Easter school holiday fun at the Port of Echuca

By Jaci Hicken

Mar 22, 2024

Lit up: During the Kids Adventure Tours, kids will get to experience the historic wharf by touch light. Photo by Contributed

The Port of Echuca will be alive with activities for the whole family, starting on Good Friday, March 29 and running through the whole of the Easter school holidays.

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“We really want to activate the whole port precinct and get locals and visitors to experience the Port of Echuca,” Campaspe Port Enterprise chief executive officer Mark Francis said.

“Many family activities and attractions will be available over the Easter weekend and throughout the whole school holidays.”

The Kids Adventure Tours will run every Tuesday and Thursday during the Easter school holidays, and they will include a special take-home gift, a Port of Echuca torch and a Port After Dark postcard with each child’s ticket.

“We usually have a bit of fun on these tours,” Mr Francis said.

“The kids get to dress up and go into areas by torchlight that are not usually frequented at night, including along the Murray Esplanade, the cargo shed, and underneath the Echuca Wharf.

“We tell stories about life back in the 1800s with tales of murder, mud pirates, smugglers, and pickpockets.

“The kids go into secret rooms and alleyways while re-enacting these stories.”

Mr Francis wants to let the Echuca Moama community know that even though there is a cost for the kids’ adventure tours, daily entry to the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre and the historic wharf is free.

Spooky: Part of the Port of Echuca Kids Adventure Tours is dressing up and going into areas of the historic precinct not usually frequented at night. Photo by Contributed

“We sometimes find that locals don’t know that entry to the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre and the historic wharf is free for everyone, “ he said.

“The Port of Echuca is open every day of the year, except Christmas Day, for everyone to wander through and explore the rich history of the Echuca Wharf and Paddle steamer trade.”

Additional activations the Port of Echuca will host over the Easter weekend during the daytime include live music, the Echuca Vintage Machinery club in operation, Rob Dingey’s paddleboat display, a petting zoo, pony rides, the blacksmith will be operating, and caricature artist Murray Ross can draw your portrait.

For those wanting to relax, a licensed bar, including live music, will operate on the Echuca Wharf on Easter Saturday and Sunday.

On Easter Sunday, the Easter Bunny will be making an appearance.

Playing on the wharf will be Mariah McCarthy from 2pm on Saturday and James Hollands from 3pm on Easter Sunday, with the Moama Grammer Drum line at 7.30pm.

There will be fireworks at the Port of Echuca at 8pm on Easter Sunday.

The Port of Echuca daily guided tours and Port After Dark tours will continue through the school holidays as regularly scheduled.

The Port of Echuca is open from 9am to 5pm daily.

Tickets for all tours – daily guided, After Dark or Kids Adventure Tours - can be booked at the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre or by clicking on the ‘Book Your Ticket’ link at www.portofechuca.org.au