Following the river, it's 56km from Albury northwest to COROWA , across the Murray from Victoria's Rutherglen wine region . Blue flags flying all over town proclaim it to be the birthplace of Federation, since the Federation Conference of 1893 was held at Corowa's courthouse. The Corowa Tourist Information Centre is in the cream-coloured former train station on John Street (daily 9am-5pm; tel 02/6033 3221 or free call 1800 6033 3221). There are stacks of motels in town offering very reasonable accommodation, such as the Murray View at 193 River St (tel 02/6033 2144, fax 6033 1625; $50-70), with a swimming pool, spa and barbecues (some rooms have a private garden courtyard). Campers could try the Ball Park Caravan Park , by the Murray on Bridge Road (tel 02/6033 1426; cabins and vans $35-50), or the Lake Talbot Caravan Park (tel 02/6959 1302; tent pitches and vans $35-50). There are several places on the main street where you can get a meal , including the Star Hotel , which does a good-value roast of the day; the Royal Hotel , which serves up decent counter food; and the Old Corowa Bakehouse , a popular café/bakery that opens early.

On the way to Tocumwal, which is just under 80km from Corowa, there's a boomerang factory at BAROOGA called the Binghi Boomerang, where you can watch boomerangs being made and try them out yourself (call tel 03/5873 4463 for times). TOCUMWAL itself ("Toc" to locals) is a small, pleasant river town: its Foreshore Park , just behind the main street, is peaceful and shaded by large gum trees, and there's a sandy river beach only ten-minutes' walk away. In front of the park, there's a rather tacky fibreglass model of a huge Murray cod, and alongside is the Tocumwal Visitor Information Centre (daily 9am-5pm; tel 03/5874 2131 or free call 1800 677 271), which provides information about the area and can book rides in a glider that flies over the Murray.

Tocumwal has some classic old country hotels , most notably the Tocumwal Hotel on Deniliquin Street (tel 03/5874 2025, www.pubstay.com.au ; $50-70), a single-storey hotel built in 1861, with self-contained motel units and an iron-lace verandah; rates include breakfast. Next door is Central Store Antiques, which has good tearooms at the back serving scones, jam and cream or reasonably priced sandwiches and light meals. The best place to camp is the riverfront Bushlands on the Murray (tel 03/5874 2752, www.murray-net.au/bushlands ; cabins $50-70), right on the swimming beach.