Stay
Houseboats, cabins and riverside camps
The best stay in Riverland
Sleep on the water aboard a self-drive houseboat, wake to birdsong in a riverside cabin, or pitch a tent beneath the river red gums. The Riverland is built for slowing down.
The quintessential Riverland stay floats. Hiring a houseboat is the classic way to holiday here - your accommodation, transport and front-row nature seat rolled into one slow-moving home, moored each night against a red-gum bank under a sky thick with stars. No licence is needed, and the cliff-lined reaches around Renmark and Paringa are among the finest stretches to drift.
Prefer dry land? The region offers riverfront cabins and caravan parks, characterful country pubs like the Art Deco Renmark Hotel, and serviced town stays close to the foreshores. For something wilder, there's bush camping in Murray River National Park and the remote Chowilla floodplain.
For a true taste of the river's wild side, camp along the Katarapko creeks where turtles bask and sea-eagles patrol overhead. However you choose to rest your head, you'll wake to the slow brown Murray sliding past and the dawn chorus rolling down the water.
Browse stay by area
10 places
Calperum Station
$A former sheep station the size of a small country, returned to nature
A 242,800-hectare former pastoral station north of Renmark, now managed for conservation by the Australian Landscape Trust. Floodplain creeks, Ramsar wetlands and true mallee outback, with bookable bush campsites.
Katarapko (Murray River National Park)
Canoe trails and bush camps
The Katarapko section of the Murray River National Park, laced with anabranch creeks, bush campsites and canoe trails near Berri.
Lyrup Flats, Murray River National Park
A red-gum floodplain section of Murray River National Park near Lyrup, with camping and canoeing.
Morgan Conservation Park
Floodplain wetlands at the river's bend
A wetland conservation park on the Murray floodplain near Morgan, rich in birdlife and laced with creeks and lagoons.
Murtho Forest Landing
Riverside red gum camping above Paringa
Pike River Luxury Houseboats
$$$Premium houseboats for hire near Paringa, your floating base for exploring the upper Murray.
Ramco Point
FreeFree grassy camps on the river, five minutes from Waikerie
A free riverside camping and picnic reserve five kilometres west of Waikerie - grassy, shaded sites along the Murray with a boat ramp and toilets at the adjacent Apex park.
Renmark Hotel
$$A landmark Art Deco pub on the Renmark riverfront, owned by the community for over a century.
Riverland Houseboats
$$$Drive your own holiday on the Murray
Self-drive houseboats are the signature Riverland holiday - a floating home you pilot along the Murray at your own pace.
Wilkadene Woolshed Brewing Co
$$Craft beer in a riverside woolshed
A craft brewery in a converted woolshed on the banks of the Murray upstream of Renmark, with riverside camping.
Stay in Riverland - frequently asked questions
Do you need a boat licence to hire a houseboat in the Riverland?
No - self-drive houseboats on the Riverland's stretch of the Murray are licence-free, which is a big part of their appeal. Hire operators give you a hands-on briefing and instruction before you cast off, so first-timers can pilot the boat with confidence. Renmark and Paringa are the main launching hubs, with the fleet ranging from compact two-berth boats up to vessels sleeping a dozen people.
What is the Riverland best known for when it comes to where to stay?
The signature Riverland stay is a self-drive houseboat - your accommodation, transport and nature seat in one slow-moving home, moored each night against a red-gum bank under a star-thick sky. Beyond the water, the region offers riverside cabins and shacks, caravan parks, historic homesteads and national-park camping beneath ancient river red gums. The cliff-lined reaches around Renmark and Paringa are among the most scenic for a floating holiday.
Where can you camp beside the river in the Riverland?
Murray River National Park has riverfront and creekside campsites across sections including Katarapko (Katarapko Creek) near Berri and Lyrup Flats, with flat, shaded sites tucked beneath towering red gums. Other riverside camps in the region include Calperum Station, Murtho Forest Landing and Morgan Conservation Park. National-park sites must be booked online before you arrive and carry a small per-night fee, so plan ahead rather than turning up on spec.
Are Riverland riverside campgrounds dog friendly?
It varies, so always check the specific site before booking. Dogs are not permitted in the Katarapko camping areas of Murray River National Park, with only very limited leashed-dog exceptions on certain tracks. Many private river shacks, cabins and caravan parks do welcome dogs, so a pet-friendly riverside stay is achievable - just confirm the policy with the operator first.
When is the best time of year for a Riverland houseboat or camping holiday?
Autumn (especially April and May) and spring are widely considered the most comfortable, with mild days, calmer water and fewer crowds. Summer brings warm-to-hot days ideal for swimming but is the busiest and priciest season, while winter is off-peak with cooler days, quiet moorings and noticeably cheaper hire rates. Whichever season you choose, remember houseboats must be moored between sunset and sunrise, and you bring your own food and drink for the trip.