Discover Mathoura

Mathoura offers a range of reasons to spend time outdoors while also learning about the town’s history. At Gulpa Creek, walking, cycling and birdwatching are the main attractions; the Timber Heritage Walk and Heritage Trail lead to a different side of Mathoura. When choosing your holiday accommodation, consider which of these experiences you want to shape your trip: getting active in the landscape, observing nature or discovering local history.

Walking or cycling along Gulpa Creek

From Mathoura, the Gulpa Creek Forest walks at Crane's Bridge offer a flat, easy five-kilometre walk or a corresponding cycling route along Gulpa Creek. Both options are in Murray Valley Regional Park, which borders Murray Valley National Park. This makes the route suitable for travel plans that include a clearly defined walk or bike ride. The route information describes its length and flat, easy terrain; whether you walk or choose the corresponding bike ride depends on your preferred way of getting around.

Gulpa Creek is also a place for birdwatching. If you enjoy getting out on the water, you can canoe or kayak there. These activities give your time at the creek a different focus from walking or cycling: you can experience the surroundings from the water or turn your attention to the birdlife. For a trip with varied interests, you can choose between getting active on the track, paddling and observing.

Watch birds at Reed Beds Bird Hide

At Reed Beds Bird Hide in Mathoura, you can look out for yellow-tailed black-cockatoos, superb fairy-wrens and purple swamphens. An easy boardwalk leads to the bird hide. The focus at the destination is on birdwatching, and the walk there is described as uncomplicated. This makes the bird hide a distinct nature stop alongside the activities at Gulpa Creek.

Reed Beds Bird Hide has a sealed car park with an accessible parking space, as well as bus parking. If birdwatching is an important part of your trip, you can include the bird hide as a specific stop in your itinerary.

Timber history and traces of early settlers

The Mathoura Timber Heritage Walk is a free, self-guided walk. Ten information panels mounted on red gum posts explain the history of Mathoura’s red gum timber industry. The panels are located on the grounds of the Timbercutter restaurant and in the Picnic Point area. Their content focuses on a particular local industry, while the red gum posts also reflect the theme of the walk.

Another way to explore the town’s past is the Mathoura Heritage Trail. This self-guided walk traces the footsteps of early settlers and takes you to historic sights in the town of Mathoura. Together with the Timber Heritage Walk, it offers a different focus for your trip from the nature experiences at the creek and bird hide. You can explore the timber industry, the early settlers or both historical themes without needing to plan a guided tour.

Planning your stay

The Mathoura Visitor and Business Centre offers maps and brochures and provides information about the main local attractions and travel in the Murray region. If you want to divide your days between walks, nature observation, paddling and local history, this information can help you organise your interests. It also gives you a practical starting point for finding holiday accommodation in Mathoura: decide which experiences interest you most during your stay, then choose Mathoura to suit your travel plans.

More places to explore: Surf Beach, Deepwater, The Pocket, Moorebank, Mogriguy, Lawrence, Coolac, Sutton Forest.

For the broader travel overview: New South Wales.