Tooleybuc on the Murray River

Tooleybuc brings together the Murray River, a distinctive bridge history and public art. The Tooleybuc River Walk follows the river, while Tooleybuc Bridge tells the story of the town’s engineering and historical significance. Other highlights include a restored 1930s house, a golf course and unusual discoveries such as the Mallee Root at the Sporting Club. If you’re travelling with family, you can take everyone’s different interests into account when choosing what to do: getting active by the water, exploring cultural history or discovering nature.

Exploring the Murray River

The Tooleybuc River Walk starts at Mensforth Park, follows the Murray River from Tooleybuc Bridge and ends at the Tooleybuc Sporting Club. A sealed path runs alongside the river; views of the water, birdwatching and fresh air are all part of the experience. The sequence of named landmarks provides clear orientation for the walk, without requiring you to set aside a specific amount of time.

The walk can be a focus in its own right during a stay in Tooleybuc. If you enjoy spending time outdoors, it offers a way to make the river and its surroundings part of your day. For a family trip with children, it can be fun to find different things to talk about along the way: the river, the bridge and the birds you can spot. You can decide how much time to spend on the walk.

Bridge history and local architecture

Tooleybuc Bridge was built in 1924 in response to the expansion of local fruit growing. It is the last of the timber truss bridges with lift spans built across the Murray River, and one of only two surviving bridges over the river with Allan truss spans. The site brings together two specific aspects of engineering history: the bridge’s distinctive design and its place in the development of crossings over the Murray River.

The bridge is considered heritage of state significance, particularly for its engineering and historical importance. The Bridge Keepers Cottage on Murray Street adds a building from the 1930s to this historical picture: the restored house is made of timber and corrugated iron. If you’re interested in older building methods, you can discover another example of local architecture alongside the bridge’s construction, without conflating the two structures.

Art, golf and other discoveries

Gathering the Bounty, an 11-metre-high artwork, stands in Mensforth Park beside the Murray River. It depicts the Riverina as Australia’s agricultural food bowl. The artwork offers a way into a subject beyond the river and bridge engineering: the region’s agricultural character, which the artwork reflects. You can include this place as a cultural highlight in its own right alongside the walk.

The Tooleybuc Sporting Club has a picturesque nine-hole golf course. The enormous Mallee Root is also located there and is considered the second-largest of its kind ever found. If you’re interested in golf, it offers a different activity from the riverside walk; the root adds an unusual highlight. Other visitor attractions in Tooleybuc include the opportunity to learn about the rare and endangered Dinosaur Ant. There is a boat ramp near the town centre.

Choose your stay based on your interests

When looking for a holiday rental in Tooleybuc, it helps to first decide what you’d like to focus on during your trip. Would you like to spend time by the river, are you particularly interested in bridge and architectural history, or would you also like to include golf and other local topics? The experiences described offer different starting points for planning, without implying any particular features of the accommodation. This way, you can choose your destination based on what you and your family would like to discover while you’re there.

Discover more places

If you’d like to add other places to your travel plans, explore: Yass River, Segenhoe, Moss Vale, Pokolbin, Clunes, Marks Point, Mylestom and Morisset.

For the broader travel overview: New South Wales.