We've had three nights and two full days camped in a caravan park on the banks of the Murray River, looking across to Mildura, and it has been really lovely.  There is something about this 'Mighty Murray River'!   It definitely has a magic about it and is one of Australia's most loved rivers!  All 2,530 kms!   It starts in the Alps of NSW and travels all the way to the ocean at the town of Goolwa in South Australia.  The film 'All Rivers Run' was filmed on the Murray, it is all but a little of the Victorian NSW border and is the water supply for all the towns that grace its banks, not to mention the quantity of produce that is grown through irrigation from it.  When we went to the Information Centre and asked what were the main tourist attractions in Mildura, the first thing the lady said was "The River".  So many rivers flow into the Murray and I was surprised to read that the Murray Darling basin comprises 1/7th of Australia.  The caravan park we are staying at is in NSW in the small town of Buronga.  We look across the river to the wharf at Mildura in Victoria.   I guess it is very much like Albury and Wodonga.  So this morning we looked across to the 'PS Melbourne' all ready to take passengers on a cruise up the river at 10.50am.  We have planned to go on that cruise.  So across the 'George Chaffey' bridge into Victoria we went.  The river belongs to NSW, but it was interesting when we sailed into the river diversion and Lock 11, we were in Victoria!    Sand was dug out to make the entrance for the Lock and the sand was used to form 'Lock Island' on which the maintenance for the weir is done and the spare weir sections are stored.  There are 24 sections that make up the Mildura Weir.  These sections are removable and that is what makes 'Mildura Weir' different to the other 13.  When the Muray is in flood it may be necessary for the sections to be removed.  The biggest flood in the history of the Murray River flooding, was in 1956 when the river was in flood for 10 months.  It wasn't the highest though, that was in 1917.  Weirs and locks have been an important way of regulating the Murray River's water supply for many years.   They were constructed in the 1920's and 30's and they stabilise water levels for irrigation diversions.George Chaffey was the first person to see the river's irrigation potential, describing it as a 'river of life'. In 1914, the Commonwealth, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australian Governments signed an Agreement to manage the river's waters by building locks, weirs and storage areas. Construction of the Mildura Weir began in August 1923 and Lock 11 was completed in 1927. The difference between river levels upstream and downstream of the Mildura Weir is normally 3.6 metres and it is the only site on the River Murray where a lock and weir are separted by an island.Our cruise was very relaxing and passing through the lock was very interesting.  Once the gates have been closed then the lockmaster opens the tunnels and lets the 36,500 megalitres of water out through the tunnels.  It goes out with quite a force, so there is a wooshing noice and the boat slowly moves down approximately 12 feet.  Then the gates on the other side are opened and the 'PS Melbourne' cruised around Lock Insland.   This enabled us to see the water coming over the weir.   From there we cruised a few kms down the river.  When we got back and the doors were closed on the lock, the lock was filled up again with another 36,500 ML.  The water really rushes in when the lock is being filled.  This all happens at 'Lock 11' over 1,000 times a year and mostly for the 'PS Melbourne'.  The 'PS Melbourne' was first launched in 1912 and was built for the Victorian Government as a work boat.  In 1965 Captain Pointon purchased it and restored it as a passenger carrying steamer. It's first cruise with passengers was on the 1st January 1966 and it has been cruising the river for the last 48 years.  Mildura has long been recognised as an important Australian Food Bowl.  It became Australia's first irrigated settlement through the efforts of George and William Chaffey who were developing an irrigation settlement in Ontario.  Prime Minister Deakin convinced them to come to Australia.  Today the surrounding agricultural districts are bursting with grapes, citrus fruits, almonds, olives, countless varieties of vegetables and more.   The region grows 98% of Australia's dried vine fruit, 75% of the table grapes, 66% of the almonds, 48% of the pistachios and 24% of the citrus.  No wonder we have seen lots and lots of grape vines and nut trees.On Saturday we went to 'Orange World' and did that tour.  'Orange World' is a citrus farm on the Silverton Highway and a few kms from Mildura. When we arrived there was no one around and we began to question what we were there for.  The lady at the information centre had recommended it and Jenny and Bob had really enjoyed the tour despite being apprehensive, when they first got there as well.  So we hung about and Mario came in and introduced himself.  He said "If no one had turned up he was going to shut up and have the afternoon off"!  He phoned his wife to come down and look after the shop and then we would be off.  Just as we were about to board one of the carriages drawn by the tractor, another couple turned up.  So the four of us made for an interesting tour, the lady was a Pamela!  No Pete though!Mario turned out to be quite a card and his english was very good considering.   His jokes passed the Aussie test as well!  Can you believe they get 20 cents a kilo for their oranges and $1.20 for mandarins.  Consequently they have started grafting mandarin onto the younger orange trees and the older ones, like 60 years old, they are pulling out and replanting with mandarin.  Mario encouraged us to spread the word about buying Australian produce.  They have four pickers who will start picking around the long weekend in June and they pick for 6 months.  They are paid by the tub.  Not much money in growing citrus.  The water is cheap but the power to drive the pumps is very expensive.  In fact if they decide to exit the industry, the Government buys back their water allocation.   The Government also pays them $150,000 to exit the industry.  Of course the mandarins we ate straight off the tree were delicious.  Cold weather and even better, frosty weather, will increase the juice in the fruit and make them sweeter.  They hope this will happen before they start picking in a month or so.  We wandered down on dusk, with drink in hand, to sit beside the river and soak in the magic one more time.  If you want a river site at the Caravan park, you definitely need to prebook. There were fire buckets blazing and drinkies on the river bank were well and truly happening!  I had phone calls from the kids for Mother's Day, a cruise on the 'PS Melbourne' and drinks on the 'Murray River' bank.  What more could a Mum ask for?  Mother's Day 2014 was certainly a day to remember! 

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