About Mildura

Located in the north-west part of Victoria, Mildura is a rural city home to a population of 33,444 in 2016 and it is the largest settlement in the Sunraysia region. Mildura is a major horticultural centre for grape production and supplies over 80% of Victoria’s grapes.

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It is believed that the name ‘Mildura’ has been translated to mean ‘red earth and dust’ in the Latji Latji language.

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Mildura was transformed into a rich agricultural area thanks to the work of the Chaffey Brothers from Canada in the late 1800s with their experiences in creating irrigation settlements and their house the Rio Vista was turned in to a historic house used as an Art Gallery that others can visit.

Mildura is known for its warm and stable weather which has made it as a big export of food and beverage manufacturing due to the perfect weather conditions for citrus and grape growing.

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There are two noteworthy towns the are located on the out skirts of Mildura.

Merbein is one of these towns that is located 11km west of the centre of Mildura, and is know as the town of wine, vines and citrus and is surrounded by thousands of hectares of irrigated farmland. Original the town was called the White Cliffs due to its rivers white cliffs and was intended to be renamed ‘Merebin’ which was an Aboriginal name of a local sandhill but was mistakenly registered as ‘Merbein’.

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Red Cliffs is another town located 16km south of Mildura’s centre. It is situated in a major citrus and grape growing district. The commercial centre of Red Cliffs is home to Big Lizzie, a 45-tonne steam tractor which started clearing the land for farming in 1920 and a popular historical visit. The town is named after the 70m cliffs that have a red/orange colour.

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Most of the lifestyle of the Mildura population revolves around the Murray River, with fishing, water sports and sandy beaches found along the river. There is also the ability to join in activities such as paddle steamer cruises with depart from the wharf, swimming, and a popular activity of living on a hired houseboat and cruising along the Murray River for a few days.