (B400) is to take Upriver Road (from near All Saints Winery and St Leonards Winery) and follow this through to Gooramadda Road, the C378 and then the B400. This is a much quieter route than the Highway, with as much interest as the main road.

Distances quoted here are measured from just near St Leonards Winery.

The first landmark on this route is the left turn at 8.5km that leads to Shaws Flat Camping Area. Shaws Flat is about one kilometre from the bitumen, and has a nice picnic and camping area, right alongside the Murray River, with plenty of flat ground for all but the largest of rigs. Like most Murray River camping areas, this one is best avoided in sustained wet conditions.

Back on the bitumen, the Police Paddock camping area can be reached via a left turn at the 11km mark, and this turn-off leads to the Murray, about three kilometres distant.

As you near the River, there is a ’Private Property’ sign, and a gate; no problems here, just swing hard left immediately before the gate, and the camping area is not far away.

The area was given its name by a logical process; this was an agistment area for the four legged members of the local constabulary.

Back on Upriver Road, the route joins up with Gooramadda Road after a few more kilometres, and this leads (after about four kilometres) to the Mount Prior Winery. The Winery is on the right, and the historic homestead of the same name is just beyond the winery. The main building here is an expansive federation era mansion, beautifully located on some high ground, and well worth seeing. Mount Prior is generally only open on weekends and public holidays.

Gehrig Estate Wines are on the right (1326 Gooramadda Road, Gooramadda; 02 6026 7296) just after Mount Prior, and have an excellent range of wines; more details at www.johngehrig.com.au

Gooramadda Olives are on the right, about two kilometres beyond Mount Prior, and have an extensive array of olive oil products for tasting and purchase; more details at www.gooramaddaolives.com.au

The Olive Farm also forms part of the Rutherglen Sculpture Trail (see photo).

A little over a kilometre from Gooramadda, the C381 goes off to the left, and leads to the Murray River township of Howlong.

There are several really nice cafes here, as well as two hotels and many beautfully kept historic buildings - well worth the small detour to get here.

As well, the town has some nice riverside picnic areas, and these provide a popular lunch, or morning tea stop-over.

Just before crossing over the final bridge into town, there is a left turn (onto Weidners Road) that leads to a memorial to Major Mitchell›s expedition of 1836, one of several in the North-east.

The Chiltern side of the C381 is just beyond the Howlong turn-off, and provides a scenic run through to the historic township of Chiltern, and a full clover-leaf interchange on the Hume Freeway. See the township descriptions for more details on Chiltern. However, staying with Gooramadda Road (also known as Howlong Road in this area) it is a short run to Indigo Creek, and the sign-posted turn-off to Doolans Bend.

Doolans is a little over a kilometre from the bitumen, and has a couple of camping areas, as well as an informal (dirt) boat ramp. On the negative side of things, the access road to Doolans is not the best.

Continuing the journey towards Albury-Wodonga, the route joins up with the Murray Valley Highway, at an off-set cross-roads where great care is required.

It is about six kilometres (to the left) to the Hume Freeway, whereas straight over at this junction leads to the village of Barnarwartha, and a careful right turn leads back to Rutherglen.

COPYRIGHT © 1995-2020, Chris McLaughlin.