Murray River Trails

Proud and passionate Riverlanders Tony and Susie Sharley founded Murray River Trails in 2016 with a mission to help people discover the magic of the Murray. Their award-winning Murray River Walk includes accommodation on a luxury houseboat that moves each day to a new walking destination, where guests dine each night on chef designed local fare paired with local wines .

Murray River Walk departs from Renmark and is a guided 4 day and 3-night easy rated walk that follows diverse waterways along creeks, forests, and cliffs for up to 14 km each day during the cooler months. It is a member of Tourism Australia’s Signature Experiences – Great Walks of Australia and Australian Wildfire Journeys. 

In 2020, during Covid, Murray River Trails pivoted by launching two new tours, Murray River Safari (also a member of Australian Wildlife Journeys) and Murray River Escapes designed to provide touring options in the warmer months and extend their touring season from 6 months to 12 months. Murray River Safari is a guided wildlife adventure that takes advantage of the ever-present igratory bee-eaters and waders from the northern hemisphere and includes half days canoeing and cruising in an open pontoon boat. 

In 2022, Murray River Trails designed and launched its own energy efficient luxury houseboat with six double bedrooms with ensuites, powered by solar, with an 11 metre port side window to showcase the beauty of the river. 

Passionate guides love sharing their knowledge of plants and birds, Aboriginal culture, pastoralism, paddle-steamers, irrigation, and the challenges of sharing water in the Murray Darling Basin. Tour highlights include sunrise and sunset reflections, a glass of bubbly in the top deck hot spa after a day walking, brilliant night skies of the inland, 180 bird species in the region and frequently seen mammals including red and grey kangaroos, emus, goannas, and koalas, and travelling through a river lock. 

Murray River Trails won Hall of Fame in the Ecotourism category at the 2022 South Australian Tourism Awards and won the 2022 Premier’s Award for Tourism Excellence.