How the River Works
The Murray-Darling River system is one of the world's major river networks.
Between the 1920s and 1930s a series of storage locks and weirs were built to reduce the effects of drought and flood. Today, the water flow is still managed by these 14 locks that stretch from Yarrawong in Victoria to Blanchetown in South Australia. These are used by houseboats, cruise vessels and recreational craft.
Ferries have serviced vehicle traffic across the river since the late 19th century and there are 11 ferry crossings in operation in South Australia, including the crossing at Waikerie in the Riverland.
The Murray-Darling Basin extends cross one-seventh of the continent and supplies a population of nearly two million on the river. Another million people outside the region depend heavily upon its resources.
The locks, weirs and barrages are operated and maintained by the Murray-Darling Basin Commission.
The lock chambers are large enough to accommodate six to eight medium sized houseboats at the same time. It takes only seven minutes to empty or fill the lock chamber, and 15 to 20 minutes to pass a boat through the lock.
To see the locks in action - or to use them with your boat - visit them between 8am and 11.30am and 1pm and 4.30pm every day. They are:
- Lock 1 at Blanchetown
- Lock 2 at Waikerie,
- Lock 3 at Overland Corner
- Lock 4 at Bookpurnong (Loxton)
- Lock 5 at Paringa
- Lock 6 at Murtho
