North West Victoria

The words charm and elegance are often used to describe the regional city of Bendigo, which is as famous for its beautiful boom-town architecture from the 19th century, its magnificent tree-lined streets, and its thriving arts and food culture.

Located on the picturesque banks of the River Murray, Echuca is one of Victoria's oldest river towns. Its once-bustling port - one of the key way stations for wool and wheat travelling to national and international markets in the 19th century - has now been transformed into a vibrant entertainment and recreation precinct.

Central to both Ballarat and Bendigo, Maryborough is an ideal base for exploring the rich history of this famous gold-mining region. Maryborough boasts some of the area's most beautiful boom-period architecture, and is famous for its award-winning railway station, which was completed in 1891.

Tucked in the north-west corner of Victoria, is the picturesque town of Mildura - famous around Australia as a paradise of food and wine. Located on the banks of the Murray River, Mildura still boasts some of the historic paddle steamers which carried goods up and down the Murray in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Blessed by year-round sunshine and a glorious position on the banks of the Murray, Swan Hill is at the centre of a highly productive agricultural area. As well as being a service hub for the region, Swan Hill offers a range of recreational and sporting activities on and around the river.

How to use this map

About North West Victoria

Major Towns:
Pictures: View photos of the North West region of Victoria in the image gallery.
Arrival Assistance: As a migrant moving to regional Victoria, you can access a variety of services and resources through the Global Skills for Provincial Victoria initiative. Find out about arrival assistance in North West Victoria.
Regional skills shortages: Occupations listed below are in demand in the North West region of Victoria. If your occupation features on our eligibility lists, you may be eligible to apply for Victorian Government sponsorship for a Skilled Migration visa and migrate to North West Victoria.  For more information, view the eligibility lists. 
  • Accountants
  • Automotive electricians
  • Building and engineering professionals
  • Butchers
  • Cabinetmakers
  • Civil engineers
  • Community workers
  • General electricians
  • General medical practitioners
  • Health professionals
  • Metal fitters and turners
  • Metal machinists
  • Motor mechanics
  • Nursery people
  • Plumbers
  • Printing machinists
  • Registered nurses
  • School teachers
  • Structural construction tradespeople
  • Structural steel and welding tradespeople
  • Welfare workers
Features
  • Mildura is surrounded by an irrigated agricultural zone that produces wine, dried fruits, citrus fruits, olives and vegetables. It is home to some of the largest processing and packing plants in the world.
  • Mildura is a 70-minute flight to Melbourne and has the busiest regional airport in Victoria
  • Bendigo is the geographical centre of Victoria and the key city in the region, with an economy built on gold and sustained by manufacturing, tourism and regional services
  • The North West is home to four campuses of the Sunraysia Institute of TAFE—Mildura, Swan Hill, Robinvale and Ouyen (Mallee)
  • Bendigo offers an extensive range of renowned public and private schools as well as post-secondary education institutions such as the Bendigo Regional Institute of TAFE and a campus of La Trobe University.
Attractions
  • Mildura and Swan Hill are both popular destinations to enjoy the Murray River
  • Wells Track, near Maryborough, features some of Victoria’s best examples of aboriginal rock water wells
  • Bendigo’s renowned heritage buildings and sites
  • At the river port of Echuca on the Murray River, ride a paddle steamer or hire a houseboat, go fishing, swimming and waterskiing.

How to use this map

Roll your mouse over a major town to read a brief overview. Click on a major town to be taken to a webpage with more information. Alternatively, you can select from the list of major towns above.

Also See

Related Sites

Last updated: 10 August 2009

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State Government of Victoria