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The Story of Yarrawonga: A Journey Through Time

Long before European settlers arrived, the land we now know as Yarrawonga was home to the Mulla Walla people, the First Nations custodians of the region. They lived in harmony with the river and land, maintaining a deep and spiritual connection to Country.

In 1838, explorer Charles Sturt journeyed through the area during his expedition down the Murray River, marking one of the first European incursions into this part of what would become Victoria.

Just a few years later, in 1842, European settlement began to take root. Elizabeth Hume, sister of famed explorer Hamilton Hume, established one of the first pastoral runs in the district. She named her property Byramine, a home that still carries historical significance today.

By 1850, a police camp had been established in the area, bringing the beginnings of formal law enforcement. That same year, a punt service began operating across the Murray, allowing for the easier movement of people and goods—a small but vital link in the region’s early infrastructure.

The discovery of gold in the central highlands in 1851 brought a wave of activity and growth across Victoria. Though the goldfields were further afield, their economic ripple was felt even in the developing settlements along the Murray.

By 1858, the nearby township of Mulwala was formally proclaimed, and in the 1860s, a series of Land Acts began to dismantle the old pastoral monopolies, opening the door for closer settlement and agricultural development.

River transport played a key role during this era. In 1864, the paddlesteamer Lady Daley passed through Mulwala, reflecting the growing use of the Murray as a commercial waterway.

Yarrawonga itself was beginning to take shape. A permanent police station opened in 1867, and the following year, the village was formally surveyed. It was clear that this small community was growing in both population and importance.

By 1874, Yarrawonga had grown enough to justify its own court house, and that same year, a Post Office opened its doors, connecting the town to the wider colony. Expansion continued with a second land survey in 1875, and the opening of the town’s first pub, offering hospitality to locals and travelers alike.

In 1878, the formation of the Shire of Yarrawonga provided the area with formal local governance, a milestone in its civic development.

The community continued to flourish. In 1883, the Yarrawonga Chronicle & Riverina Advocate published its first edition, chronicling the life and times of the region. By 1885, Yarrawonga boasted two banks, four hotels, three churches, a school, a newspaper, and two flour mills—a sign of both prosperity and permanence.

The arrival of the railway from Melbourne in 1886 was a transformative moment, connecting the town to major markets and fostering trade and travel. This was followed in 1888 by the construction of a more substantial Court House, a symbol of Yarrawonga’s growing stature.

In 1891, a road bridge was built across the Murray River, improving access between Yarrawonga and Mulwala. That same year, a second local newspaper began publication, reflecting the town’s cultural and social vibrancy.

The early 20th century brought continued progress. In 1920, the Union Flour Mill began operations, processing locally grown wheat and supporting the region’s agricultural economy. By 1926, the long-anticipated railway bridge across the Murray was completed, strengthening ties between Victoria and New South Wales.

The towns of Yarrawonga and Mulwala were formally linked by road and rail in 1932, ushering in a new era of regional cooperation and shared growth. Two years later, in 1934, work commenced on the Yarrawonga Weir, a major engineering project that would shape the area’s future and secure its place along the mighty Murray River.

The River, the Rails, and the Bridges: A Historical Telling of Yarrawonga-Mulwala's Crossings

Before the arrival of the railway in 1886, the Murray River served as the region’s primary transport artery. Paddle steamers were the lifeblood of river commerce, making their way upriver as far as Albury, ferrying vital goods such as timber, wheat, wool, and general merchandise. Among these vessels were two notable steamers—The Pilot, often described as the slowest craft on the river, and The Australien, both of which met their fate in Lake Mulwala.

Though The Pilot found its final resting place beneath the lake’s waters, its paddle wheels were salvaged and now stand proudly on display outside the Yarrawonga Mulwala Visitor Information Centre. The Australien, meanwhile, is undergoing careful restoration in Echuca, a testament to the enduring legacy of river transport in the region.

Punts and Early River Crossings

Long before bridges spanned the Murray, punts were the only means of crossing the river between Yarrawonga and Mulwala. Operating from 1850 to 1890, these flat-bottomed ferries were essential for trade and travel. One of the earliest recorded attempts to establish a crossing came in 1855, when a Mulwala hotelier named McRae constructed a punt. However, the venture failed to gain traction, as most preferred the established crossing at Wahgunyah.

It wasn’t until 1874 that a successful punt operation took hold. Robert Halburd, a local entrepreneur, built what became Yarrawonga’s most reliable and well-known punt, operating near the present-day traffic bridge. In 1879, William Coghill attempted to launch a rival service slightly west of Halburd’s route. Strangely, Coghill’s punt sank the very next day under mysterious circumstances, and Halburd continued operations uninterrupted until the opening of the first traffic bridge in 1891.

Bridging the Murray

The need for a permanent crossing led to the construction of Yarrawonga and Mulwala’s first traffic bridge, a wooden structure whose building began in 1889 and was completed in 1891. Its opening was marked by three days of spirited celebration, reflecting the community’s pride in this engineering milestone. The bridge connected the Yarrawonga end near today’s traffic bridge to Mulwala near the present-day Capri Waters Country Club.

As with all border crossings between colonies at the time, customs houses were established to collect duties on goods such as grain and livestock. The restored Yarrawonga Mulwala Customs House, located beside today’s road bridge and next to the Visitor Information Centre, offers a tangible reminder of this period in colonial trade.

By 1915, the wooden bridge had begun to deteriorate and was deemed unsafe. In 1924, it was replaced by the current steel and concrete structure, still in use today. Remnants of the original wooden pylons can still be glimpsed when Lake Mulwala is lowered or drained.

Interestingly, the original bridge design was intended to cross the Murray at a right angle, heading directly southeast toward Coghill or Murphy Street—a standard bridge alignment for the time. However, traders along Belmore Street, recognizing the potential loss of business from traffic bypassing the commercial heart of town, lobbied the Victorian Government to re-route the alignment. Their efforts succeeded, resulting in the distinctive curve that remains in the bridge’s current design. The 1924 bridge followed a similar curved alignment, set about 50 metres downstream at its furthest point from the original.

The Bridge’s Infamous Dip

One curious feature of the 1924 bridge still puzzles visitors and locals alike: the dip on the southern (Victorian) end. Originally, the plan was for a smooth descent from Melbourne Street, across the three main river spans, then over the mudflats via an earthen embankment, before gently descending to Belmore Street. However, the community rejected the earthen embankment as unsightly, and it was replaced with concrete pylons.

Due to miscommunication between two Victorian contractors—one responsible for the mudflats section, the other for the lagoon span—the newly constructed pylon section was 900mm higher than planned. Because decking had already commenced from the southern (NSW) end, it had to rise sharply to meet the elevated lagoon section, creating the now-familiar dip. Had the lagoon bridge been constructed at the originally intended height, this dip would have been avoided entirely.

The Railway Crossings

The story of Yarrawonga’s crossings continued with the advent of the railway. Construction of the first wooden railway bridge began in 1927, with the line reaching Oaklands, 60 km north of Mulwala, by 1932. The original wooden structure remained in place until 1975, when it was replaced by an earthen embankment. Finally, in 1989, the last remaining section of the wooden railway bridge was replaced by modern concrete and steel, completing the evolution from river punts to steel spans.

The Story of Yarrawonga Weir and Lake Mulwala

Irrigation Begins on the Murray

The first diversion of water from the Murray River for irrigation began in the 1880s, a modest start to what would become one of Australia’s most extensive water management systems. The need for greater water security became urgent during a series of severe droughts from 1895, culminating in the devastating drought of 1902. These challenges underscored the necessity of a reliable irrigation scheme—not only to protect livelihoods, but also to ensure the sustainable development of the Murray Valley region.

Constructing the Yarrawonga Weir

In response, construction of the Yarrawonga Weir began in early 1935 as part of the broader Murray-Darling Irrigation Scheme, and was completed in 1939. Built to raise the river level and enable gravity-fed water diversion, the weir helped irrigate large areas in both Victoria and New South Wales.

Simultaneously, work began on a stock route across the top of the weir, completed alongside the weir in 1939. This route remains in use today, although it now accommodates single-lane vehicle traffic.

Clearing the Red Gum Forest

In 1937, proposals emerged to clear the red gum forest that would be submerged by the newly created lake. Although the River Murray Commission declined to undertake or fund the work, local initiative prevailed. In 1938, a determined group of men—armed with axes and cross-cut saws—began the enormous task of felling the trees for 10 shillings per acre, receiving no financial support. The Commission worried that if the timber was not removed or burned, it might become a hazard.

By June 1939, the felling was complete. On 12 August 1939, water began to fill the newly formed Lake Mulwala, although many felled trees were left in place. The official opening of the weir was delayed due to the outbreak of World War II, and did not take place until 29 October 1989, exactly 50 years after its completion.

Lake Mulwala: Capacity and Function

Water held back by the Yarrawonga Weir forms Lake Mulwala, a body of water spanning 4,400 hectares and holding 117,500 megalitres at full capacity. The full supply level sits at 14.2 metres above the riverbed or 124.9 metres AHD.

While its primary function is irrigation, the weir also plays a critical role in flood mitigation. Water is strategically released downstream in advance of floodwaters to reduce peak flow and minimize downstream impact.

The Weir's Structure and Operation

The Yarrawonga Weir is the largest of the Murray-Darling Basin Authority’s 16 weirs and is composed of three main sections:

1. Southern Regulating Structure
   Spanning 116 metres across the river, this reinforced concrete structure features eight vertical lift gates, each weighing approximately 40 tonnes. The design uses a regulated ogee crest spillway, with gates operated via electric motors linked to a cable and pulley system.

2. Earthen Embankment
   Separating the regulating structures is a 270-metre-long earthen embankment, about 7 metres high, with a clay core reinforced by steel sheet piling. The outer structure is protected by hand-placed concrete pavers.

3. Northern Regulating Structure
   At 30 metres in length, this structure contains two steel floodgates for controlling high flows during floods. A smaller embankment extends beyond this structure at the northern end.

Irrigation Infrastructure

The Yarrawonga Weir facilitates the diversion of around 1,900 GL of water annually—about 17% of the river’s average annual flow—via two major channels:

Yarrawonga Main Channel

Constructed in the mid-1930s, this 957-kilometre channel services the Murray Valley Irrigation Area in Victoria, extending from Yarrawonga to Barmah and reaching as far south as the Broken and Nine Mile Creek systems. The channel has a discharge capacity of 3,100 ML/day, delivering water to 128,000 hectares through six main channels and 261 spur channels.

Mulwala Canal

At 2,880 kilometres, the Mulwala Canal is the longest irrigation canal in the southern hemisphere. It draws water from Lake Mulwala and supplies the Berrigan, Denimein, Deniboota, and Wakool irrigation districts, servicing over 700,000 hectares. Construction began in 1935 and was completed by 1942.

A key engineering feature is the Lawson Syphons near Deniliquin, where water flows through large concrete barrels beneath the Edward River, supplying the Deniboota area and allowing diversion to the Wakool district via Stevens Weir.

Modern Management and Governance

Efforts to regulate the Murray River began as early as 1863, but political friction between the states stalled progress. Finally, in 1915, the River Murray Waters Agreement was ratified, and the River Murray Commission was formed.

Today, management is overseen by the Murray-Darling Basin Authority (MDBA), established through agreements signed in 1987, and revised in 1992 and 2012. The core objective remains unchanged: to conserve, share, and efficiently distribute water among the participating states.

Hydroelectric Power and Fishway

A significant upgrade came in 1994, with the addition of a hydroelectric power station and fish lift adjacent to the weir. Developed in partnership between the Rural Water Corporation of Victoria and Power Facilities Pty Ltd, the facility was sold in 2001 to Meridian Energy, a New Zealand semi-government agency.

The power station, capable of generating 9.6 megawatts, operates unmanned, controlled remotely from Mount Beauty by Southern Hydro. It was built during the non-irrigation period of 1993, requiring Lake Mulwala to be drained.

At the same time, a new regulating structure for the Yarrawonga Main Channel was installed, located 40 metres downstream of the original. Featuring three radial gates, it has a discharge capacity of 3,100 ML/day.

The fish lift, constructed in tandem with the power station, was the first in over 60 years to allow fish to travel upstream. Fish are drawn to the power station discharge and lifted via a mechanical system that automatically cycles through attraction, entrapment, elevation, and release.

Remedial Works and Earthquake-Proofing

In 2002, a major upgrade was undertaken to bring the weir in line with modern safety standards. Managed by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission and Goulburn-Murray Water, the $13 million project involved:

• Reinforcing the embankment foundation using compacted stone columns.

• Strengthening floodgate piers, wing walls, and concrete sidewalls with new supports and reinforcing cables.

• Upgrading flood gate structures with steel reinforcements and mass concrete.

Once again, Lake Mulwala was drained during the non-irrigation season, allowing these critical works to be safely completed.

Facts and Figures

General Information

Total Structure Length

343 m

Distance from source

538 km

Distance from Murray Mouth

1,992 km

Lake Mulwala

Full Supply Level

124,90 AHD

Area at Full Supply Level

4,450 HA

Volume at Full Supply Level

117,500 ML 1/4 of the Sydney Harbour 

Embankment

Length

271 m

Height

7 m

Crest Width

8 m

Irrigation Channels

Yarrawonga Main Channel

Discharge Capacity

3,00 ML/d

Area Served by Channel

128,000 HA

Length in Channels in System

960 km

Mulwala Canal

Discharge Capacity

10,000 ML/d

Area Served Channel

700,000 ha

Length in Channels in System

2,900 km

Information brought to you by Goulburn Murray Water                                                        

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Email: reception@gmwater.com.au

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