Dareton is the centre of the Coomealla Irrigation Area, best known for its superior dried fruit and wine grapes.

The irrigation area was once known as ‘Nine Mile’ and owes its existence, in part, to the visionary ‘The Million Farms’ scheme that flourished following World War One.

The cornerstone for Coomealla’s ambitious horticultural development was laid in 1922, when Murray Lands Advisory Committee members inspected the area and recommended an irrigation scheme be established.

The town is named for Water Conservation and Irrigation Commissioner Henry Harvey Dare, a staunch proponent of the proposal.

It was his report to the Cabinet Committee on Land Development and Settlement that is generally held to have prompted the advisory committee inspection, tipping the scales in favour of the initiative.

Pioneering families sowed the seeds of irrigated horticulture here in the mid-to-late 1920s, but it was the influx of soldier-settlers following World War Two, under the auspices of the War Services Land Settlement Scheme, that supplied the impetus for rapid growth and development.

They came and conquered, transforming the bush landscape into a neat cross hatch pattern of flourishing vineyards and orchards, literally carving out a prosperous future by hard work and sweat.

Today Dareton, and the surrounding Coomealla Irrigation District, are together a thriving horticultural showpiece renowned for quality products.

It is also home to the renowned Coomealla Memorial Sporting Club and a mecca for freshwater fishermen while boasting one of the most picturesque championship golf courses in the country.

Captain John Egge, pioneer of the Port of Wentworth

John Egge was born in Shanghai China in 1830. As a young man he worked a sampan on the Yangtze River. At 16 he sailed to Australia as cabin boy with Captain Francis Cadell.

Egge was the cook on Cadell’s PS Lady Augusta which raced with Captain Randall’s vessel, PS Mary Ann in 1853, to be the first to navigate the river between Goolwa, South Australia and the Junction.

At the Junction, the silt laden Darling River reminded Egge of China’s Yellow River. In 1859, he settled in Wentworth with his English wife Mary Perring and they raised eight children.

In 1866 he chartered his first river boat PS Treviot. By 1870, Egge was established as one of the biggest traders on the Murray Darling and his on-shore business interests had expanded at the same rate as his river trade. He also owned property in several towns on the Murray and Darling Rivers.

At various times he owned or captained the Moira, Endeavour, Prince Alfred and the floating emporium Murrumbidgee.

He operated a general store as well as a depot on this wharf, which supplied station properties and towns along both rivers.

Captain Egge died in Wentworth in 1901, and is buried in Wentworth Cemetery.

A bronze statue of Captain John Egge was unveiled at the Wentworth Wharf on 12 June 2009 during the 150^th Anniversary of Wentworth. The statue was commissioned by the Wentworth Branch of the National Trust and sculpted by Lynne Edey.

Australia’s most unique Botanic Gardens

A prime example of what community spirit can achieve is on display at the Australian Inland Botanic Gardens. As the first semi-arid botanical gardens in the southern hemisphere, this is where the desert really comes into bloom. The plantings showcase a wide variety of Australian and exotic species, the centrepiece of which may be the rose garden featuring over 1600 colour co-ordinated bushes.

Every Saturday at 11am visitors can enjoy a tractor/train tour through the gardens. Garnpang Homestead is our coffee shop. It is open daily and visitors can relax over morning or afternoon tea, or a light lunch. Browse through a selection of handcrafted gifts and cards.

Every fourth Saturday we have a sumptuous breakfast made by our talented volunteers. 8:30- 11am.

Entry to the gardens is free, donation appreciated.

The AIBG has recently opened a Children’s Garden. It comprises a range of play equipment which has been made by volunteers from recycled materials. This is a place to play in a natural environment. There is a cubby house, sand pit and musical instruments to play with. A lot of the play equipment has been made by school children.

There is no entrance fee, but a donation for the garden’s maintenance is welcome.

The Gardens are open to the public ,weekdays *am -4pm, weekends 10am-4pm, closed Christmas day.

The first methods of river transport

To make a canoe, the aborigines would first make an outline of the shape they required with cutting stones or stone tools. Once the shape was mastered, they cut deeply into the tree to the heartwood (or xylem), prying the bark off in one piece with stick or rocks.

To make a canoe, the ends of the bark were then curled up and pushed together. Some were made watertight by the addition of clay and grass in any leaky areas.

True canoe trees rarely have the scar extending to the base of the trunk.

The sign reads “By means of Stone Axes, the Aborigines removed a single sheet of bark without breaking.  From a suitable River Red Gum the bark was seasoned and shaped into a canoe.”

In January 1830 Captain Charles Sturt weighed anchor opposite Sturt’s Tree when he reached the confluence of the Darling and Murray Rivers.

The plaque reads ‘In late January 1830 Capt. Charles Sturt in his Whaleboat weighed anchor opposite this tree. He hoisted his flag to celebrate the discovery of the junction of the Darling and Murray Rivers.’