Echuca in Victoria (Australia) is a town of about 10,000 people situated on the Murray River (Moama is on the northern side in NSW).

Echuca, an aboriginal name meaning "Meeting of the Waters" is indicative of the role rivers have played in the town's existence. Echuca is situated close to the junction of the Goulburn, Campaspe and Murray Rivers.

Echuca was founded by one of the most enterprising characters of the early colonial days, an ex-convict named Henry Hopwood . In 1850 he bought a small punt which operated across the Murray River near the Campaspe junction. The relatively small settlement known as "Hopwood's Ferry" became Echuca as the town grew.

Industry

• Tourism (Rich River Golf Club, Murray River camping, water skiing, horse riding, canoeing etc.)
• River Red Gum forestry, (Sleepers, furniture timber)
• Holden Museum
• Echuca Port (Echuca was a major paddle steamer port).
• Dairy farming
• Wheat, sheep and cattle

Nearby towns

• Shepparton
• Kerang and Swan Hill
• Bendigo

Bibliography

Campaspe Shire Council: Where our community names were derived from