Echuca is a town in Victoria, Australia, which rose to prominence in the 19th century as Australia's largest inland river port. Sitting on the banks of the Murray River, the Echuca Wharf and Port are working relics of times gone by; the paddle steamers still navigate their way up and down the Murray, but more for tourists than commerce. Since the emergence of rail, flights and road infrastructures, Echuca lost much of its commercial demand, but gained a nostalgic appeal as a portal to a lost world.
Car hire in Echuca is especially useful due to the town's inland position north of Melbourne, making travel between the two very convenient. Hire a car in Echuca from the Downtown district.
Echuca is renowned in this part of Australia, from a time when inland ports fuelled the county's economy. The paddle steamers still exist and names like the Emmylou still sail tourists back and forth on romantic river cruises. The nostalgic and evocative Echuca Port and Wharf are huge attractions, wonderfully incorporated into the town centre's architecture, but places like the Billabong Ranch are a short drive from town so hiring a car in Echuca is recommended - just 25 minutes away following Glanville Road. Shepparton and Victoria Park Lake are an hour away on Murray Valley Highway.
