Explore the history, views, food and wine of Red Cliffs.

Take a short trip to Red Cliffs, a relaxed country town 13km south of Mildura. The township was established following World War 1 as a Soldier Settlement, with blocks of land allocated to 700 returned soldiers, making it the largest soldier settlement in Australia. The land was cleared and developed into an irrigation settlement planted largely to grapes for dried fruit. Today Red Cliffs continues to be involved in the horticulture industry but is predominantly planted to table and wine grapes, along with citrus, dried fruit, almonds, asparagus and melons.

Your day at a glance Geo Origins Coffee & Roastery Open: Monday to Friday 5am-2pm, Saturday 5.30am-2pm. T: 03 9110 1025 Big Lizzie Howitzer Canon Mildura Farms Open: Monday to Friday 6am-2:30pm, Saturday 7:30am-12pm, T: 0417 877 947 Murphy’s Vintage Wares Open: Monday to Saturday 10am-2pm, Market Sundays 9am-3pm, T: 0447 045 114 The Red Cliffs Psyche Pumps Open Tuesday and Thursday 1pm-4pm, Sunday 10.30am-12.30pm, T: 03 5024 5637 Cappa Stone Wines Open daily 12pm-5pm, T: 03 5024 2442 The Red Cliffs Club Open: Sunday to Wednesday 10am-10pm, Thursday to Saturday 10am-11pm, T: 03 5024 1401 The Reddy Pub Open: Tuesday 5.30pm-8.30pm, Wednesday to Sunday 12pm-2pm, 5.30pm-8.30pm, T: 03 5054 0899

First stop for a coffee and homemade treat is the Geo Origins Coffee & Roastery (15 Jacaranda Street, Red Cliffs). Give your senses a treat with specialty boutique coffee roasted inhouse. Enjoy the ambience of our alfresco and pet friendly dining area, and whilst you’re there, grab a freshly roasted bag of coffee to go.

Travel around the corner to Big Lizzie (Barclay Square, Calder Highway, Red Cliffs), a 45 tonne ‘Prime Mover’ Tractor which was constructed in 1915 to replace camel trains which carried wool and other heavy loads on sandy terrain. Big Lizzy left Melbourne with two trailers in 1916, bound for Broken Hill, and after a long and colourful journey it arrived in Mildura where floodwaters prevented it from completing the journey. Its owner Frank Bottrill sought work in the area, and in 1921 commenced clearing scrub to make way for the Red Cliffs irrigation area, a role it carried out until 1924.

While in Barclay Square, check out the Red Cliffs Water Tower Mural which is a pictorial expression of the history of Red Cliffs undertaken by students from the Red Cliffs Secondary College in 1991, under the direction of Broken Hill artist, Clark Barrett. The project, funded by the local branch of the Australian Dried Fruits Association, took over 12 months to plan and paint.

Also in Barclay square is the Howitzer Canon, one of only eight produced and is believed to be the last surviving one on display anywhere in the world. Donated to the community of Red Cliffs following the end of World War 1, the surrendered cannon was officially unveiled on Anzac Day in 1928. The barrel has an intricate etched pattern well worth a look.

Take the short trip to Mildura Farms (59 Jacaranda Street, Red Cliffs) to stock up on nuts, dried fruits, honey and juices sourced from the local region and packaged in convenient eat now, or bulk packs. They also stock a wide range of other locally grown and packaged products and can help you out with hampers which make the ideal gift for family and friends, if you can resist the temptation yourself of course! It is co-located with The Shed Café so if it’s time for breakfast, lunch or coffee stop in.

Pop in and browse through Murphy’s Vintage Wares (13 Jacaranda Street, Red Cliffs) to find that perfect piece for your home. There’s a host of antiques, collectables, music, furniture and brick-a-brac.

Jump in the car and prepare to be amazed. The spectacular Red Cliffs (Woomera Avenue, Red Cliffs) are 70 metre high red and orange cliffs after which the township was named and are well worth a visit. Their colour is accentuated by the sun, particularly approaching sunset, and offer great shots for the photographic enthusiast.

Get ready to learn. Head to the Psyche Pumps (Psyche Bend Road, Kings Billabong) which was built in 1891 by the Chaffey brothers to meet the needs of the irrigation settlement. The need to raise water from the Murray to land approximately 28 metres above river level challenged George Chaffey to design his ‘billabong system’, which elevated water in four lifts by pumping water from the Murray River into Kings Billabong and then lifting water via a number of pumps. The system supplied an area of approximately 20,000 hectares. See the pumps and explore the history behind them. The pumps are fired into action each New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Queens Birthday weekend (Sunday) and the middle Sunday of the Victorian July and September school holidays.

Drop into Cappa Stone Wines (107 Twenty Second Street, Sunny Cliffs), a locally-owned and operated boutique winery. Settle in at the rustic old world winery and cellar door and try a couple of the award winning wines. Cappa Stone Wines sources super premium parcels of local grapes along with those from cool climate regions to make premium hand-made wines. The winery uses open fermentation vats and basket presses, and age their wines in the finest of oak barrels to produce a range of super premium wines. Purchase a few to enjoy or gift to friends and family.

Finish the day with a bistro meal at the Red Cliffs Club (11 Heytesbury Avenue, Red Cliffs) and let the kids play in the games area. Relax and chat about your favourite Red Cliffs attraction.

If a pub is more your scene, call into the Reddy Pub (25 Jacaranda Street, Red Cliffs) for a counter meal and enjoy live music on Friday nights.

Plans for a Sunday

Red Cliffs is a buzz on the first Sunday of each month. If you can, plan a visit on that day for a true experience.

• Red Cliffs Market
  Open: First Sunday of each month, 9am-1pm
• Red Cliffs Historical Steam Railway
  Open: First Sunday of each month, 11am-4pm (excluding January and February). Departing every half hour, the last train leaves at 3.30pm. T: 0427 211 098
• Red Cliffs Military Museum
  Open: First Sunday of each month, 10am-3.30pm
• Red Cliffs Courthouse Museum
  Open: First Sunday of each month, 11am-1pm, T: 03 5024 1229

One of the great local markets, the Red Cliffs Market (Ilex Street, Indi Avenue & Barclay Square, Red Cliffs) boasts more than 100 stalls of local produce, crafts, bric a-brac, plants, jewellery and more. The food court offers a variety of snacks, light meals, and there is live entertainment and rides and activities for the kids. You’ll find many local businesses also open on Market Sundays.

All aboard! Bring the family for a ride at the Red Cliffs Historical Steam Railway (Corner of Calder Highway and Millewa Road, Red Cliffs). The main attraction is the Kerr Stuart steam locomotive ‘Lukee’ built in 1901, and a diesel locomotive, ‘Harry’. Jump abord and take a tour past the vineyard to Thurla Station and back.

The Red Cliffs Military Museum (12 Jamieson Avenue, Red Cliffs) was established in 1997 to display the large collection of items which had been handed to them for safe keeping. Since then it has grown quickly and now boasts an extensive display of artefacts and memorabilia from the Boer War through to Vietnam and East Timor, covering all services. The museum also has a very extensive library of military related books and DVDs.

The Red Cliffs Courthouse Museum (24-28 Jamieson Avenue, Red Cliffs) has a range of displays focusing on the early history of Red Cliffs. Each year the group pick a theme and focus that aspect of the past. Operated by the Red Cliffs Historical Society, this is a great community museum which highlights the progress and sacrifices made since the establishment of the township.

More information: Mildura Visitor Information Centre, 180-190 Deakin Avenue, Mildura. T: 03 5018 8380.