Queen's Birthday Weekend June 11-14: Mildura

It was the Queen’s Birthday weekend - June 11 -14. It doesn’t matter for the Australians that her birthday is not really on this weekend, in fact, not even in this month, but what does matter is that it is a holiday. After the stresss of doing 350 school report cards, it was time again for some travel. My principal was kind enough to give me a day off on Friday so that we could have ample time to drive to northern Victoria, because all distances in Australia are huge. We left on Thursday evening after school and drove for three hours until our night stop in a tiny motel along the route. Our destination the next day was Mildura. Our first stop was at the Lindemann's winery, as it came before the town of Mildura. It was a huge operation, and it was interesting to visit a famous winery which actually imports its products all around the world and even into Canada.

When we arrived in Mildura, we stopped first at the Visitor's Centre to get some information as well as to see the video there about the history of the town and the irrigation project started by two American brothers, the Chaffey brothers. The Chaffey Trail is the story of how Mildura became an irrigated oasis in the midst of an arid land. We had lunch at an upscale bakery/art gallery/wine bar and then visited another contemporary art gallery just down the street called the Art Vault. We drove next to the Kings Billabong Wildlife Reserve (a billibong is a dead-end lake channel formed when the Murray River snaked back on itself)

and went for a walk there among the majestic River Red Gums - saw a few kangaroos far away at a distance. Heading back into town, we walked around the Old Mildura Homestead,

which is a reconstruction of the first Mildura station established in 1847. We then continued on to tour the Chaffey House, the former home of Mildura's irrigation settlement pioneer. The beautiful front fountain was given away because a son had tragically been drowned therein. Its replica now always sits empty in the front yard. Our last stop was the neighbouring Mildura Arts Centre with its beautifully sculptured grounds and art exhibits.

We came upon a very interesting sculpture project along the Murray River across from the Arts Centre with artwork embedded in the sidewalks.

And that was our full day on June 11 in Mildura - no time for any other wineries, shops, or sights, although there were numerous other ones available in the area!