The interesting, historic township of Wentworth is just 30 minutes north-west of Mildura, over the border in New South Wales. This charming town is perfectly poised at the junction of two magnificent rivers - the Murray and the Darling. It’s a town packed with history from its days as a vital port for paddle steamers traversing the Darling River.
Wentworth tours visit the lovely old buildings and fascinating attractions throughout the town. One of its most well-known buildings is the Old Wentworth Gaol. Built between 1879 and 1881, it’s the oldest of the Australian-designed gaols and remained in operation until 1927. Many visitors come to hire a houseboat and take off for a relaxing river holiday
Wentworth is a place where you can immerse yourself in history. Step inside and explore a variety of buildings like Wentworth Courthouse, Town Hall, Captain Sturt Hotel, Rendelsham House, The Old Wentworth Post Office and Saint John the Evangelist Anglican Church.
While in town, take a walk to Fotherby Park where the delightful PS Ruby is moored. She’s an authentic 1907 heritage paddle steamer whose woodwork and polished brass fittings have been lovingly restored.
Pioneer World Museum is worth a visit. It houses an extensive collection of over 3,000 artefacts covering much of the rich history of Wentworth and the surrounding areas including amazing fossils of Australia's Megafauna and a large paddle steamer display.
Wentworth is also where you’ll find the breathtaking Perry Sandhills. Spanning 400 acres, these continually shifting sand dunes sit on the edge of the flood plain and are up to 12 metres high in places.
A Wentworth tour wouldn’t be complete without visiting the Old Wentworth Gaol. Designed by colonial architect James Barnett, the small single-story clay brick building with bluestone trim all the way from Wales, was completed in 1881. It was the first of the Australian-designed goals, a predecessor to the Hay and Dubbo gaols.
Entering the building through the Warden’s residence, the tour highlights the harsh conditions suffered by inmates of that period. The new gaol replaced over-crowded lockups and continued operating until 1928. It closed due to the establishment of gaols at Silverton, Broken Hill and Goulburn.
After its closure, the building remained in excellent condition and was used as additional classrooms for the Wentworth Central School until 1963. Wentworth Gaol was temporarily re-used in 1962 to house detainees from the Mildura riots.
Before leaving, visit the Gaoler's residence to view the old wares or take home a gift or souvenir.
The Murray-Darling crossing was previously known as Hawdon's Ford. In 1858 it was officially surveyed, and the following year named Wentworth after William Charles Wentworth, a prominent politician and an explorer who was part of the first Europeans to cross the Blue Mountains.
Wentworth is in News South Wales on the border of Victoria. It’s situated 400 kilometres east of Adelaide, 572 kilometres northwest of Melbourne and 1038 kilometres west of Sydney.
Wentworth lies at the junction where the Murray River meets the Darling River.
The traditional owners of the Wentworth Shire area are the Barkindji river people. Today, Aboriginal people from other Australian communities call Wentworth home.
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