Murray Regional Tourism has woven together decades of holiday memories, cherished photographs and long-held family traditions into ‘The Way We Holidayed’ — a five-week campaign inviting a new generation to discover the Murray region.
The campaign followed a public call-out earlier this year, inviting past visitors, residents, tourism operators and community groups to share their fondest holiday memories from across the region.
From annual camping trips and lazy fishing weekends to long caravan park summers, houseboat adventures and beloved family traditions passed down through the generations — the response was overwhelming.
Murray Regional Tourism chief executive Cameron Sutton said the response showed how deeply the region had become part of people’s personal histories.
“People remembered the same swimming spot, the caravan park neighbours, the afternoon ice creams, how everyone slept packed into tents and bunk beds, and the things they did every single year,” he said.
“They’re ordinary moments at the time, but when you repeat them year after year they become part of the story of a family, a friendship group or a place.”
Selected submissions have been brought to life as short animated films using contributors’ own photographs and voices, while other memories and archival material will be featured throughout the five-week campaign.
The stories span decades of holidays across locations including Lake Boga, Echuca-Moama, Bundalong and Ouyen.
Mr Sutton said the campaign was designed to celebrate the past while encouraging visitors to create new memories.
“We wanted the people who actually holiday here to help tell this story,” he said.
“The memories draw you in, but this campaign is also about what comes next and returning to somewhere you know, seeing what’s changed or starting a Murray tradition of your own.”
Running across Visit the Murray's website and social media channels, visitors can take an interactive quiz to find a Murray holiday tradition that suits them.
This campaign uses nostalgia as a starting point — not the end point — pairing cherished memories with the contemporary places and experiences waiting to be enjoyed across the Murray today.
