Up the Mighty Murray! – Episode 8: Where the Darling meets the Murray
Episode 8 Where the Darling meets the Murray
At Mildura in the Sunraysia Football League
Map of the Murray River
The Darling meets the Murray
Sometimes Mildura is referred to as the place ‘where the Mediterranean meets the outback’, but Wentworth is certainly where the Darling meets the Murray.
The confluence of the Murray and Darling Rivers at Wentworth NSW is the spot where the milky muddy waters from western NSW, meet the ‘blue’ waters of the Murray. At first the streams run parallel to one another, with little merging or mixing, until they fall into turbulence below the lock 10 weir. This is a significant point in the geography and history associated with the two great Australian inland rivers. It is where Captain Charles Sturt proved that the westward flowing rivers of NSW eventually flowed into the Murray. Later it became the turn off point for paddle steamers heading from South Australia into the Darling, towards the Menindee Lakes and beyond.
The Darling, Australia’s third longest river (1470 km), officially begins where the Culgoa River joins the Barwon River between Brewarrina and Bourke. Charles Sturt initially called it the ‘Salt River’. To the Barkindji people the Darling River is their ‘Barka’. They lived sustainably in the Darling River region of western NSW for tens of thousands of years. Currently the Australian Museum (in Sydney) is hosting a special exhibition, ‘Barka:The Forgotten River’, developed by Uncle Badger Bates and Justine Muller with the Barkandji community. The message conveyed by the exhibition is that that “Barka (the Darling River) is more than a body of water; Barka is a mother, an Ancestor, a life source, and in peril, along with everyone that lives along it.” Climate change, land and water mismanagement have resulted in suffering for everyone along the Darling.
The Darling River is basically the stem of a funnel collecting water from tributaries running off the Great Dividing Range in Northern NSW and from southern Queensland. The river is highly variable in flow due to the reliance of many of its tributaries on floods.
The movement of water through the Darling River has a significant impact on the health of the entire Murray-Darling Basin system. Water quality, fish populations and riverine ecology are all influenced by natural events, such as floods and droughts, as well as climate change and human-induced reduced flows. Beyond its starting point, the Darling flows south westwards towards Menindee where it is captured in a series of regulated lakes. Thereafter, water is released back into the river, and in high flows, through the Great Darling Anabranch, where its destination is the junction with the Murray at Wentworth.
Events, including the impact of the Millennium Drought on the ecology of the river and recent episodes of fish kills in the Menindee Lakes and lower Darling have directed the spotlight on the management of the Darling system and levels of water extraction. Floodplain harvesting of water and cotton farming in the upper Darling catchment are at the centre of the issue.
In the era of the paddle steamers, hawkers plied their craft up and down the rivers in search of buyers for the goods and stores they transported. They fed the outback stations, the woodcutters, the fishermen and the isolated river communities with essential supplies. Those vessels sold and bartered everything including foodstuffs and brewing supplies, cooking wares, tools, the latest fashions and books. They were also a vital source of information and a focus for social gatherings when they arrived at remote communities along the inland rivers.
One such hawker was my Great Great Grandfather, Henry Butler, who built a river boat he named The Charlotte. Henry was a gold miner from Bright in north east Victoria who set out on an independent life venturing down the Murray to Wentworth and up the Darling River where he worked on outback stations, trapped rabbits, traded from his floating ‘emporium’ and later worked as a fisherman based at Morgan SA. His five sons eventually gravitated in the same direction on their own missions along the Murray and the Darling, shearing and working on outback stations.
The image below is of a painting showing Henry Butler standing at the prow of his ‘emporium’, The Charlotte, with his youngest son Ern by the rail.
‘The Charlotte’: painting “The Boat that Henry Built” c1895
(source: Up and Down the River by M. Ronan)
A day at the footy in the Sunraysia League
Match of the round
Wentworth v Irymple
Saturday 3rd June 2023
At George Gordon Oval, Dareton NSW
Kangaroos v Swallows
The Sunraysia Football League was founded in 1945, succeeding the Mildura District Football League (1921-1944) and the earlier Mildura Association (1903-1920). Today it is known as the Sunraysia Football Netball League and embodies nine clubs stretching along the Murray River from Wentworth to Robinvale-Euston and out into the Victorian Mallee to Ouyen (see map above). Mildura is the hub of the Sunraysia League, with three of the clubs based in the regional city and three close by. The most successful club in the league are Imperials with 19 premierships. Ouyen United (‘old’ Ouyen United merged with Walpeup-Underbool) is the newest club on the block, joining the competition in 2016 from the defunct Mallee League.
Players on current AFL lists from the Sunraysia League include: Robbie Tarrant (South Mildura / Richmond), Dylan Stephens (Red Cliffs / Sydney Swans), Lochie O’Brien (South Mildura / Carlton), Josh Carmichael (Imperials and Merbein / Collingwood), Oskar Faulkhead (Wentworth / Gold Coast) and Seamus Mitchell (Robinvale-Euston / Hawthorn).
Wentworth (officially known as the Wentworth District Football Netball Club) joined the Sunraysia League in 1957. The club, known as the Kangaroos, has won seven premierships, with the most recent flag coming in 2016. The Kangaroos are based on the Murray at Dareton NSW, midway between Wentworth and Mildura, where they play home games at the George Gordon Oval. A good number of Wentworth born and bred footballers have played for AFL clubs. Among the best known are: Ben McGlynn (Hawthorn, Sydney Swans), Richard Vandenberg (Hawthorn), Mark Alvey (Western Bulldogs, Essendon), Jamie Lawson, Heath James (Sydney Swans) and Brian Winton (Richmond, Essendon, St Kilda).
In 2022 Wentworth were runners-up to Irymple. The Swallows won a tight contest 10.5 (65) to the Kangaroos 8.11 (59). This season both teams have won four games, so the grand final ‘replay’ looks to be a very even match up. Ben McGlynn has returned to his country roots at Wentworth where he has taken on the role of Director of Coaching. And when his body allows, he still pulls on the boots for the Roos. McGlynn is playing alongside another former AFL player who hails from Wentworth, ex West Coast and GWS player Jarrod Brander.
Irymple were a foundation club of the Sunraysia League and the earlier Mildura Football Association. The club’s home ground is located in suburban Mildura. Irymple, known as the Swallows, are reigning premiers and have won eight flags in the Sunraysia competition. Earlier, they won seven premierships in the Mildura Association/League.
The Sunraysia League was zoned to the Richmond Football Club during the country zoning era (1967-85) and was a rich source of talent for the Tigers. We will discover more of the favourite sons of the Sunraysia in episode 9.
The match
The Swallows, led by the drive of their young brigade, won the grand final rematch by 23 points.
Ben McGlynn (left) in support as a team mate gathers the Sherrin ahead of an Irymple opponent wearing the Swallows clash jumper (source: Wentworth District FNC on Facebook).
Irymple 3.3 7.5 11.7 13.1 (88)
Wentworth 3.1 5.2 8.4 10.5 (65)
Goal kickers- Irymple: Baynes 2, Phipps 2, Garlick 2, Ward, Mee, Coghlan, Moritz, Tulloch, Pezzaniti, Anderson
Wentworth: Hancock 4, Brander 2, McKinnon, Mansen, Hooper, Ferguson
Best – Irymple: Ned Oldham, Zac Carra, Zac Wandin, Connor Carter, Nick Mee, Liam Garlick
Wentworth: Jack Carter, Andrew Wall, Jack Manson, Ben McGlynn, Harry Ough, Finn Ellis Castle
Around the Sunraysia League grounds
Robinvale-Euston 13.16 (94) defeated Ouyen United 8.7 (55) at John James Oval, Robinvale
Merbein 11.13 (79) defeated Imperials 9.8 (62) at Brian Weightman Oval, Mildura
Red Cliffs 10.11 (71) defeated Mildura 10.9 (69) at Quandong Park, Red Cliffs
South Mildura – bye
Meanwhile …
In the Millewa League the winners were Bambill, Gol Gol, and Nangiloc.
In the Riverland League the winners were Loxton North, Renmark and Waikerie.
In the Murray Valley League the winners were Murrayville, Sedan-Cambrai and Paringa.
In the River Murray League the winners were Jervois, Mannum, Rambler and Mypolonga.
In the Great Southern League the winners were Langhorne Creek, McLaren Districts, Myponga-Sellicks, Strathalbyn and Victor Harbor.
Next episode: to Robinvale in the Sunraysia 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.

Thanks Peter,
The Sunraysia league has been one of the most stable leagues in country Victoria.
The addition of Ouyen United looks to have strengthened the competition.
No clubs out for a long, long time – if at all?
The question I have where did Wentworth play prior to 1957?
And what status do we accord Robinvale-Euston – and for that matter Koondrook-Barham as NSW or Victorian clubs. A recent phenomenon.
Peter
I’m enjoying your series very much. fantastic reads. Thank you.
PS – Hopefully a book in the future.
Just realised the cross-border fertilisation started with Corowa-Rutherglen circa 1979.
And of course further down the river with Tooley-Manang.
And maybe even before?
Guess you”ll cover that when you get to these places Peter.
While the others are just across the river, Managangtang is further away in the Mallee.
Given your time teaching at Tooleybuc Peter you’ll uncover that
Homework time Riverina Rocket
Trove is my main source here.
Wentworth played in the Western Interstate FA 1921-26,
and the Mildura FA/League after that.
They appeared in the Sunraysia League in the1950s as Curlwaa-Wentworth FC.
The club was called Curlwaa- Wentworth also in late 20s.
Clarification: Wentworth District FC commenced in the SFL in 1957.
The Sunraysia newspaper often titled stories of the Mildura FA as OVER RIVER football. An apt title given your point about cross river/interstate footy clubs like Robinvale-Euston etc.
Regarding their status?? That is a good question.
In the event of State of Origin being reimplemented the Carey Rule passed by the former governing body ANFC would mean players who played their first game of football at their home club would be eligible for that state.
The Carey Rule is used by the NSW Australian Football History Society when it selects its Origin team each year. Wayne Carey is one of the selectors. He remains very proud of his North Wagga roots.