Another Thirsty Tour Adventure – Melbourne via Echuca!
Yep, it’s that time of year again! Time to dust off the travel gear, start planning another adventure and decide which country pubs, tourist attractions, historic sites and restaurants deserve a place on the itinerary.
Because apparently, sitting at home doing nothing is not one of our recognised hobbies! 😂
The annual Thirsty Tour is heading south again, with this year’s adventure taking us back to Melbourne via Echuca. It’s a tough life, really. One minute we’re exploring the backroads of regional Australia, checking out quirky attractions and country towns, and the next we’re wining and dining in the big smoke.
Someone has to do it, and we’re prepared to make that sacrifice! 🍻
Another Road Trip – With Plenty to See Along the Way
As usual, we’re taking the scenic route rather than simply pointing the vehicle towards Melbourne and putting the foot down. Where’s the fun in that?
A driving tour gives us the freedom to explore some interesting places, discover a few hidden gems and tick off more of the incredible Australian Silo Art Trail. Add in aviation history, giant sculptures, historic collections and a paddle steamer cruise, and we’ve got ourselves the makings of another ripper road trip.
The Places on Our Hit List
New South Wales – Art, Aviation and a Big Bull
Big Bull Mural – West Wyalong: We’ll be keeping an eye out for this larger-than-life artwork. When a mural features a big bull, you can bet it’s not your average roadside attraction!
McCann Park Tree Sculpture – West Wyalong: A chance to check out some creative local artwork and see what can be done with a tree and a bit of imagination.
Temora Aviation Museum – Temora: Time to look skywards and explore some aviation history. This one should be right up our alley for anyone who appreciates impressive machinery and a bit of engineering ingenuity.
Narrandera Water Tower Art – Narrandera: Another colourful landmark to add to the growing collection of Australian public art we’ve been discovering on our travels.
The Depot Historic Collection – Deniliquin: A stop to explore some history and see what treasures this collection has waiting for curious travellers.
Victoria – Paddle Steamers and Silo Art Galore
Once we reach Echuca, we’ll be slowing things down a little with a paddle steamer trip on the Murray River. There’s something special about experiencing this historic river town from the water, with its connections to the days when paddle steamers played a vital role in transporting goods along the Murray and Darling Rivers.
Of course, we won’t be putting our feet up for too long. There’s plenty more exploring to do!
Our Victorian silo art hit list includes:
Picola Silo Art – Picola
GrainCorp Katamatite Silo Art – Katamatite
Tungamah Art Silo – Tungamah
St James Art Silo – St James
Devenish Silo Art – Devenish
Goorambat Silo Art – Goorambat
Colbinabbin Silo Art – Colbinabbin
Rochester Silo Art – Rochester
These regional communities have helped transform ordinary grain silos into extraordinary works of art. Towering over the surrounding countryside, the murals celebrate local stories, history, people and rural life.
They’re also a brilliant excuse to get off the main highways, explore small towns and appreciate just how much talent can be found in regional Australia.
And, naturally, they provide plenty of opportunities to take photos. Our camera rolls are about to cop another hiding!
The Other Important Part of the Itinerary… Pubs!
Now, let’s be honest. While the silo art and tourist attractions are important parts of the journey, we all know there’s another consideration when planning a Thirsty Tour.
Country pubs. Lots of country pubs. 🍺
With all that exploring, we’re bound to pass a few historic watering holes along the way. And it would be downright irresponsible not to investigate at least some of them.
We’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for character-filled country hotels, cold beers, interesting pub grub and those little places that make travelling through regional Australia such a pleasure.
There may even be the odd bakery stop along the way. A good pie never goes astray on a road trip, after all!
Of course, all this sightseeing, eating and pub research takes careful planning. Someone has to make sure the itinerary runs smoothly, and we take our responsibilities very seriously. Well, mostly!
Let the Adventure Begin!
So, the planning is underway, the wish list is growing, and another Thirsty Tour adventure is taking shape.
From the backroads of New South Wales to the mighty Murray River and Victoria’s spectacular silo art, there’s plenty to look forward to before we even reach Melbourne.
We’ll be sharing the highlights, the discoveries, the food, the pubs and, no doubt, a few unexpected detours along the way.
Because the best road trips aren’t just about getting to the destination. They’re about everything you discover between leaving home and arriving at the other end.
And if there happens to be a good pub along the way, well, that’s just a bonus!
Stay tuned for another adventure with The Thirsty Tourists. Touring is thirsty work, after all! 🍻
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