Echuca Moama won’t overwhelm you with a long list of ‘must-dos’ – in fact, these twin river towns won’t much mind if you do nothing at all.

The light is different in Echuca Moama. Not long after leaving Melbourne’s icy-blues and graffiti-covered concrete behind, your car windows fill with honey hues and sun-gobbling grape vines; wide, rolling fields that feel like the road trip equivalent of taking off tight trousers. Some three scenic hours later, and you roll into Echuca Moama, where that soft sun pours through red gum tree leaves and ripples off the river, segueing into fairy-lit evenings just as soon as it’s set.

Everyone looks good in regional Victoria and New South Wales’ golden hour – but that’s not the only reason so many people seem to return. Make your way through this list of top things to do in Echuca Moama and chances are, you’ll be back soon enough, too.

In short

If we’re giving out medals, we’ll give gold to the paddle steamers (iconic for good reason), silver to Echuca’s darling little high street, and bronze to the brilliantly bonkers beer museum – if not just for the alliteration.

All aboard the Murray

If you know anything about Echuca Moama already, then you won’t be surprised by this one; indeed, all Echuca Moama’s locals will recommend you have a go aboard the town’s famous Murray River paddle steamers – be it for a fun afternoon, a multi-day sojourn or a glistening, sunset cruise. It’s not only the most iconic experience you can have in Echuca Moama, but it looms equally large on the list of Australia’s quintessential experiences, given the paddle steamers’ importance to the nation’s river trade history.

There are two major paddle steamer players in Echuca Moama: Murray River Paddlesteamers and Echuca Paddlesteamers. You can buy tickets online for both, or scout them out on the Murray Esplanade in Echuca – an old-timey strip where much of the twin-towns’ tourist action takes place. Each company has a fleet of historic, wood-fired steamers which operate different itineraries and packages: some include lunch, dinner and wine, others are just a plain old ride through iconic waters. What they all have in common is a front-row seat to the river, with nostalgia and comfort built in.

Most recently, talk of the town has been the advent of a new paddlesteamer: the PS Australian Star, which will be making its Port of Echuca debut circa early 2026. Built in Mildura, this record-breakingly large steamer been slowly making its way 800 kilometres upstream to Echuca, ready for glamorous multi-day trips featuring air-conditioned state rooms, uniquely Australian experiences, riverside BBQs and more.

Hop on an electric bike tour

Wherever there’s a long, lazy river, you’ll often find a network of delightful riverbank trails usually follows – and that’s certainly the case for Echuca Moama. Explore on two feet (the boardwalks around Moama’s Horseshoe Lagoon make for a pleasant, short stroll), or, even better, sign up for a e-bike ride with the team at Green Pedal. There’s the popular 90-minute guided tour, where – for fans of being in two places at once – you can put one wheel in Victoria and the other in New South Wales, as well as full-day rentals to do as you please. Either way, rides depart from the Port of Echuca, with owner and local legend, David, on hand to teach you the easy, breezy ways of the electric bike.

Visit a one-of-a-kind museum

Chances are you’ve seen plenty of museums – but we’d bet none quite like this. Just a few minutes’ drive from Echuca’s high street, the Great Aussie Beer Shed has all the kitschy gravitas of a trip down Route 66: you can certainly expect the same brand of nostalgia, oversized excess and unpretentious fun from both. Housed in a shed that could comfortably house a paddle steamer or two, ownercollector Neil has amassed more than 17,000 beer cans from Australia and the world over, alongside a heavyweight collection of brewery paraphernalia and all manner of old-timey curiosities, everything from classic cars to World War II cannons. He’ll talk you through them, too. Just make sure to snap a shot of the giant pint of beer out front before you go.

Address: 377 Mary Ann Road, Echuca, Victoria 3564

Raise a glass at two exceptional cellar doors

Family-owned and run, all five of St Anne’s Winery cellar door locations (including the OG vineyard at Myrniong, two hours south of here) are known for their beautiful surroundings, free tastings, and generous, knowledgeable staff. The outposts in Echuca and Moama are no exception. The former has found a home in a delightful old carriage house slap bang in the old port, making it a joyfully atmospheric place to try the contents of those giant (3,0000 litres, no less) barrels of port. Meanwhile, the more remote Moama location has its own temptations: the same big crisp whites, sparkly bruts and delicious sweet wines, plus hefty Ploughman platters that you can eat out on the porch.

Discover Echuca’s high-street treasures

There’s something about a small town lolly shop, isn’t there? For a certain generation of school trip attendee and sweet-toothed road tripper, the Echuca Heritage Sweet Company sparks quite the journey down memory lane, with its retro goodies and giant giraffe (IYKYK). And this is just one of many stalwarts boasting an address on Echuca’s main thoroughfare. Here, independent shops generally triumph over the big brands, from the British expat (and Echuca resident of 14 years) selling old school vinyls from his indie record store, to David Engstrom’s ramshackle second-hand book emporium, in operation since 1998. Then we have the shops dedicated to chocolate, fishing tackle, camping gear, home accessories and womenswear. Our favourite? Rich Glen Provedore: olive oil farmers turned skin and beauty gurus.

Address:  606 High St, Echuca VIC 3564

Bowls, bites and bevs – all under one roof

The club’s latest arrival, though, is its most exciting yet.

Describing itself as a ‘multi-season sanctuary’, Wildergreen has catapulted the Moama Bowling Club into the 21st century, courtesy of one very Instagrammable restaurant, Embr, and the best looking kids’ club you’ve ever seen, Treehouse. The former is whipping up some spectacular Italian cuisine, courtesy of Sardinian chef and good-guy wunderkind, Daniel Girau. The wood-fired pizzas are a total hit, as is that tiramisu. Treehouse, meanwhile, includes a playroom full of craft stations, game consoles and cushy beanbags, plus an outdoor playground so whimsical, it has the adults wanting a go, too.

Wander the heritage quarter

Accompanied by a soundtrack of creaking timber and chugging engines, Port Echuca is thick with history – and its architectural micro-museum, the Discovery Centre, tells the story brilliantly. As does the spooky ‘after-dark’ tour, with added theatrics. During the day, the old port precinct is full of shops offering small batch goods and warm welcomes: from My Dad’s Honey, owned by a local beekeeping family with organic hives, to Port Creamery, with its quirky flavours and loaded milkshakes. It’s also rather artistic, with a smattering of galleries including the newly opened Aboriginal-owned MarraMarra gallery and the Foundry Arts Space, which, home to the Echuca Moama Photography Club, has regularly revolving exhibits. You can’t miss Sharp’s Magic Movie House and Penny Arcade, but make sure to go in – their mind-boggling selection of nougat and fudge is basically famous.

Find the local rhythm

One of the best ways to tap into the way of life here in Echuca Moama is to join one of the local goings-ons, of which there are many. For a start, we have the Echuca Moama Parkrun along the Campaspe Esplanade every Saturday, perfect for the early risers (go time is 8am). Makers and creators will appreciate the Echuca Farmers Market, which takes over Heygarth Street with artisanal goods and fresh produce on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month; not forgetting the Moama Market, where you’ll find everything from jams to jerky. For one night each month you’ll find Tongala Public Hall filled with local talent and foot-stomping tunes from the Echuca Country Music concert, while annual events include the Riverboats Music Festival (“one of the prettiest, most inexpensive festivals in Australia") and the 3 Rivers Festival, a good time, grass roots celebration of Aboriginal culture, art and sport.