Getting Here and Around

The wide-open spaces of the region surrounding the Murray River make driving the most sensible and feasible means of exploration. Rutherglen is 274 km (170 miles) north of Melbourne, about a 3½- to 4-hour drive up the Hume Freeway; Echuca is 204 km (127 miles) northwest of Melbourne, about a 2½-hour drive. These two Murray River towns are 194 km (121 miles) apart. V/Line trains (1800/800007 www.vline.com.au) run to most of the major towns in the region, including Echuca, Wangaratta, and Albury-Wodonga, with bus connections to Beechworth and Rutherglen; this access is useful if you do not have a car or want to avoid the long-distance drives. As with most country Victorian areas, direct train access from Melbourne to the main centers is reasonable, but getting between towns isn't as easy.