River Murray Towns: Murray Bridge

• The largest town in the Murraylands, Murray Bridge is located approximately 80 kilometres from Adelaide.
• The region around Murray Bridge was known to the Aboriginal tribes of the area as 'Mooppolthawong', meaning haven for birds.
• Drovers crossed the river with their cattle in this area and so European settlers adopted the name Edwards' Crossing, after the first resident, George Edwards.
• The first bridge over the River Murray in South Australia was built there in 1879 and a town was established in 1883 and called Mobilong, either a corruption of the indigenous 'Mooppolthawong' or 'Mupulawangk' meaning soft reed place.
• The town grew when the Adelaide-Melbourne railway line was built in 1886.
• A railway bridge was constructed at Murray Bridge in 1924-25.
• The town was renamed Murray Bridge in 1940.
• A second road bridge was completed at Murray Bridge in 1979 as part of the South Eastern Freeway.
• Today dairying and other agricultural industries are the main businesses of the area and Murray Bridge is the gateway to the River Murray tourist attractions.

Further reading

Across the mighty Murray: Murray Bridge, [Murray Bridge, SA]: Murray Bridge and District Historical Society, 1988

Murray Bridge: past, present and future, [compiled by the Corporation of the Town of Murray Bridge], Murray Bridge, SA: Corporation of the Town of Murray Bridge, [1973]

Murray Bridge, South Australia 1924-1974: a royal jubilee, Murray Bridge, SA: Murray Bridge and District Historical Society, 1974

Links

Rural city of Murray Bridge See: About Murray Bridge

Adelaide Hills online: History of Murray Bridge