 Welcome to the Editor's Blog
Our goal through the Discover Murray website is to work together and respect one of Australia's most naturally beautiful waterways. To support the river communities, help visitors plan your Murray trip and have a portal where information can be sourced easily for education.
March 20, '07: Discover Murray is Tourism Accredited. As part of our focus on Quality,  Reliability and Professionalism, Discover Murray has received tourism accreditation. You can be assured you're dealing with a quality business.
On a sad side the Murray has been listed as one of the top 10 threatened river systems (news.com.au). Considering our small population compared with other countries, this isn't great. Over allocation, human use and the carp and have been cited as main causes along with a serious drought as factors for the deterioration this precious waterway. Hope the Federal Government and the states can really put some serious measures together - quickly.
March 9, '07: Discover Murray. We've changed our name from River Murray Online to Discover Murray. For sometime we've been working through different names that really emphasised how we're trying to promote the Murray and river communities. Discover Murray is a great way to summarise simply what this website and we're all about. There are some fantastic opportunities to Discover Murray both on the banks or on the river itself and it's our goal to bring those to you.
There's plenty of room to share the Murray, so take a look at some other national and state based Murray websites if you want to get a feel for the diversity of Australia's great river - tourism links.
 March 1, '07: Great news -Discover Murray has been been awarded a Platinum Website Design Award. The website was voted on by the official judges of the Australian Web Designers Network. The award is judged on the following categories: Graphics, Artwork, Layout, Navigability, Functionality and Originality and has emerged as a leading Australian website. This award ensures our commitment to the best of the Murray. Thanks to our website designers Design Train.
The Australian National Maritime Museum have allowed River Murray Online to photograph and publish its traveling exhibition The River: Life on the Murray-Darling. Liz Tomkinson said "It is a great looking site and thank you for showing your interest in and of course publicising the exhibition, the photographs are beautiful." for more information on the exhibition please visit the exhibition page - currently on display in Morgan.
 Are you looking for The Platinum Murray Experience. We've now included a section on the website where you can have the best of the Murray. There's so much beauty and quality businesses doing great stuff we'd like to recognised them for their premium efforts. If you know of a brilliant experience along the Murray please contact us.
February 26, '07: Did a trip from Adelaide on the weekend up to Mannum where the annual Big River Fishing Competition was being held. Although noticeable that the river levels are receding in some lower areas the Murray is still a great place to visit and enjoy. From Mannum (see video) we headed up through Purnong, Nildotte, Swan Reach, Blanchetown to Morgan. It was a beautiful day and great to see some people really enjoying what the Murray has to offer.
February 22, '07: Hi, I'm Shane, the editor for River Murray Online. Let me explain the reason for the River Murray Online website. We launched the website in December '06 and felt that a national website was needed that supported the Murray River regions. I'm hoping that through this website we can work together and respect one of Australia's most naturally beautiful waterways, support the river communities, where you can plan your Murray trip and have a portal where information can be sourced easily for education. I know that the Murray is a contentious issue and I'm not a scientist however I also know how important the Murray is to Australia. Our national river system, the Murray-Darling Basin is, however under threat and there are millions of people who rely on the system both directly and indirectly for many different reasons - in the cities and country. There is an entire flora, fauna and aqua ecosystem who need the Murray River to survive. Myself, like many Australians can see the Murray is struggling.
Our core focus as a website portal is to support the local regions. As the media present one negative story after another there also a need for positive voices for the regions. You can experience lots of sensational things and appreciate the Murray for it's diverse culture, incredible beauty, powerful landscapes and rich towns. The communities along the Murray need all our support to maintain their economies. As the Murray runs through many towns from Albury Wodonga (Corryong) through to Goolwa we can still enjoy the Murray and all it has to offer. River levels are slowly dropping and as much as the locks and weir system has it's downsides, it's also allowed water levels to be kept at better levels than previously experience in history. I urge you to visit the Murray as there's still plenty of water to enjoy for all. Click here for water updates. If you can help with information please send it through to us.
I believe a weir in Tailem Bend (Stop the Weir) will be devastating for the lower lakes and Coorong as natural inflows are already poor so I can't support this proposal. The governments need to get on with it and take charge with responsible, proactive choices that'll ensure the Murray is preserved as a beautiful waterway while managing the community needs and sustainable agriculture. It's time for powerful leadership. Lets support the local river communities in all 3 states who probably feel alienated and alone. We're all on the same team and part of a huge basin.
Hey enjoy the Murray You Tube section, or visit the Digital Museum, send a postcard to a friend or visit a town. Currently there's a great exhibition on The River: Life of the Murray-Darling which is traveling through the Basin. It's in Morgan S.A. until June. It's worth a visit to get a sense of history for this amazing part of Australia.
We need your help. Please send us photos and stories and email in local Media Releases so we can create a real community website and resource tool (contact us) or create links to this website and share. Speak soon, thanks, Shane |
