Tourists on stage coach in Echuca. Echuca sits on the River, just across the river from the New South Wales border and is closest settlement on the Murray River to Melbourne. Established in 1854 Echuca became one of Australia's busiest inland ports, with paddle steamers taking supplies throughout Australia's interior on the river network. Improved road and rail transport eventually took over, and cargo transport on the river through the Port of Echuca finished early 1900s. Agriculture and tourism have developed as Echuca's main industries nowadays. Paddle steamers and the river trade have left Echuca with a legacy on which much of its current tourism is built upon. Echucaââ¬â¢s original red gum wharf, constructed 1865 as a three level wharf to allow for the rise and fall of the river, ultimately reached a length of around 1200 metres. A small section of the wharf remains today, preserved as part of the recreated Port Of Echuca tourist attraction, and serving as a viewing deck of the Murray River and surrounding bush. As well as the wharf, Echuca features a historic buildings, museums, equipment displays, demonstrations and cruises on authentic paddle steamers.
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