After three months of their joint venture Wonderland on the Murray, Campaspe Shire and Murray River councils are reflecting on the summer that saw locals and tourists alike falling down the rabbit hole
From December 13 to March 9, there were activations, interactive experiences and sandcastle installations to explore, and visitor data showed that it wasn’t just the locals loving it.
Visitors travelled from across Victoria and NSW, with significant increases from Bendigo, Shepparton, Ballarat, Melbourne, Tullamarine and beyond, proving the program's wide-reaching appeal.
Murray River Council Mayor John Harvie said it was “fantastic” to see new visitors experiencing what Echuca-Moama had to offer.
“With the rising cost of living, we wanted to deliver something completely free and a little bit different for families and visitors to enjoy in Echuca-Moama,” he said.
“This project shows what can happen when we work together across the river to create something special for our communities and visitors.
“It’s been wonderful to see families exploring the area and businesses getting involved with themed displays, food and experiences.”
Businesses on both sides of the Murray embraced the Wonderland spirit, with bakeries and cafés transforming their shopfronts and weaving the magical theme throughout the town centres.
Boys to the Bush also played an important role, helping protect the 2.5km sandcastle trail, which ran from the Port of Echuca to Moama Soundshell, through daily audits.
Despite the event’s overall success, organisers did face challenges, including vandalism to sandcastle installations and extreme weather conditions with heat and fire warnings.
Now, organisers are now turning to local business owners to measure the true 'wonder' of the event's economic impact.
Campaspe Shire Council director of communities Jo Bradshaw revealed visitor feedback demonstrated overwhelming support for a similar future event, though plans remained under consideration, with format details yet to be determined.
Both councils extended a thank you to the visitors and the volunteers who helped make Wonderland on the Murray a smash success, and particularly the businesses that embraced the event.
“To our local businesses and organisations — thank you for embracing the fun and helping our towns ‘share the wonder’ whether you went full Mad Hatter with themed shopfronts and in‑store events, or offered delightful Wonderland‑inspired specials,” Ms Bradshaw said.
“The local community embraced this event and helped bring this experience to life.”
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