Swan Hill is a small town on the Murray River. Its main way of making money these days is from the cattle and sheep industries.
The main tourist attraction is the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement -- a recreation of the Murray River port town as it was in the era of the paddle steamer.
Each of the buildings in the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement is real and original, having been found and brought in from various sites all over Australia. These buildings include private houses, shops and offices -- for example, a baker's shop, a printery, a blacksmith's shop, a pharmacy, a haberdashery, a newspaper office, a barber's shop and a stock and station agency. These are all staffed by workers carrying out their trades as they would have been in the 19th century. The Pioneer Settlement also has a church, a masonic temple and a court house.
Once you pay for your entry ticket, you have free rides around the Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement on horse-drawn vehicles or in a 1924 Dodge. You can take long or short cruises up and down the Murray River on the paddle steamer Pyap or on the M. V. Kookaburra.
Every day in the the early evening, there is a light and sound show.
Just over the Murray River from Swan Hill is the historic Murray Downs sheep homestead. This is a working sheep station some 40 square km in size. It dates from the early pioneer days. Interesting guided tours are available.
Another homestead, Tyntynder, 17 km north of Swan Hill, has beautiful gardens and a small museum that may be visited.
Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery has fascinating collections of folk and Aboriginal art and is definitely worth a visit. The Military Museum, with its large range of military memorabilia, is a must for history buffs.
