Tocumwal
Tocumwal is in New South Wales, Australia. The town is on the Murray River and marks the southern end of the Newell Highway on the direct route between Brisbane and Melbourne.
Understand
[edit]Get in
[edit]From Melbourne, it's a five-hour drive via the Hume Freeway (M31), Goulburn Valley Freeway (M39), and Goulburn Valley Highway (A39).
Get around
[edit]
Map of Tocumwal
See
[edit]- 1 Tocumwal Historic Aerodrome, Burma Rd. Built by the US military in World War II as "Macintyre Field", the Tocumwal Aerodrome once housed 450 buildings and housed over 5,000 people. It was built in less than three months by US and Australian engineers but once complete a US General said "Mighty fine base - shift it 2,000 miles closer to the enemy!". After the war, much of the base was returned to farmland and other uses but the main runways and many of the large hangars survive. The aerodrome is popular with gliders and recreational flyers and ofter hosts state and national aerobatic championships.
- 2 Town Beach, Town Beach Rd. Town Beach is a larger-than-usual Murray River beach. Close to town but surrounded by River Red Gum forest, the beach is popular with locals and residents alike. Like all Murray River beaches, the current can be treacherous. The beach is unpatrolled. Camping is available.
- 3 The Big Cod (The Big Murray Cod), Deniliquin St. The "Big Cod" is a giant, fibreglass Murray Cod erected on the Tocumwal Foreshore, one of the series of giant kitsch sculptures installed across Australia commonly known as "Big Things". The cod was installed in 1968, making it Australia's second oldest "Big Thing" - behind the "Big Banana" at Coffs Harbour. The Big Cod is a popular spot for photographs.
- 4 Tocumwal Railway Station, Tuppal Rd. Tocumwal railway station is closed to passenger traffic but remains a busy freight point especially for bulk grain. The station itself was a change-of-gauge station where the standard gauge New South Wales line met the broad gauge Victorian line, and in its heyday requiring a large workforce to move freight from one line to the other. The station is listed on the New South Wales State Heritage Register. The local Lions Club maintain a small historic display at the station
- 5 The Blowhole, Thorburns Rd (follow Racecourse Road north and turn right into The Rocks Road for 1.5 km). The Blowhole is a small rocky outcrop and the subject of an Aboriginal legend. When the Murray River is low, the blowhole is said to bubble and gurgle. Entrance is by a small gate on Thorburns Road. An interpretive sign provides some information about the site. There are no toilet or picnic facilities at the site.
Do
[edit]- 1 Strawberry Fields Festival, info@strawberry-fields.com.au. Strawberry Fields is a popular annual music and culture festival (or "bush-doof") held in Tocumwal in November each year. $280.90.
- 2 Tocumwal Foreshore Markets, Anzac Ave. 8AM-noon. Held on the Tocumwal Foreshore, the popular community-run markets provide a variety of commercial and local stalls. Markets are held roughly once a month on Sundays (although the specific week of the month may vary). Dogs are not permitted at the market.
- 3 SportAviation Tocumwal, 87 Babingtons Rd, ☏ +61-3-5874-2734. SportAviation run courses on gliding and ultralight flying as well as glider hire. The venue has onsite camping.
- 4 Tocumwal Easter Cup (Tocumwal Races), Honiball Dr, ☏ +61-3-5874-2099, tocraces@gmail.com. Tocumwal Race Club host one meeting per year - The Tocumwal Easter Cup, held on Easter Saturday. The Easter Cup meeting is typical rural Australian race meeting; an opportunity to get dressed up in your glad rags, watch the horses run around and maybe have a small flutter and a drink or two. A courtesy bus picks up racegoers from most local accommodation venues.
- 5 Tocumwal Golf Club, Barooga Rd, ☏ +61 3 5874 9111, toll-free: +61 1800 631 197. Daily 11AM-6PM, meals until 9PM. One of the best golf courses on the Murray and a popular destination for travelling golfers. The course has 36 beautifully presented holes of golf available. Very likely to see kangaroos on the course - take photographs but do not approach. Lawn bowls facilities on site. Clubhouse with scenic views across the course offers drinks, meals and poker machines. Dress requirements in place
Buy
[edit]- 1 Tocumwal Foreshore Market, Deniliquin St. A farmers market containing 200+ stalls for shopping as well as food and drinks. Runs once a month except during winter. Starts as the sun rises and finishes in the early afternoon.
Eat
[edit]- The Old Bank, 2 Murray St, ☏ +61 3 5874 3291.
Drink
[edit]Tocumwal has four pubs and one licenced club. Meals and pub-style accommodation are available at each of the pubs
- 1 Farmers Arms Hotel (Kelly's Pub), 58 Hennessy St, ☏ +61 3 5874 2017. The Farmers Arms Hotel (also known as Kelly's Pub) is a little off the main street. Once noted for its meals, the pub is looking a little run down lately.
- 2 Tattersalls Hotel, 2-6 Deniliquin Rd, ☏ +61 3 5874 2016. The Tattersalls Hotel is a refurbished standard Australian rural pub with the usual beer on tap and a selection of pub meals.
- 3 Terminus Hotel, 88 Deniliquin Rd (Across the rail line from town). The Terminus Hotel is a beautiful example of a 19th-century Australian pub with the red brick and the lace iron work on the veranda. Beers on tap are the standard commercial beers. A large and pleasant beer garden. Meals available
- 4 Tocumwal Hotel (The Palms), 17-33 Deniliquin St, ☏ +61 3 5874 2025. A popular place for a drink under the eponymous palm trees. Often rowdy and rollicking, especially on weekends.
Sleep
[edit]Camps and caravan parks
[edit]Tocumwal is well known for its informal camping along both banks of the Murray River, with fishers and campers (up to 4,000 at any one time) enjoying the river and the associated River Red Gum forest. Camping along the river is largely unregulated (and free of charge) although strict rules apply regarding fires and waste disposal. There are no toilets and no rubbish bins for the informal campers so take your own "tin" and take all rubbish and waste with you. Over the Christmas/New Year period, Australia Day long weekend, Victorian Labour Day and Easter period, campsites are at a premium so you will need to get established early. Victorian and New South Wales authorities have expressed a desire to better regulate this type of camping in the future.
For campers wanting something a little more formal, there are options:
- 1 Town Beach Camping Area, Town Beach Rd. Officially designated a "primitive camping area", Town Beach has riverfront access for campers as well as basic toilet and shower facilities. No kiosk on site but a cafe and small shop is within walking distance. The campsite is open to the general public to use the beach. Popular with "Grey Nomads" in self-contained caravans or campervans. Run by a local volunteer committee. $5 per person.
- 2 Bushlands on the Murray, Tocumwal-Barooga Rd, ☏ +61 3 5874 2752, info@bushlandsonthemurray.com.au. Offers houses, cabins, powered and unpowered caravan sites. Cafe on site. Direct access to Town Beach.
- 3 Tocumwal Tourist Park, 13 Bruton St, ☏ +61 3 5874 2768, info@tocpark.com.au. Mixture of cabins and caravan sites. Camp kitchen, laundry on site. Swimming pool and playground. Powered site from $32, cabin from $105.
- 4 Boomerang Way Tourist Park, 65 Murray St, ☏ +61 3 5874 2313, boomerangway@bigpond.com. Mix of cabins, powered and unpowered sites as well as motel-style accommodation $87.
Motels
[edit]- 5 Kingswood Motel, 22-26 Kelly St, ☏ +61 3 5874 2444, info@kingswoodmotel.com.au. 21 ground floor rooms. Includes licenced restaurant and bar. starting at $90 per night.
- 6 Kanimbla Motor Inn, 41-47 Finley St, ☏ +61 3 5874 2755, info@kanimblamotorinn.com.au. Pool. Large carpark suitable for trailers and boats from $85.
- 7 Thomas Lodge Motel, 115/117 Deniliquin St, ☏ +61 3 5874 2344, thomaslodgemotel@gmail.com. Gym, swimming pool From $85.
- 8 Tocumwal Bridge Motor Inn, 26 Bridge St, ☏ +61 3 5874 2674, tocumwalbridge@gmail.com. From $110.
- 9 Bakery Park Motor Inn, 83-89 Deniliquin St, ☏ +61 3 5874 2490, info@bakerypark.com.au.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]| Routes through Tocumwal |
| Parkes ← Narrandera ← | N  S |
→ Numurkah → Shepparton |