Wahgunyah, Victoria on the Murray River near Corowa

Wahgunyah - Once the busiest little town upstream

Until the rail link to Melbourne was provided in 1879 the town became the busiest upstream river port on the Murray. It boasted a quay, customs house and bond stores. The paddle steamers carried good to and from Echuca to overland transport to and from Melbourne. Some of the original vineyards and more recently-established wineries are close to Wahgunyah.

Places of Interest in Wahgunyah

John Foord Bridge At the bridge is a display featuring the Wahgunyah collection of illustrations of the Aboriginal artist Tommy McRae.

Customs House Foord Street near the John Foord Bridge. This building was used as a customs house, for the collecting of excise on goods crossing the border between New South Wales and Victoria, until Federation in 1901. It has been restored and has a National Trust classification.

Former Post Office (1863) Foorde Street is now a private dwelling. Post Office (1880) former Bank of Victoria, Foorde Street. The Savage Store (1861) Foorde Street. Originally built as the Wahgunyah Hotel, the building was once used as a Cobb & Co (Bevan Coach Line) booking office for a service that ran to Melbourne.

The small Wahgunyah Pioneer Cemetery is off Distillery Road and contains the graves of John Foorde and his family. Carlile Cemetery, located further along Distillery Road, contains the graves of many of the early pioneers. It also contains many graves of Chinese pioneers of the gold rush days and well-preserved and maintained Chinese Burning Towers. (These towers were used by the remaining extended family to burn offerings to help the departed on their next journey).

Great local wineries

Pfeiffer Wines Distillery Road, 3 km from Wahgunyah. The property straddles Sunday Creek and dates back to the 1870s when the building that now houses the wine-tasting area was once a distillery. Picnic area. Tasting and sales: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm.

Cofield Winery is located in Distillery Road, 1 km from Wahgunyah. A small family-owned and operated winery producing a range of wines. Tasting and sales: Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-5pm, closed Good Friday.

All Saints Vineyard All Saints Road, Wahgunyah. Turn left at Wahgunyah Post Office, and after 1.5 km left again into All Saints Road. Commenced in 1864 by the Sutherland family, the winery was built in 1880 and modelled on the Castle of Mey near Caithness in Scotland. It has 'B' classification by the National Trust. All Saints was in the family for four generations. George Sutherland Smith, the original winemaker, became the first Australian to win a Gold Medal overseas at the Vienna Exhibition of 1873. The winery has one of the largest privately-owned oak storages in Australia. It also has an excellent viticulture and Winemakers Hall of Fame. Tasting and sales daily 9am-5pm, closed Christmas Day and Good Friday.

St Leonards Vineyard, St Leonards Road, Wahgunyah. Begun in the 1860s it was replanted during the 1970s and produces mainly table wines. Open: Thur-Sun 10am-3pm, closed Christmas Day and Good Friday.

Corowa | Yarrawonga Mulwala (Down River) - Rutherglen (Up River)