Words by Richard Cornish Images Supplied
It has already been a hot summer, and we have all been looking for ways to cool down. While many of us live near the coast, sometimes you’ll find yourself travelling inland, where beaches and swimming pools are a long way away. Lucky for us, dotted along our inland rivers are scores of popular swimming holes where the water is cool, clear and deep.
Dotted along our inland rivers are scores of popular swimming holes where the water is cool, clear and deep.
Often known only to the locals, these are spots where families gather on hot days to relax and chill out. Some are shady havens in the middle of the bush, others are like beaches on the edge of town with BBQs and loos.
Remember that swimming holes are special places and need to be respected. Never dive into a swimming hole; rivers are active waterways and rocks and logs can be swept down in a flood, continually changing submerged hazards. Sometimes the water can be extremely chilly and the shock on a hot day can be a health hazard. Water conditions can change rapidly too, especially after rain. So, with all that in mind, pack your boardshorts, grab a towel and head to the Victorian bush to swim in some of the most beautiful locations in the state.
Pound Bend – Pound Bend Road, Warrandyte State Park
#notevenanonehourout
In the Yarra River’s upper region the water runs clean and clear. Even in the outer suburbs, locals make the most of the cold flowing river to cool down on a hot day.
In Warrandyte, on the site of a historic gold mining operation, is a gentle beach with some shallow and some deeper pools. Called Pound Bend, it is also the site of a diversion tunnel that was hewn into the solid rock, which allowed miners to starve the bend in the river of its water and mine the rich alluvial gravel.
Today the Yarra flows freely through this beautiful spot, shaded by towering mountain ash eucalyptus with plenty of parking, toilets and picnic facilities available.
Drop by Rob Dolan wines on the way back and pick up a bottle of wine and some excellent cheese by Stone and Crow.
Vaughn Springs – off Greville St, Vaughn Springs
#oneandahalfhoursout
You’ll find this popular swimming hole and campground on the banks of the Loddon River, 9km off the road between Daylesford and Castlemaine.
It sits at the base of a steep cliff where the Loddon River was dammed early in the 1900s to make a pleasure park for the locals. Back then European trees were planted, rock walls built and hand pumps erected above the mineral springs.
Today you’ll find a beautiful shaded park, toilets, BBQs, a giant slide and a deep pool of water with a gentle sloping pebble beach. Come early in the morning to see the resident platypus and take time to explore the Chinese cemetery by the reserve gates.
After a swim head to the Guildford General Store for a really good homemade pie or tea and cake.
Turpins Falls Scenic Reserve – Shillidays Rd, Langley
#onehourout
Note: Turpins Falls is currently closed due to deterioration of the walking track. Please check with Parks Vic for changes to access.
The walk down to this swimming hole outside of Kyneton is steep and overgrown with thistles. Make sure you wear long trousers and sturdy shoes. Take caution, as it is also somewhere that several people have died by diving into the cold water.
If you take caution, this is a beautiful reserve where the Campaspe River cascades some 20 metres down a basalt face. The circular pool is the size of several house blocks and the downstream side is shaded by river red gums and willow trees. The water is clear and deep in places but there are submerged rocks near the base of the falls. At this time of the year the waterfall has been reduced to a trickle but after rain the flow can be torrential.
Note there are no facilities at Turpins Falls but if you time it right you could make a post swim lunch or dinner at Colenso in Kyneton, where local produce and wines dominate the menu – try the beef schnitzel with local mozzarella cheese.
Centenary Park – Riverside Ave, Bright
#threeandahalfhoursout
The Ovens River runs through the heart of Bright, a sub alpine village under the shadow of Mount Hotham. In summer the locals increase the height of the weir to create a great big freshwater swimming pool in the centre of town. Called Centenary Park, this is one of the nation’s great and most glorious swimming holes, where toddlers paddle by a sandy beach on the creek and teenagers promenade on the boardwalk that follows the river.
Nearby is a waterslide run by local Rotarians and on the opposite bank, shaded by river red gums, is a steep steel slide that plunges into the deep water with a young lifeguard looking on. There is also a free waterpark with cannons, mist rings and dumping bucket.
Overlooking all this is Ginger Baker, a great café with shaded outdoor area serving great casual food and local wine and brews.
Livingstone Park – Creek Street, Omeo
#sevenhoursout
On a hot summer’s Livingstone Park is a popular spot for young families and the town’s youngsters to paddle about in the shallows by the gravelly beach.
In the 1800s Livingstone Creek, on the edge of Omeo in East Gippsland, was dammed to create a source of drinking water for the gold mining town. Mid last century it was turned into a swimming pool.
Today, there is a four-metre high platform from which the local teenagers hurl themselves. It’s a great spot for a swim after exploring this historic region – there is a shaded picnic area and nearby toilets, too.
If you’re heading back down the Great Alpine Road towards Bruthen, stop off at Ensay Winery to try some cool-climate wines.
With approximately 2,700km of winding river and waterways to explore, pristine landscapes, rich Indigenous culture, a thriving arts scene, museums, top notch tucker and accommodation options that range from under-the-stars to 5-star, there’s so many reasons to head to the Murray for your next getaway.
More of a coastal lover? Well so you thought because there are beaches here too! Some of the best stretches of sandy inland beaches can be found near the towns of Cobram and Tocumwal and are perfect spots for 
At the more contemporary end of the art spectrum, and at the complete opposite end of the river in Albury, is another noteworthy Indigenous stop – the 
Nature lovers are utterly spoiled for choice with 
It is a place that is filled with a rich history, both recent and more ancient. A place of sweeping landscapes, enchanting waterways and stunning scenic drives, all within an easy drive out of Melbourne.
On the edge of the Yarra Valley is the (in)famous Black Spur Drive. Marvel as the road twists and turns beneath towering eucalypts and movie-worthy mist. Soon enough you arrive in Marysville, a pretty little town with a big heart. It is also a convenient jumping-off point to visit Lake Mountain, with plenty for adventure seekers no matter the time of year.
Next up is the town of Eildon and one of Victoria’s largest man-made lakes, with a whopping 500km coastline. 
Our next stop is Yea – yay! A perennially popular stopping-off point to refuel both the car and the driver, Yea easily recalls the grandeur of the area’s gold mining past with historic buildings and graceful wide streets. It is also where the Goulburn River meets the Yea River and the 
A short drive and it’s on to the district of Trawool, for there is no township as such. It is here that the Goulburn Valley Hwy plays cat and mouse with the Goulburn River and its lagoons. Holiday makers have been visiting Trawool Valley from the early 1900s to take in the area’s scenic charms and it’s easy to see why. A visit to the iconic 
Next stop is Tallarook and the start of the 134 km 
A short drive from Tallarook is Seymour, located on the banks of the beautiful Goulburn River. Very much the platonic ideal of a country town with its wide, welcoming streets and riverside parks, Seymour has always been a major stop on the Melbourne-Sydney route. The area has also had strong military connections since the establishment of a nearby training camp prior to WW1 and then later Puckapunyal Army Base.
The historic township of Avenel was established in 1849 as a stop-over point between Melbourne and Albury. It is also known as the place where Ned Kelly’s family lived in the 1806s. Ned is now known as a bushranger and outlaw, but he was once hailed a hero after rescuing a young boy from drowning in a local creek. 
Nagambie calls and it’s our next stop. It is little wonder wineries are a great drawcard of Nagambie and surrounds. The cool climate (influenced by the Goulburn River and Lake Nagambie) combined with the area’s red sandy loam soil adds up to a distinctive wine region.
Our last stop is Euroa at the foothills of the Strathbogie Ranges. You’re definitely in Kelly country now – Ned Kelly and his gang bank robbed a local bank here in 1878. These days the town is a good base to explore the nearby Strathbogies, take a scenic drive to the Gooram waterfalls or perhaps take a quick dip in one of the popular swimming holes if weather allows.
