This northern route as far as Morgan covers part of the route we took following, as far as practical, the Murray River.
It is dual lane sealed.
Note. In general, roadside parking is only signed when it's on your left side. Not sure why, but guess to stop
one crossing to the other side of the road against oncoming traffic. This means, however, that parking spots on
the opposite side of the highway, to which we travelled, may be missed in these notes.
0 km (208.6 km) Wellington road junction west of the ferry. The Princes Highway is to the east of the ferry.
[10.9 km] Travelling north on western side of river.
10.9 km (197.7 km) Junction .. east side .. to Tailem Bend ferry.
[20.4 km] Passing through extensively farmed country with fertile river flats between road and river.
31.3 km (17.3 km) Junction with "A1" Highway which we crossed and continued towards Murray Bridge.
[3.4 km]
34.7 km (173.9 km) Murray Bridge .. Woolworths to west, Info Centre to east.
[0.2 km]
34.9 km (173.7 km) Centre of old Bridge, across Murray River, at eastern end of Main Street.
[2.9 km]
37.8 km (170.8 km) Junction .. north side .. following "B55" north to Mannum.
[10.9 km]
48.7 km (159.9 km) Burdelt Hall .. west side .. ? overnight possibilities .. lots of space noticed around hall.
[16.9 km]
65.6 km (143.0 km) Junction .. turn west towards Mannum.
------------------------------
0 km Turn off towards Mannum.
[0.6 km]
0.6 km Signed rest area .. west side .. Haythorpe Reserve. Long level gravel loop between road and river
off/on highway .. parking adjacent.
Class 2. 34° 54.52'S. 139° 19.42'E. Hema map 62, D 7.
Toilets, shade, rubbish bins, 20m max to road, OK big rigs, good TV, good CDMA, river views. Attention,
falling branches from trees!
[0.4 km]
1.0 km Junction .. west side to ferry and Mannum town, caravan park, etc. We crosssed via ferry without the
trailer .. drinking WATER available at Info Centre (between ferry and town), but tap behind locked gate.
Ask at info centre .. long hose necessary if parked in street as a large vehicle must. Travel about 1km
through town on Adelaide Road .. BP servo on left (exchange cylinders), about another 0.5 km is Mobil on
right with Manum Agriculture opposite .. drive in .. 9kg gas for $23.
[0.7 km] Continuing south from above point.
1.7 km Bolto Reserve .. largish essentially level, partially grassy area on river bank .. great spot.
* Class 1. 34° 54.93'S. 139° 18.96'E. Hema map 62, D 7.
Toilets, shade, WATER (non potable from river), bush fireplaces (fire restrictions), rubbish bins,
quiet, OK big rigs, no time limit, good TV, good CDMA, river views. Stayed 5 days!
Attention, falling branches from trees!
------------------------------
WELLINGTON NORTH .. continued.
[28.3 km]
93.9 km (114.7 km) Junction .. north side .. Bowhill .. travel in 1.3km to turning area at end of road beside river.
Class 3 to 4. 34° 53.05'S. 139° 37.19'E. Hema map 62, D 7.
Shade, 40m from road, OK big rigs, ? legal.
[8.3 km]
102.2 km (106.4 km) Junction .. west side to Pernong. Travel 2.2km to ferry crossing .. level gravel parking area to
north of ferry.
* Class 2. 34° 51.24'S. 139° 37.03'E. Hema map 62, D 6.
Toilets (100m away), table, pm shade, WATER (river), rubbish bins, 25m max to ferry, OK big rigs,
3 TV channels, weak CDMA, public phone.
Another (rather open and rough) area to south of ferry, another on west bank, north side .. toilets
noted .. beside river .. looks good.
[13.6 km]
115.8 km (92.8 km) Junction .. west side .. to Walker Flat. Travel 0.7km to Foster Lookout turnoff.
Signed parking .. north (left) side .. sealed road to large circular turning/parking area.
Class 2. 34° 45.32'S. 139° 34.31'E. Hema map 62, D 6.
No shade, rubbish bins, 30m max from highway, OK big rigs, good CDMA, great views down over stretch of
river and billabongs. The ferry crossing is ahead, past this spot.
[6.0 km]
121.8 km (86.8 km) Signed parking .. west side. Len Kroehn's Lookout. Large sealed loop off/on highway.
Class 2. 34° 42.21'S. 139° 35.26'E. Hema map 62, D 6.
Table, no shade, rubbish bin, 40m max from highway, OK big rigs, good CDMA, good views.
[7.4 km]
129.2 km (79.4 km) Nildottie. Possible parking noticed .. west side .. WATER tap, toilet noted.
[5.5 km]
134.7 km (73.9 km) Signed parking .. west side. Big Bend Lookout .. medium size, level, sealed loop off/on highway.
* Class 2. 34° 37.92'S. 139° 39.96'E. Hema map 62, D 6.
Table, little shade, rubbish bin, 40m max from highway, OK big rigs, good TV, good CDMA. Great views
over river, to the west, and of the famous Murray River cliffs. We stayed 3 nights waiting for mail.
Some info from notice board. Here to river mouth .. 230km. Here to VIC/NSW border .. 419 km.
Since Oct. 1967 average river flow 637.03 million litres per day.
In Feb. 1968 the minimum flow was 249.8 million litres per day.
In Dec. 1974 the maximum river flow 15,291.2 million litres per day.
[3.6 km]
138.3 km (70.3 km) Junction .. west side .. signed Big Bend, 4km via gravel road.
Another traveller advised camping was possible there beside river.
[3.9 km]
142.2 km (66.4 km) Junction .. west side .. southern entrance to Swan Reach.
-----------------------------
0 km (4.4 km) Turn off for Swan Reach town/ferry via southern entrance.
[2.5 km] WATER, we are finding, is difficult to obtain in these towns. About 1.5 km from that southern entrance,
to the east, is signed school, sports ground. Take this turn, veer right at school, veer right again and head
towards the south west corner of the sports complex which is the swimming pool. Beside the large tank stand is
a green fresh water tank. We were given permission to fill our water containers from that tank.
2.5 km (1.9 km) Junction .. turn east for Post Office.
[0.1 km]
2.6 km (1.8 km) Junction .. west side over narrow 12 T limit bridge to signed rest area .. Len White Reserve.
Largish level parking amongst trees.
Class 5 (no camping sign, caravan park at entrance!). 34° 34.03' S. 139° 35.68' E. Hema map 62, D 6.
Toilets, tables, shade, BBQ, rubbish bins, OK big rigs under 12 T, weak CDMA, near river.
[0.3 km]
2.9 km (1.5 km) Junction (ferry is ahead) turn east towards northern entrance. Pass pub.
[0.8 km]
3.7 km (0.7 km) Signed parking .. north side. Graetz Lookout/Info Bay overlooking river.
Medium size sealed parking bay adjacent to highway.
Class 3. 34° 33.81' S. 139° 36.40' E. Hema map 62, D 6.
Covered table, no shade, rubbish bin, 20m max from highway, OK big rigs.
Noticed on opposite side of river, cross via ferry and on northern side along river bank
is Tonbury Hunter Reserve .. large level gravel loop off/on highway with parking adjacent.
Shade, rubbish bins, 50m max from road, OK big rigs.
[0.7 km]
4.4 km (0 km) Junction .. northen entrance to Swan Reach referred to below.
-----------------------------
WELLINGTON NORTH .. continued.
[2.9 km] (Along main road).
145.1 km (63.5 km) Junction .. west side .. northern entrance to Swan Reach. We turned north towards Blanchetown.
[23.4 km]
168.5 km (40.1 km) Signed lookout .. west side, opposite house. Small, level sealed turning area.
Class 2-. 34° 21.68' S. 139° 37.87' E. Hema map 62, D 5.
No shade, rubbish bin, OK medium size rig, 15m max from highway, good view of river.
Immediately to the south is a larger, level unsealed area .. OK for big rigs.
[2.5 km]
171.0 km (37.6 km) Junction/cross roads .. east of Blanchetown.
------------------------------
0 km Taking road ahead (north) signed caravan park etc. to a camp spot.
[1.7 km] Pass caravan park, continue under bridge and south along river bank almost as far as a gate.
Info is that property through gate (signed farm stay) lets motor homes etc. camp on the property for
$5 pvpn, no facilities apart from view of river plus weir overflow.
We camped a number of nights, on two occasions, 100m or so north of the gate.
* Class 3. 34° 20.90' S. 139° 37.08' E. Hema map 62, D 5.
Shade, rubbish bins, quiet, OK big rigs, 3 TV channels, weak CDMA.
------------------------------
WELLINGTON NORTH .. continued.
------------------------------
0 km (2.2 km) From that same cross roads we travel west towards Blanchetown.
[1.0 km]
1.0 km (1.2 km) Centre of bridge (Murray River).
[0.3 km]
1.3 km (0.9 km) Signed parking .. south side. Travel 0.25 km to parking area at western end of old bridge.
Class 3 to 4. 34° 20.76' S. 139° 36.84' E. Hema map 62, D 5.
No shade, rubbish bin, 40m max to highway (noisy), Ok big rigs. Parking area not level.
[0.9 km]
2.2 km (0 km) Junction .. south side to Blanchetown town area. Large main roadhouse opposite on northern
of unsealed road to Morgan. Fuel price seemed reasonable, no drinking water available!
Taking the road to the town, one passes the Post Office, then the road decends to Lock 1. It is possible to
continue north along that river bank to a sealed level picnic type area with toilets etc.
------------------------------
WELLINGTON NORTH .. continued.
[2.8 km] Travelling east from above cross roads.
173.8 km (34.8 km) Junction .. north side to Morgan (only a small sign on actual corner).
[23.2 km] Taking road to Morgan.
197.0 km (11.6 km) Signed parking .. west side .. Pelican Point Lookout. Small sealed loop off/on highway
overlookinga stretch of the river.
Class 2-. 34° 07.62' S. 139° 41.11' E. Hema map 62, D 5.
Table, no shade, 10m max from road, OK big rigs.
[10.4 km]
207.4 km (1.2 km) Junction .. east to Cadell .. west to Morgan ferry. We initially travelled west 0.8 km
to entrances (on both sides of road) to Morgan Conservation Park.
34°, 02.23' S. 139°, 40.97' E. Hema map 62, D 5 at that spot. The northen entrance looked sandy,
the southern appeared to travel in to beside a lagoon .. not investigated.
[1.2 km]
208.6 km (0 km) Turn around area at rubbish bins .. south side. Ferry is immediately ahead. we turned around at that spot.
We continued travelling, east from that spot, back to the above junction, then east along the Murray.
This is covered in the Renmark to Morgan section.
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