Family Activities
Big things, big rivers, big fun
The best family activities in Paringa
Roadside Big Things, swimming beaches on Lake Bonney, paddle-boat cruises and playgrounds on the riverfront keep all ages happy.
The Riverland is made for relaxed family travel. The river is the playground — calm reaches for swimming and paddling, grassy foreshores with playgrounds, and pelicans that loaf close enough to count. Add a string of quirky big things and living history, and there's plenty to keep every age happy.
Climb aboard a heritage paddle steamer like the PS Industry at Renmark, pose beneath the Big Orange at Berri, or step back in time at the open-air Loxton Historical Village. The riverfronts at Berri and Loxton bundle playgrounds, lawns and walking trails right beside the water.
For a slow adventure, the gentle creeks of the national park are perfect for a first canoe trip, with frequent landings and constant wildlife. Easy, affordable and never far from a riverbank picnic, the Riverland is a place where kids learn the simple joys of river life.
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4 places
Bert Dingley Park
A riverside picnic spot at Paringa
A grassy riverfront reserve at Paringa beside the historic bridge, with picnic areas, a playground and river views.
Lock 5 & the Bunyip Barge
FreeWatch boats step up the Murray in a riverside park
A 1927 lock and weir just downstream of the Paringa Bridge, set in lawned parkland with picnic tables, barbecues and the retired river barge Bunyip on display.
Pike River Luxury Houseboats
$$$Premium houseboats for hire near Paringa, your floating base for exploring the upper Murray.
The Black Stump
FreeA 600-year-old river red gum, rescued from the Murray
The huge root system of a 500-600 year old river red gum — over eight metres across and the largest of its kind in Australia — salvaged from the river and displayed at Paringa.