Tony Sharley, founder, and owner of Murray River Walk loves sharing the magic of the Murray River, its wetlands, wildlife, history, and sustainable future.
GRW: What got you into the walking tour business?
The catalyst to start a multi-day walk on the Murray was the Millennium Drought which devastated our local economy. Our aim being to help diversify our economy, which is dependent on water for irrigation, while helping walkers from across Australia to appreciate and understand the importance of a river system that spans an area four times the size of New Zealand.
GRW: Where do you take your clients?
Starting in the historic town of Renmark, South Australia, we venture upstream into one of the most picturesque stretches of the Murray, the Riverland Ramsar Wetlands which includes the icon site Chowilla Floodplain. Our guests follow the riverbanks and traverse red sandy cliffs with spectacular views, red gum forests, narrow creeks, and peaceful billabongs rich with waterbirds. They complete a 40 km walk of 10 to 14 km per day along the river over 3 days and cruise through 70 km of meandering waterways on our pontoon cruiser and eco-houseboat.
GRW: Why do you love the area you explore?
Having grown up here, I am particularly proud to have helped conserve the wetlands in this region whilst working as a Catchment Scientist with the Murray Darling Basin Commission, and later chairing the Community Reference Panel that helped develop the Riverland Ramsar Wetland Management Plan.
GRW: What's a highlight of your clients’ trip?
There are many including spectacular reflections at sunset, a sunrise walk onto the cliffs, showcasing local foods and award-winning wines at dinner, knowledgeable guides and learning about how water is managed sustainably in the Murray Darling Basin, the tally of bird sightings over 4 days, the comfort of our new eco-houseboat with ensuite bathrooms, the peace and quiet.
GRW: Are you finding Murray River Walk is becoming well known?
Being one of the Great Walks of Australia has helped enormously, we’ve also had national recognition winning eco-tourism awards. Now in our 8th year of operation, we still find many of our guests are referrals from previous guests and we even get a few that return to do the walk again curious to see how the landscape has changed.
For more info on the Murray River Walk click here.