Murray Bridge

Murray Bridge is a city in South Australia, on the Murray River east of Adelaide where the main highway and railway cross the river. The first bridge across the lower Murray, a road bridge of iron trusses opened in 1879, gave the town its name.

The Ngarrindjeri people are the traditional owners of the lower Murray and its lakes. The bridge brought settlers to the town, and the railway from Adelaide crossed the river on the same bridge until its own bridge opened in the 1920s. Paddle steamers carried wool, wheat and supplies along the river, and the town grew as a river port and railway town. Downstream, the river flows into Lake Alexandrina and the Coorong before it reaches the sea. Swamps along the river were drained into irrigated flats for dairy farms in the early 20th century.

Thomas Foods International runs a large meat processing plant in Murray Bridge, packing lamb and beef for export. Dairy farms on the river flats and market gardens supply milk and vegetables to Adelaide. Mushrooms are grown in sheds in the district, and pigs and poultry are raised on farms around the city.

The Captain's Cottage Museum, a stone cottage of a river boat captain, shows the history of the river trade. Sturt Reserve, along the riverbank, has lawns, a playground and a statue of Bertha the bunyip, a creature of local legend. Monarto Safari Park, west of the city, keeps lions, giraffes and rhinos on open plains. Paddle steamers and houseboats take passengers on cruises along the river from the town.