The tree graveyard

The rain passed overnight and it was sunny by the time we left, passing the polling station on the way.  We cycled through Mulwala and crossed the bridge into Yarrawonga. Over 100 years old, the bridge has a noticeable dip in its southern section. This has existed since construction due to significant, long-term subsidence.  The bridge is now at end of life, with substantial maintenance required to keep it operational.  However, funding is required before construction can commence on a new bridge. 

In the distance we could see the two weirs, the Mulwala Canal on the NSW side and the Yarrawonga Main Canal on the Victorian side.  The Mulwala Canal is the largest  irrigation canal in the Southern Hemisphere, supporting towns as far away as Deniliquin, Finley and Berrigan.

We explored the Main Street, stopping for a coffee at Tame which was conveniently located next to Rich Glen Providore and Orangerie, allowing for some browsing time whilst waiting for our coffees.

We had booked a lunch time cruise on the Cumberoona paddle steamer, and the company rang to say that they had changed the departure location.  Fortunately, it was only a short distance from the original site, and we had plenty of time to enjoy the cycle path along the lake front.  

The original Cumberoona paddle steamer, named after Cumberoona station, was launched in Echuca in 1866. This replica Cumberoona was built as an Albury Bicentennial project, largely funded through Bicentennial Government grants and opened by Queen Elizabeth II in May 1988.   

It ceased operation in 2007 and was in a poor state when purchased by the Knowles brothers in 2015 who repaired her and undertook the challenging journey to Yarrawonga. The Cumberoona is now dual powered, either by a diesel electric system or the original steam boiler engines.  

We opted to bring our own lunch and enjoyed the cruise around Lake Mulwala.  A man-made reservoir on the Murray River, Lake Mulwala was completed in 1939 to supply irrigation water. The project flooded a significant red gum forest, with most of the trees dying upon submersion, leaving behind a scenic tree graveyard.   Many of the trees are now just stumps, having rotted away and broken off at water level.

The paddle steamer plotted a careful course through the remnant dead forest before returning via the shoreline.  Back on the bikes, we followed the cycle path to its very end and then took the track around Chinaman’s Island, named after a Chinese market gardener, known as “Jimmy” who lived and worked there prior to the creation of the lake. A dead tree had been painted blue as part of the Blue Tree Project, a mental health operative aimed at raising awareness and sparking conversations around suicide prevention. 

We retraced our route, meeting some more locals on the way.  We detoured via the Main Street to pick up some dinner provisions before returning to the Airbnb for a quiet night.