Up the Mighty Murray! – Episode 10: To Balranald in the Central Murray League
Episode 10 To Balranald in the Central Murray League
Detour up the ‘Bidgee
Map of the Murray River
Detour up the ‘Bidgee to Balranald
The Murrumbidgee Junction, immediately upstream of the small riverside settlement of Boundary Bend, is the place where Captain Charles Sturt met the river he named the Murray in honour of the then British Secretary of State for War and the Colonies, Sir George Murray.
Reaching the location provides a tempting opportunity to take a short detour on our long Murray journey to taste the waters of the Murrumbidgee, to explore its course upriver to Balranald and to experience the town promoted as the “gateway to Mungo National Park.”
The Murrumbidgee is Australia’s second longest river. Measured at 1485 km, it is just a tad longer than the Darling. The ‘Bidgee, as the river is fondly known, rises in the Snowy Mountains and flows through the Australian Capital Territory before turning westwards on its journey through the Riverina via Gundagai, Wagga Wagga, Narrandera, Hay and Balranald. The construction of dams (Tantangara and Lake Eucambene) in the Snowy Mountains effectively halved the annual average flow of the Murrumbidgee at the point where it enters the ACT. This has seriously affected native fish populations and aquatic life downstream. The associated problems of stream contraction, siltation and habitat loss compound the impact of the dams on the river and its wildlife. The waters of the Murrumbidgee not only sustain the towns and farms along its course but also irrigation agriculture in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, all supported by Burrinjuck Dam.
Like the Murray River, the lower Murrumbidgee was to be regulated by a series of navigation weirs and locks. None of the planned nine navigation weirs and locks, under the River Murray Agreement of 1914, were constructed. The variability of the river’s flow together with the demise in the river trade and the Great Depression, rendered the planned locks on the Murrumbidgee unnecessary and uneconomic. However, a series of weirs for irrigation and town water supply were constructed. Balranald has one of those weirs.
Three inland rivers: the Murray, the Murrumbidgee and the Wakool
(source: Google Earth)
Sturt’s 1830 exploration party on the Murrumbidgee River found navigation difficult between Balranald and the Murray Junction due to the seasonal contraction of the river and blockages caused by trees swept down by earlier floods. Passage downstream in their whaleboat was very difficult until (on 14th January):
“On a sudden, the river took a general southern direction, but, in its tortuous course, swept round to every point of the compass with the greatest irregularity. We were carried at a fearful rate down its gloomy and contracted banks. At 3 p.m. Hopkinson called out that we were approaching a junction, and in less than a minute afterwards we were hurried into a broad and noble river.” (extract from Sturt’s diary, pub. 1833)
The “broad and noble river” was the Murray, quite a different river from the Murrumbidgee. The lower ‘Bidgee’ is narrower and more convoluted in its course. A view of the Google Earth image above confirms the “tortuous course” of the Murrumbidgee between its junction with the Murray and Balranald. The river boat captains would have been on high alert piloting their steamers through that section of the Murrumbidgee.
Balranald lies just beyond the western edge of the Hay Plain on the Sturt Highway, which links South Australia with eastern NSW. Explorer Thomas Mitchell camped at the site of the present township and his favourable comments on the potential of the land encouraged interest from squatters in the early 1840s. First settled in 1847, the site of Balranald was an important crossing point on the Murrumbidgee for stock from South Australia. Pastoral runs along the riverfront, including the huge Yanga Station, had already been taken up when Balranald was gazetted in 1851. Pastoralism gave impetus to the growth of the river trade and the establishment of a river port at Balranald.
Paddle steamers soon started making their way up the Murrumbidgee to service the large sheep stations of the Riverina. The first steamer to travel up the Murrumbidgee made its way to Balranald in 1857 seeking cargoes of wool and timber and bringing supplies to the district. Inevitably rail (the Victorian line from Moama in 1926) and road transport displaced the river trade, but Balranald found wealth in dryland agriculture and later in diversified farming.
Recent agricultural diversification in the Balranald Shire includes almond and pistachio farms established alongside other horticultural and viticultural developments. Tourism is a major contributor to the town’s economy with the World Heritage listed Mungo National Park, Yanga Woolshed and Homestead and the nearby Yanga National Park attracting large numbers of visitors. Today, green energy projects in wind and solar power generation and mineral sand mining are further expanding the economic base of the district.
A day at the football in the Central Murray League
Match of the round: Balranald v Mallee Eagles
Saturday 17th June 2023
at Greenham Park, Balranald
Roos v Eagles
The Central Murray Football Netball League was formed in 1997, replacing the former Mid Murray League and taking in three clubs from the Northern and Echuca League. It is an 11 club competition straddling the Murray River with eight of the clubs situated between Tooleybuc and Cohuna. Two clubs from the Victorian Mallee country, Manangatang (merged with Tooleybuc in 2004) and Lalbert (the Mallee Eagles since 2011), as well as Balranald from the Lower Murrumbidgee, participate in the league. This episode’s match of the day features two of those clubs from out on the flanks of the league – Balranald and the Mallee Eagles.
The Mid Murray League ran from 1946 until the formation of the CMFNL in 1997. Swan Hill based clubs Swan Hill and Tyntynder were the most successful, taking out a combined total of 26 premierships between 1947 and 1996.
Balranald formed a football club in 1887 and initially played games among themselves and on an invitation basis before joining a succession of associations including the Balranald-Moulamein Association, the Kyalite FA and the Northern Murray League. The club won four premierships in those earlier competitions before joining the Mid Murray League in 1955. After 34 years without success in the MMFL, Balranald broke through for an historic premiership in 1989.
With a burning desire to win their first MMFL flag, the Kangaroos ambitiously recruited a clutch of VFL players in the late 1980s. Among them Richmond star Jimmy Jess, St. Kilda ruckman Jeff Fehring and local Mid Murray products and former Richmond players Peter Laughlin and David Simpson. The club, coached by Trevor Ryan, had a day to remember defeating hot favourites Tyntynder in a high scoring match. As the Roos’ banner read, it was “history in the making”. Balranald enjoyed the perfect blend of local talent and high profile players from Melbourne, backed up by a visionary committee and a tight knit group of volunteers. The battling club, both on and off the field, managed to turn disappointment and debt into strength and success.
‘Rugged’ Ronnie Andrews (ex Essendon) joined the Roos the following season, strengthening an already powerful line-up. A year later, ruckman Mark Lee departed Punt Road and returned to the bush, adding to Balranald’s story of recruiting high profile footballers. The attraction of playing for Balranald was sparked by a Richmond footballer’s trip away in the late 1980s and bolstered by the lure of pig hunting up on the ‘Bidgee. Balranald went back-to-back in 1990 defeating their NSW neighbours Tooleybuc, led by Mark Bos (ex Geelong). The Roos followed that up with three further flags (1994, 2006, 2009). In 2022 Balranald finished mid-table with eight wins.
The ‘Mallee Eagles’ represent the Lalbert St Mary’s Football Netball Club. Lalbert formed a football club in 1904 and played in the Quambatook District FA and later the Northern Districts FA before moving to the Southern Mallee FA just prior to World War II. After the war, Lalbert competed in the Mid-Murray Football League for forty years, winning six premierships, including the last premiership in the league’s existence. They joined the Central Murray League when it was created in 1997. In 2011 the club rebranded as the ‘Mallee Eagles’. The Eagles are yet to win a CMFNL flag. In 2022 they finished one place behind Balranald with seven wins and a draw.
The last time they met: Round 10 2022 – Balranald 18.4 (112) defeated the Mallee Eagles 11.8 (74)
Balranald’s lineups in 2023 have included a couple of high profile football names – Ablett and Neagle. The ‘Ablett’ is Nathan of Geelong fame. And the ‘Neagle’ consists of three brothers (Jaxon, Jydon and Matthew), the sons of former Dimboola/Essendon/Sydney Swans, and later, Balranald player, the late Merv Neagle. The Roos are flying in 2023 and shape as the main rivals to undefeated Kerang in the race for the flag. Meanwhile, the Eagles are currently ninth on the ladder with two wins from seven starts. The meeting of the two vertical striped outfits should result in another comfortable win for Balranald.
The match
Balranald’s inaccuracy helped to keep the Mallee Eagles in the match for the first three quarters but the home side showed their superiority and pulled away in the final term to record a commanding 62 point win. The Roos kept the Eagles scoreless in the last quarter, enjoying a win with a scoreline almost exactly matching that of their 2023 main rivals, Kerang in their victory over Lake Boga.
Angus McKenzie (Mallee Eagles) and Jordan Wilkins (Balranald) contest a ball up
(source: Mallee Eagles on Facebook)
Eagle Shaun Harrison with the Sherrin
(source: Mallee Eagles on Facebook)
Scores
Balranald 2.1 4.7 6.10 11.18 (84)
Mallee Eagles 1.1 2.2 3.4 3.4 (22)
Goal kickers – Balranald: Fuller 5, Jydon Neagle 2, Gant, Ablett, Connell, Papa
Mallee Eagles: McDonald, Allen, MacLeod
Best – Balranald: Benjamin Fuller, Jack Salau, Toby Lay, Kobe Lloyd, Josh Hodgson, Ethan Gant
Mallee Eagles: Zac O’Meara, Wes Bennett, Paul Davis, Brett Thomas, Liam Drummond, Darcy McGregor
On the netball court: A Grade
Mallee Eagles 48 defeated Balranald 46
Around the Central Murray League grounds
Kerang 11.14 (80) defeated Lake Boga 3.6 (24) at Lake Boga
Nyah Nyah West United 14.9 (93) defeated Tyntynder 11.7 (73) at Alan Garden Reserve, Swan Hill
Swan Hill 8.15 (63) defeated Koondrook-Barham 6.6 (42) at Barham
Woorinen 15.18 (108) defeated Tooleybuc-Manangatang 6.4 (40) at Woorinen
Cohuna – bye
Meanwhile … the winners
In the Sunraysia League the winners were Irymple, Red Cliffs, Mildura and Ouyen United.
In the Millewa League the winners were Cardross, Gol Gol and Bambill.
In the Riverland League the winners were Renmark, Waikerie and Loxton North.
In the Murray Valley League the winners were Sedan-Cambrai, Ramco and Browns Well.
In the River Murray League the winners were Southern Mallee, Jervois, Coorong Cats and Mypolonga.
In the Great Southern League the winners were Strathalbyn, Willunga, Victor Harbor, Mt Compass and McLaren Districts
Next episode: to Tooleybuc and Manangatang in the Central Murray League
Read all episodes of ‘Up The Mighty Murray’ and Peter Clark’s previous series Here.
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About Peter Clark
is a lifetime Geelong supporter. Hailing from the Riverina, he is now entrenched on the NSW South Coast. His passion for footy was ignited by attending Ovens and Murray League matches in the 1960's with his father. After years of watching, playing and coaching, now it is time for some serious writing about his favourite subjects… footy, especially country footy, and cricket.
Great to see you finally in New South Wales albiet straddling the border!
My Euston snout tells me that Gary Ablett Jnr is set to join his brother at Balranald…
Yes Riverina Rocket, I have heard the same whisper.
And Cohuna have announced that they want to join the Heathcote League.
Resume the close rivalry with Gunbower and Leitchville.
Major changes coming.
Only six in the Golden Rivers comp with Quamby folding and Nullawill going to North Central.
In three weeks time we will visit the Golden Rivers League for the match of the day – Moulamein v Murrabit.
And as well, Rural Rocket and Peter, two Loddon Valley FNL clubs have announced they’re seeking clearances from the Loddon Valley FNL to the Heathcote league.
They’re Marong and Maiden Gully/YCW, both outlying suburbs of Bendigo.
If they’re successful the LVFNL will be down to 7 clubs but Maiden Gully, especially, is adamant they need regular weekly matches for their under-age boys’ team.
Quite a few Loddon Valley clubs do not field under-age footy teams and haven’t been able to do so for a few seasons now..
Thanks RJ,
I had heard that news too.
I fear for the Heathcote league that it will become unwiedly…
and tipped in favour of bigger towns/districts overwelming my dear old Colbo and Mounts.
Reckon Calivil and Mitiamo will probably have to join together.
Calivil really struggling this season….
Richard,
I can understand clubs being desperate to keep their juniors going and taking the difficult decisions to move their affiliations accordingly. Some pain, but potentially also longer term gain.
I guess its progress but it’s sad to see these competitions struggling . Not saw what will become of the Golden Rivers League formerly Kerang and District . Hopefully it survives but the move of Nullawil into the North Central and the folding of Quambatook was a big blow . Now down to 6 teams some of whom may also begin to look elsewhere eg Ultima
Agree Hayden. Change is in the wind for both the Central Murray and the Golden Rivers. More mergers and further exits of clubs leading to smaller sized competitions.