Mildura ( ) is a regional city in north-west
Victoria,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. Located on the Victorian side of the
Murray River, Mildura had a
population
Population is a set of humans or other organisms in a given region or area. Governments conduct a census to quantify the resident population size within a given jurisdiction. The term is also applied to non-human animals, microorganisms, and pl ...
of 34,565 at the
2021 census.
When nearby
Wentworth,
Irymple,
Nichols Point,
Merbein and
Red Cliffs are included, the combined urban area had a population of 58,914 in 2021, having grown marginally at an average annual rate of 1.3% year-on-year over the preceding five years.
Mildura is the largest settlement in the
Sunraysia region, where around 90% of Australia's table grape exports are grown. Likewise, it is a major horticultural centre notable for its overall (table, sultana and wine) grape production, supplying about 80% of Victoria's grapes.
[Mildura](_blank)
, ''Department of Planning and Community Development, Mildura Rural City Council'', Accessed 27 September 2007 Many wineries also source grapes from Mildura. It is very close to the
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
border, the Murray River, from which it draws an abundant supply of irrigation water. It is known as Australia's first 'irrigation colony'.
The city's central business district is located just a short distance from the banks of the Murray. Langtree Avenue is the main shopping and dining precinct in Mildura, with the middle section of the street a pedestrian mall. The other major retail precinct is along Fifteenth Street in the Mildura South area, where a mid-sized undercover shopping mall and several big box stores are located. The city's name was taken from the Mildura homestead, an early sheep station which covered most of the area. The urban area of Mildura is surrounded by irrigated horticulture, where the original grape and citrus blocks were located with water irrigated from the Murray River.
History
Mildura has a long history of orange and grape farming, and an even longer history of Aboriginal occupation. This includes the
Latje Latje and
Ngintait peoples, amongst others, being the original inhabitants of present-day Mildura.
Toponymy
There are several theories as to the origin of the name Mildura. While it was the name of the sheep station, without precedent in the English language, most historians believe it to have originated from
Aboriginal Australian words. However, the
etymology of Mildura is not certain, as in several local dialects, the words ''mill'' and ''dura'' have different meanings. The word ''dura'' is generally thought to mean "earth", "sand" or "rock" in the local
Ladji Ladji language. However, usage of the word ''mill'' varies by dialect and may mean "red" or "water", and thus, interpretations of the name can vary from "red earth" to "water rock".
Prehistory and European settlement

Many
Aboriginal people lived around the site of Mildura because of the abundant food. Local tribes included the
Latjilatji and
Jarijari.
The first Europeans in the area arrived in 1857 and brought sheep to graze the rich pastures.
Irrigation settlement
A major
drought
A drought is a period of drier-than-normal conditions.Douville, H., K. Raghavan, J. Renwick, R.P. Allan, P.A. Arias, M. Barlow, R. Cerezo-Mota, A. Cherchi, T.Y. Gan, J. Gergis, D. Jiang, A. Khan, W. Pokam Mba, D. Rosenfeld, J. Tierney, ...
in Victoria from 1877 to 1884 prompted
Alfred Deakin, then a minister in the
State Government
A state government is the government that controls a subdivision of a country in a federal form of government, which shares political power with the federal or national government. A state government may have some level of political autonom ...
and chairman of a
Royal Commission on water supply, to visit the
irrigation areas of California. There he met
George and
William Chaffey.
In 1886, Canadian-American irrigator
George Chaffey came to Australia and selected a derelict sheep station known as Mildura as the site for his first irrigation settlement, signing an agreement with the Victorian government to spend at least £300,000 on permanent improvements at Mildura in the next twenty years.
After much political wrangling, the settlement of Mildura was established in 1887. The Post Office opened on 23 January 1888.
Growth

The nearby towns of
Wentworth,
Gol Gol,
Curlwaa and
Yelta sprang up in the mid-to-late 19th century. In the 1890s came the scourge of the
rabbit. This devastated the sheep farmers, especially south of the Murray. There was also a financial recession at this time. Combined, these factors restricted growth of the new settlement.
After this period, the new settlement grew and grew. It was soon the main town of the district. Suburbs and new satellite towns sprang up. From the 1920s, a number of 'suburban' train services were established to Merbein and Red Cliffs. These were operated by
railcars.
In 1934, Mildura was officially proclaimed a city.
[
Post war Mildura experienced a large influx of migrants particularly from European and Mediterranean countries including Italy and Greece. Many of these migrants were attracted by the opportunities for unskilled labour offered by the fruit picking industry.
]
Nowingi toxic waste proposal
In 2004, there was a controversial proposal by the Victorian Government to build a state-level Long Term Containment Facility (LTCF) for Industrial Waste in Nowingi, approximately 50 km south of Mildura. The site is a small enclave of state forest surrounded by national park
A national park is a nature park designated for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes because of unparalleled national natural, historic, or cultural significance. It is an area of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that is protecte ...
, and contains habitat important to a number of threatened species.
The abandoning of the LTCF proposal was received with jubilation by opponents of the LTCF, not only in the Mildura area and elsewhere in Victoria, but also across the border in South Australia where there were fears that the toxic waste might affect the water supply via the Murray River and thereby the fruit-growing industries of the Riverland and Murraylands.
The Mildura Rural City Council and residents spent almost $2 million fighting the Government's proposal for the LTCF at Nowingi. On 10 January 2007 the Victorian Government did not rule out some form of reimbursement for the council's legal and other costs in opposing the LTCF. "The general rule is that people bear their own costs, that is most likely to apply in this case ... but I've indicated and I am prepared to talk to the council and mayor about the whole issue of how Mildura moves forward and I'll do that," John Thwaites said.
World ballooning championships
In late June to early July 2004, the 16th World Hot Air Ballooning Championships was held in Mildura,
Geography
Topography
Mildura is situated on flat land without hills or mountains on the southern bank of the Murray River and surrounded to the west, north and east by lakes and billabongs including Lake Hawthorn, Lake Ranfurly and Lake Gol Gol. Several towns surround Mildura on the flat plains including Merbein to the west as well as Irymple and Red Cliffs to the south which could be considered suburban areas or satellite towns separated by small stretches of open farmland.
While the land along the river and irrigation channels is fertile, much of the land around Mildura is also dry, saline and semi-arid.
Urban structure
Mildura is a largely low-rise and low density urban area that is overwhelmingly dependent upon private vehicles for transportation. Residential dwellings consist almost solely of single-family detached homes on relatively large allotments. The population has been growing rapidly for several decades with most of the residential growth occurring in the south, south western and more recently the eastern parts of the urban area.
The central business district (CBD) is located at the northern end of the urban area, fronting onto the Murray River. The main shopping street of Mildura is Langtree Avenue, which features a pedestrian mall and shopping centre. The area between Seventh and Eight Streets is known as Feast Street, and is home to many boutique eateries and beverage dispensaries. The combined (CBD) area, known as City Heart, complements the Mildura Central Shopping Centre, located at the opposite end of the urban area on the corner of Fifteenth Street and Deakin Avenue. The latter, so named after Alfred Deakin, 'the Victorian Cabinet Minister who introduced the concept of an irrigated settlement in Australia', itself runs around twelve kilometres in a south-west direction from Seventh Street before terminating in peri-urban farmland. Fifteenth Street is the main strip of big box stores, car dealerships and other commercial enterprises.
The tallest buildings are exemplified by the two-storey 1934 Old Mildura Base Hospital, two-storey Marina Dockside apartments completed in 2010 and the three-storey tower/spire of the 1920s T&G building. Other notable tall structures that serve as literal landmarks in the city include the 'new' water tower, built in the 1950s, and the 'old' water tower, now partially subsumed by a hotel.
Climate
Mildura has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
: ''BSk'') with hot summers and cool winters. It is only about 50 metres above sea level despite being several hundred kilometres from the coast. It enjoys 132.0 clear days annually.
Rainfall totals are about 280 mm a year and are spread evenly across the months and seasons with winter and spring having the most rainy days.
Average maximum temperatures range from a hot in summer to a cool in winter. Minimum temperatures range from around in summer to in winter, when frost is common and often destructive to irrigated crops. Mildura experiences some very hot days in summer with temperatures exceeding 40 °C (104 °F) on a number of days per year, however are at times succeeded by cold fronts off the Bight.
Mildura got record daily rainfall on 5 February 2011 with .
Economy
Fruit and wine production
Mildura is also known as the centre of ''Victoria's Food Bowl'' and is a major producer of citrus fruits (especially oranges), and wine. It is also notable for its grape production, supplying 80% of Victoria's grapes. Many wineries also source grapes from Mildura. The local area produces more than 70% of Australia's dried vine fruits.
Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone
Mildura is part of the Fruit Fly Exclusion Zone, in which fruits or vegetables may not be taken into the area (they can, however, be taken out). This is to stop the Queensland fruit fly from invading crops and plantations which could have a devastating effect on the economy. Disposal bins into which fruit can be disposed of are located along highways entering the zone.
Tourism
Tourism is a A$210 million industry in Mildura. However, a large percentage (30%) are domestic tourists visiting friends or relatives.
The city's situation on the Murray River makes it a hub for watersports, paddlesteamers and boat cruises. The still conditions make Mildura ideal for hot air ballooning and the Mildura International Balloon Fiesta attracts many visitors. The Australian Inland Botanic Gardens, located nearby in Mourquong is another popular attraction which draws visitors to the city.
Mildura Central
Mildura Central's (formerly Centro Mildura) extensive redevelopment in 2005 has positioned the centre as the major shopping destination within the Sunraysia region. Mildura Central is also the only fully enclosed, air-conditioned shopping centre in this area and offers a retail mix including representation from a number of national fashion stores. Serving a primary trade area population of 60,000 residents, Mildura Central also receives consumers from beyond the trade area including the Riverland, Swan Hill, Robinvale and Broken Hill. It includes a large Target, a Big W to the side of Mildura Central, a 19 aisle Woolworths and a Coles supermarket across the road. Other retailers in Mildura Central include JB Hi-Fi
JB Hi-Fi Limited is an Australian consumer electronics retail company. It is publicly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. Its headquarters are located in Southbank, Melbourne, Victoria.
As of June 2024, the company operates 330 sto ...
, Kaisercraft, Jay Jays and EB Games.
Development proposals
Mildura's location in Victoria and consistently strong local lobbying have seen the Government of Victoria
The Victoria State Government, also referred to as the Victorian Government, is the Executive (government), executive government of the Australian state of Victoria (Australia), Victoria.
As a parliamentary system, parliamentary constitutiona ...
take an interest in the city as a possible centre for population and industry decentralisation programs. There have been numerous proposals involving the state government for large scale developments and investments, many ambitious and speculative that have been shelved indefinitely.
Given the large amount of sunlight Mildura receives, it is the site for several proposals for large scale solar power in Australia including a massive solar updraft tower proposal in 2004 and 2010. In 2013, Mildura Solar Concentrator Power Station, a 1.5 MW demonstration plant, was commissioned by Silex Systems and it was expected to be expanded to 100 MW by 2017. However, in August 2014, the project was abandoned by Silex, due to lack of commitment to renewable energy
Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...
by the Abbott government. The government's plans to scrap the praised Renewable Energy Target (RET) in Australia were cited as one of the main reasons for abandoning the project. International scientists criticised this decision extensively, claiming Australia risks being "left behind the rest of the world" if it cuts its plans for renewable energy. The decision to not build the plant may also cause electricity prices to rise significantly in the country.
Another large development which has been controversial was the proposal for Mildura to be the site for Victoria's second casino.
Culture
Since early settlement Mildura has been home to artists, writers and creative people. Organisations such as the Red Cliffs Musical Society, Eisteddfod, Mildura Ballet Guild and Mildura Country Music Festival have helped grow a reputation for home grown talent and creative community. The hub of this community is the Mildura Arts Centre, which began as a gallery space at Rio Vista House in the 1950s and became fully established in 1956 with the building of a new regional art gallery and performing arts theatre. In 2012, after two years of construction, the new Mildura Arts Centre opened.
Mildura is host to many annual festivals such as the Mildura Country Music Festival, the International Balloon Fiesta, the Jazz Food & Wine Festival, Mildura Wentworth Arts Festival, Murray River International Music Festival, Mildura Writers Festival, Mildura Palimpsest, and the Mildura Show.[ There is also the annual Mildura masters coarse fishing competition held in November which attracts a number of international and local coarse anglers and the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show
]
Demographics
As of the , there were 34,565 people residing in 15,694 households. Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are people with familial heritage from, or recognised membership of, the various ethnic groups living within the territory of contemporary Australia prior to History of Australia (1788–1850), British colonisation. The ...
make up 5.5% of Mildura's population. 75.2% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Malaysia
Malaysia is a country in Southeast Asia. Featuring the Tanjung Piai, southernmost point of continental Eurasia, it is a federation, federal constitutional monarchy consisting of States and federal territories of Malaysia, 13 states and thre ...
2.6%, India
India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
1.5%, England
England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...
1.3%, Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
1.0%, and Vietnam
Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...
0.9%. 76.7% of people spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Mandarin 2.3%, Italian 1.4%, Vietnamese 1.1%, Turkish 1.1% and Punjabi 0.9%. The most common responses for religion were No Religion, so described 41.4%, Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
19.1% and Anglican
Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...
8.3%.
Crime
In 2018, Mildura recorded the highest rural crime rate in Victoria and the fourth highest crime rate in the state overall.
Organised Crime
Mildura has long been associated with the Calabrian Mafia, with claims made by police in 1966 that annual organised crime meetings were held in Mildura to co-ordinate nationwide criminal activities. In a 1960s National Anti-Mafia Directorate report by John T. Cusack (United States' Bureau of Narcotics) and Ugo Macera (assistant commissioner of police in Calabria) claims were made that the "ancient Calabrian Secret Criminal Society known as the L'Onorata Societa" and the "' Ndrangheta" were operating "throughout the State, with large segments in the fruit growing and farming areas of Mildura and Shepparton" adding that "There are reports the Society has existed in Victoria since 1930". They have reportedly been involved in revenge killings, cannabis production and weapons purchases.
During the 1980s, the Mildura Mafia emerged as a major crime group that dominated marijuana production in Australia and ran an Australia-wide money-laundering network. Several notable mafia murders have been linked to the region including the suspected mafia hit on 43-year-old Marco Medici in 1983, police believe the murder may be connected to the assassination of anti-drug crusader Donald MacKay at Griffith in 1977. The 1984 murders of Melbourne gangsters Rocco Medici and Giuseppe Furina are also connected to Mildura through the Medici family. In 1982, 42-year-old Mildura greengrocer Dominic Marafiote and his parents were murdered after Marafiote gave South Australian police the names of Calabrian mafia bosses in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. In 2016 Mildura residents Nicola Ciconte, Vincenzo Medici and Michael Calleja were convicted and sentenced in Italy for their role in a plot to smuggle up to 500 kilograms of cocaine into Australia.
Methamphetamine epidemic
Mildura has recorded significantly higher than average rates of methamphetamine
Methamphetamine (contracted from ) is a potent central nervous system (CNS) stimulant that is mainly used as a recreational drug use, recreational or Performance-enhancing substance, performance-enhancing drug and less commonly as a secon ...
use. Rural methamphetamine use overall is 2.5 times higher than in metropolitan areas. Prior to 2010 rates of use of illicit drugs in rural areas were significantly lower than those in the cities.
In 2014, a Mildura-based Comancheros Motorcycle Club member and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) sniper, Joshua Faulkhead, was arrested after being caught transporting large quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine and ecstasy between Sydney and Mildura. Faulkhead was sentenced to nine years and five months in jail.
In 2015, 20 people were involved in a large drug trafficking operation in Mildura in north-west Victoria. Methamphetamine, marijuana and ecstasy were seized in raids. The drugs seized were reported to be worth more than $15,000. $20,000 in cash were seized and a number of weapons were also seized. Later that same year, Stephen Gillard and Geoffrey Hitchen from South Penrith, were arrested for possession of $300,000 worth of methamphetamines in scrubland off the Mallee Highway at Tutye, west of Ouyen. Local farmers uncovered plastic fruit juice bottles containing the drugs after noticing the men behaving strangely the previous day.
In 2017, a joint Australian Federal Police (AFP) and United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigation lead to the seizure of $2.4 million in cash at the Mildura Airport, after 255 kilograms crystal methamphetamine were found at a storage facility in Northern California in June. The bust was part of an investigation into an alleged conspiracy to use a light plane to export drugs from the US to Australia. The 72-year-old pilot, a 52-year-old man from Zetland, and a 58-year-old Melbourne man were charged with conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border controlled drugs and money laundering offences. The crystal methamphetamine was reported to be worth $255 million. Those arrests were connected to $2.4 million which was found in Mildura, in a prime mover that was driven from Adelaide in April.
Notable people
Notable people from Mildura include:
* Leigh Adams, retired motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...
rider. Ten time Australian Solo Champion and the 1992 World Under-21 Champion. Including juniors, Adams won a total of 16 Australian championships and 4 World Championships.
* Jason Akermanis, Australian rules footballer. Won the 2001 Brownlow Medal.
* Adam Bland, PGA tour golfer.
* Jason Crump, retired Motorcycle speedway rider. Australia's only triple Speedway World Champion (2004
2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and Its Abolition (by UNESCO).
Events January
* January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 60 ...
, 2006 and 2009
2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
).
* Phil Crump, retired motorcycle speedway rider. The father of Jason Crump, he is a four time Australian Solo Champion and thirteen time Victorian champion.
* Matt Dea, Australian rules footballer. Currently plays for the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League
The Australian Football League (AFL) is the pre-eminent professional sports, professional competition of Australian rules football. It was originally named the Victorian Football League (VFL) and was founded in 1896 as a breakaway competition ...
.
* Ken Duncan, OAM, Australian landscape photographer.
* Patricia Edgar, founding director of the Australian Children's Television Foundation.
* Ted Hill (1915–1988), barrister and communist activist.
* Rick Kelly, V8 Supercar driver. 2001 Australian Drivers' Champion, 2006 V8 Supercar Champion, and 2003 and 2004 Bathurst 1000 winner.
* Todd Kelly, V8 Supercar driver. Winner of the 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour and 2005 Bathurst 1000.
* Sam Kerridge, former Australian rules footballer. Played for the Carlton Football Club.
Ben Knight
senior reporter at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
* Matthew Knights, former Richmond Football Club captain and former Essendon Football Club coach.
* Mark Lee, 1980 Premiership player and 1984 Jack Dyer Medalist, Richmond Football Club
* Jason Lyons, retired motorcycle speedway rider. 1999 Speedway World Team Cup and 2002 Speedway World Cup winner and a three time Victorian Champion.
* Kris McCarthy, Olympic middle-distance runner.
* Ron McEwin, (1928–2007) former Essendon VFL player.
* Warren Monson (1975–2023), sidecar speedway rider. Two times winner of the FIM Speedway Sidecar World Cup.
* Lochie O'Brien, Carlton AFL player.
* Ellen Sandell, politician and environmentalist, currently deputy leader of the Victorian Greens.
* Ariel Steinberg, Australian rules footballer formerly playing for the Essendon Football Club.
* Dylan Stephens, Sydney Swans and North Melbourne Football Club AFL player.
* Colin Sylvia, former Melbourne Football Club and Fremantle Football Club midfielder.
* Chris Tarrant, Collingwood Football Club defender.
* Robbie Tarrant, Australian rules footballer
* Cam Waters, racing driver.
* Josh Waters, Superbike rider, Suzuki works rider for 2014, winner of race 2 Brands Hatch BSB, 20 July 2014.
* Dale Weightman, Richmond Football Club 1978–1993.
* Arron Wood, former deputy Lord Mayor and acting Lord Mayor of Melbourne.
* Julia Zaetta, editor of Better Homes and Gardens.
* Tania Zaetta, actress and television presenter.
Media
Local newspapers include the Sunraysia Daily, Mildura Midweek and Mildura Weekly. Online news sources include the Mildura Independent Star, Rural Rebel Media (Independent) and River 1467 AM News. Local radio stations include ABC Mildura Swan Hill (National), River 1467 AM (3ML) (Commercial), 97.9 Sun FM Sunraysia (Commercial), 99.5 Star FM (Commercial), and Hot FM (Community).
Local TV stations include ABC TV, SBS TV, Seven, WIN Television, 7two, 7mate, 7flix, 7Bravo, 9Go!, 9Gem, 9Life, ABC Family, ABC Kids, ABC Entertains, ABC News, SBS HD, SBS Viceland, SBS World Movies, SBS Food, NITV and SBS WorldWatch. Network 10, 10 Bold Drama and 10 Peach Comedy channels were available in Mildura until MDT's closure in June 2024.
Of the two main commercial networks, Seven News produces short local news and weather updates throughout the day, broadcast from its Canberra
Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...
studios. WIN Mildura produced half-hour ''WIN News'' bulletins for the Sunraysia region until May 2015.
The Sunraysia region, including the city of Mildura, was the first region in Australia to switch off analogue TV broadcast in the implementation of the country's DTV transition process. It is also the first region in Australia to switch off a digital TV broadcast, with Mildura Digital Television ceasing operations after WIN and Seven decided to pull the plug due to the station running at a loss since its inception in 2006. MDT concluded operations on 30 June 2024, and the MDT license was handed back to the Australian Communications and Media Authority.
Sport
Mildura has three Australian rules football teams competing in the Sunraysia Football League; Imperials, Mildura and South Mildura, along with three other clubs nearby in Irymple, Merbein and Red Cliffs. Other clubs in the league are Ouyen United, Robinvale-Euston and Wentworth District. Mildura also have a junior football League ranging from age groups of under 10s to under 16s.
The Sunraysia Cricket Association (SCA) operates its competition between October and March annually. The SCA consists of fifteen teams; original SCA teams Coomealla-Wentworth, Merbein, Irymple, Mildura East, Mildura Settlers, Mildura West, Nichols Point and Workers-Gol Gol. The newly established Mildura Royals (whose cricket team is based in Cardross) joined the association for the 2024/25 season, as well as former Red Cliffs Cricket Association teams Curlwaa, Fire Brigade (Red Cliffs), Nursery Ridge (Red Cliffs), Ouyen, Tempy, and South West (Red Cliffs). As of the end of the 2024/25 season, the SCA does not include ex-RCCA clubs Millewa, Robinvale- Euston or Cardross cricket clubs, who are in recess.
The Sunraysia Rugby League is also based in Mildura and has six senior men's teams competing for the annual premiership. Rugby league
Rugby league football, commonly known as rugby league in English-speaking countries and rugby 13/XIII in non-Anglophone Europe, is a contact sport, full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular Rugby league playin ...
matches are played from May to September.
Mildura is a town well-known for motor sports. It has several tracks in the region to cater for different types of motor sports, including the Mildura Kart Club (Go-Kart racing), Timmis Speedway (Automobile speedway), Olympic Park Speedway (Motorcycle speedway
Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...
), Sunset Strip (1/8-mile drag racing), and North West Victoria Motorcycle Club. (Off-road motorcycle racing). The Mildura TT Circuit hosted the Australian TT in the 1950s.
Mildura has six swimming clubs and local competitions are regularly held during summer. Clubs train all year round.
Mildura has a history of producing many country, state and national champions.
The Sunraysia Baseball League plays during autumn and winter and has four baseball clubs in the league; Hawks, Saints, Eagles and Wanderers. There are four junior grades (U/7s, U/10s, U/13s and U/16s), three senior grades (A, B and C Grade) and a women's competition. Basketball is also popular in Mildura with hundreds of teams in all divisions entered in the Mildura Basketball Association's summer league. Soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...
also has a large following in Mildura, with there being a popular junior and senior league played during the winter months. The league consists of six teams, those being Three Colours, Mildura City, Mildura United, Irymple Knights, Nichols Point and Northern Suns.
Mildura is home to four field hockey teams (Koowinda, Mildura Wanderers, Rivaside and Waratahs) which compete in the Sunraysia Hockey Association. The association has grades for males and females, ranging from Under 9s to A grade. Roller Derby is a growing sport in the region, with Mildura having its own league, the Mildura Roller Derby League, which participates in competitions around Victoria and, at least annually, holds a tournament in Mildura.
Mildura has a horse racing club, the Mildura Racing Club, which schedules around nine race meetings a year including the Mildura Cup meeting in May. The Mildura Harness Racing Club conducts regular meetings at its racetrack in the city.
Golfers play at the course of the Mildura Golf Club on Twelfth Street.
Transport
Mildura is on the intersection of the Sturt Highway from Adelaide
Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
to Sydney and the Calder Highway to Melbourne via Bendigo. Deakin Avenue, the main street of Mildura, is known as the longest straight avenue in Australia, at 12.1 km.[ CDC Mildura, BusBiz and Dysons operate V/Line bus services that connect Mildura to various parts of Victoria and southern New South Wales. Greyhound Australia run buses to Adelaide and Sydney via ]Canberra
Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...
. NSW TrainLink run buses to Sydney. The Henty Highway Bus Service runs buses to Horsham
Horsham () is a market town on the upper reaches of the River Arun on the fringe of the Weald in West Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Nearby to ...
.
Mildura has a railway connection to Melbourne, which is used for freight transport that generally runs three times a week in each direction. In May 2006, it was announced that the Mildura line would receive a $73 million upgrade using gauge convertible sleepers.
Mildura Airport is the busiest regional airport in Victoria.
Education
St Joseph's College
In 1905, a small group of Sisters of Mercy came from Wentworth to Mildura and established a convent in a weatherboard building on the corner of Pine Avenue and Tenth Street.
Catholic secondary education commenced in Mildura in 1906 when the Sisters of Mercy began conducting classes in rooms attached to the original convent in Pine Avenue. The Certificate of Registration of a School, dated 31 December 1906, indicates that sub-primary, primary and secondary classes were being conducted from the convent at the time.
In 1911 boarding school facilities were provided in Olive Avenue and in 1914 a new school was erected in Walnut Avenue. The first buildings of St Joseph's College at its present site were opened in 1929. The college has well equipped classrooms, science and computer laboratories, creative arts and design and technology complex, religious education centre, library, sports facilities, staff and student amenities.
Mildura Senior College
The college has been closely linked with the development of Mildura since the opening of the irrigation settlement by the Chaffeys in the 1880s. In 1890 the Governor of Victoria, Lord Hopetoun, laid the foundation stone of what was to become the Chaffey Agricultural College but, due to financial difficulties, the college was not built. In 1911, the Education Department of Victoria agreed to erect a high school on the Chaffey College site and Mildura High School was officially opened in September 1912. The diamond jubilee of the school was celebrated on 8 and 9 September 1972. It celebrated its 75th anniversary in August 1987 and in 2012 celebrated its centenary over the weekend of 14–16 September.
As part of a strategic plan by the Ministry of Education in 1990, Mildura High School changed its name to Mildura Secondary College to reflect the changing nature of educational delivery in secondary schools. Again, as a result of restructuring in education provision since 1995, the college has been known as Mildura Senior College, catering exclusively for the final two years of secondary education.
Mildura Senior College caters exclusively for Year 11 & 12 students. In 2013 there will be approximately 500 students in Year 11 and 400 in Year 12. Entrance to Year 11 is open to all students living in the Sunraysia District who have successfully completed Year 10. The decision regarding the satisfactory completion of Year 10 is the responsibility of the 7-10 College. Enrolment at the College is also dependent on factors such as age, behaviour record and other achievements. Please see the section on enrolment for further information.
Chaffey Secondary College
Chaffey Secondary College is a Victorian state government secondary school catering for students in Years 7 to 10 located in Deakin Avenue. In 2012 the college had 640 students enrolled. The college offers 120 to 140 different courses each term as part of its modular learning program. Students and families participate in a program of course counselling and student-led presentations each term to help students create the most appropriate course for their ability, pathway and interests. The college has a double-court gymnasium which it operates as a joint-use facility with the Mildura Rural City Council. The college operates a small theatre with seating for up to 220 people.
Sunraysia Institute of TAFE
Sunraysia Institute of TAFE's main campus is located in Benetook Avenue. In 2008, the institute had 6,592 students enrolled.
La Trobe University
La Trobe University operates a regional campus in Mildura, with 500 students enrolled as of 14 February 2018.
In popular culture
Two Australian Navy vessels have been named after Mildura, HMAS Mildura and HMS Mildura.
The songs "Mildura (Home of Mine)" and "Come to Mildura – the Land of Winter Sunshine" were written by Reg. Stoneham in the 1920s.
G. H. Ball's "My Old Home Town (Mildura)" was recorded on the B-side of John Collinson's first recording of " Waltzing Matilda" in 1926.
Sister cities
* Upland, California, United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, which, like Mildura, was established as an irrigation community by George and William ChaffeyChaffey, William Benjamin (1856–1926)
by Peter Westcott, Australian Dictionary of Biography, accessed March 30, 2013
* Kumatori, Osaka
is a Cities designated by government ordinance of Japan, designated city in the Kansai region of Honshu in Japan. It is the capital of and most populous city in Osaka Prefecture, and the List of cities in Japan, third-most populous city in J ...
, Japan
Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...
* Dali City, Yunnan
Yunnan; is an inland Provinces of China, province in Southwestern China. The province spans approximately and has a population of 47.2 million (as of 2020). The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders the Chinese provinces ...
, China
China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. With population of China, a population exceeding 1.4 billion, it is the list of countries by population (United Nations), second-most populous country after ...
See also
* 1956 Murray River flood
* Cardross road accident
* PS ''Success''
* Mildura Airport
* List of cities in Victoria, Australia
* People from Mildura
References
External links
Official Tourism Website – Mildura
Murray River info – Mildura
Mildura Bureau of Meteorology Field Office
Watch historical footage of Mildura and surrounds
dating from 1920-2001 from the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia's collection.
Mildura - Visit NSW
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Mildura
Rural City of Mildura
Cities in Victoria (state)
Planned communities in Australia
Wine regions of Victoria (state)
Populated places on the Murray River
1887 establishments in Australia