Your essential road trip guide to Mildura

Many say a stay in Mildura is incomplete without a meal at Stefano’s. The Stefano in question is Stefano de Pieri – and for anyone familiar with A Gondola on the Murray and his new show Australia's Food Bowl, his name will ring a bell. The Venetian-born chef migrated to Australia in the ‘70s and has since brought his Italian-style ‘cucina povera’ cooking to the glowing cellars of the Mildura Grand Hotel. Simple dishes are packed with flavour here. As de Pieri puts it: “I’m not interested in excess or in the use of any ingredient superfluous to achieving full flavour through the simplest means.” Treat yourself to the five-course set menu when you’re next in town. 

Victoria is home to many gin distilleries, but Fossey's might be one of the prettiest. This distillery was started by former winemaker – now self-proclaimed “gin-novator” – Steve Timmis with the idea to make gin (and whisky) in an otherwise underutilised part of what used to be a men’s club. The plan was to open one day a week to allow locals to watch and have a drink while Timmis and co distiller Tash worked the stills. These days you can still watch them work in the distillery (on Thursdays usually) but Fossey’s is now open four days a week from Thursday to Sunday, offering tasting paddles and cocktails to guests in their cosy bar space (it used to be a library) or alfresco area under fairy-lit grapevine trellises. In addition to gin and whisky, Fossey’s also makes rum, vodka and a bottled Gin Toddy that really warms the cockles of your heart. 

For a slice of Melbourne coffee culture in Mildura, head to Brass Monkey. The café was a dinner service bar and restaurant until early 2021, when owner Adam Pritchard switched to a daytime model to allow him more time with his family. The café is housed in a 100-year-old, heritage-listed building (a former grocer – make sure to check out the ceiling and skylight) and features the sort of semi-industrial aesthetic and quality coffee (Code Black to be specific) you’d find in Fitzroy. The all-day menu is inspired by street food, says Pritchard, with brekky dishes like avo toast (sliced, not smashed) and coffee-infused French toast featuring alongside Birria tacos, lamb shoulder served with baba ganoush and flatbread, and roast pork belly salad. 

Andy Nguyen started Andy’s Kitchen with the idea of creating a restaurant where everyone feels at home. After visiting – and talking to a few locals – Nguyen has certainly achieved that endeavour, producing one of Mildura’s most bustling venues that also just happens to be one of the friendliest (Andy’s even offered essential workers free meals, no questions asked, during the 2020 lockdowns). Nguyen has a Vietnamese background, though Andy’s Kitchen spans a wide variety of cuisines from across Asia, including Chinese, Thai and Malaysian (if you’re after distinctly Vietnamese cuisine, try his other Mildura venue, Mr Bun Mi). The menu changes seasonally and draws from the bounty of produce grown locally – ask for the daily specials if you really want to see the chefs’ creativity shine. And while Andy’s Kitchen looks like a regular restaurant from the street, those seated out the back will get to see the Balinese-style outdoor space the team have created. 

When you’re in the region, it’d be a shame not to hop over the border and visit the inimitable Mungo National Park. This vast expanse is an archaeological wonderland with a history deeply entrenched with the three Aboriginal groups of the region: the Paakantji, Ngyiampaa and Mitthi Mitthi peoples. Learn about the history of the area on a guided tour with a local First Nations guide so that you can see evidence of living practices that date back at least 45,000 years. Don’t leave without seeing the breathtaking Walls of China – this lunar-like landscape sits on the site of the once-filled Lake Mungo which has washed away over 14,000 years creating spectacular ridges and cracks along the red dirt. 

When visiting Mildura, a trip down the Murray River on a paddle steamer is a must. Mildura Paddle Steamers runs twice daily, with two-hour cruises on its vessel, the Rothbury. There’s plenty of comfortable seating indoors and outdoors plus drinks (including beer and wine) and snacks available to purchase onboard. As you leisurely cruise down the Murray’s apple-green waters, you’ll be treated to a guided commentary of the history and most interesting sights – plus you’ll get to go through a lock (a gate that allows boats to travel from high to low parts of the river, and vice versa). Mildura Paddle Steamers also offer dinner cruises every Thursday evening.

If you don’t have the time for a paddle steamer cruise, you can still enjoy Mildura’s waterways by heading to Kings Billabong. This nature reserve is a twisting labyrinth of wetlands and walking tracks, with plenty of birdlife to entice twitchers for a visit. For billabong views without the walk, head to Cureton Avenue (15 minutes drive from Mildura) to catch the water from a viewing platform and we’d also recommend packing a picnic and heading here for lunch out in nature. Kings Billabong is also great for fishing, canoeing and camping. Drive slowly at dawn and dusk as there are roos about.

A perfect design-led option for your stay in Mildura, Indulge Apartments brings all the comforts of your own home to this beautiful corner of the state. There are apartment options in a couple of locations around Mildura, including the city centre and out in the suburbs. Each apartment comes with bedding, complimentary toiletries, and even kitchen amenities if you’re planning on staying a while. Better yet, most of the rooms come with panoramic views of the Murray River.

The Quality Hotel Mildura Grand really is, well, grand. The Art Deco hotel dates back as far as 1881 when it was established as the Mildura Coffee Palace (there was an attempt to make Mildura a temperance or alcohol-free region). Today the hotel has 99 rooms, a rose garden, a large pool, a conference centre, a gym and access to five restaurants. The hotel has ample off-street parking right next door and is within walking distance to the Mildura city centre and Murray River.