Koonoomoo: Koalas, the Murray River and local experiences

Koonoomoo between wildlife and the Murray River

Koonoomoo offers several distinct points of interest for a trip: koalas and other wildlife along the Goulburn Valley Highway, a café and museum at The Big Strawberry, and river and nature experiences at Ingenia Holidays Murray Bend. These themes also differ in how they relate to your stay: the wildlife is associated with a section of the highway, while beach access, a boat ramp and activities on the grounds are part of the resort. So, when looking for accommodation, you can first consider whether you want to focus on wildlife, a visit to The Big Strawberry or amenities right at your place of stay.

Koalas and wildlife protection along the highway

A Moira Shire Council report dated 18 March 2024 describes a section of the Goulburn Valley Highway in Koonoomoo as being known for its large koala population. Koalas and other wildlife cross this area in search of food, water and habitat. According to the report, the project to install wildlife protection signs along the highway had been completed. Dutch Thunder Wildlife Rescue initiated the project and carried it out with Moira Shire Council and the Department of Transport and Planning. Check the current status of the signs before your visit.

Café and museum at The Big Strawberry

The Big Strawberry brings two different offerings together under one name: its licensed family café serves light meals and strawberry desserts, and it also has a Man Cave museum. This gives you a place to enjoy food and a museum in one location. Both add different visitor interests to Koonoomoo’s wildlife and river attractions.

Water and bushland at Ingenia Holidays Murray Bend

At Ingenia Holidays Murray Bend, the river and land experiences are centred on the resort grounds. The resort offers two kilometres of private beach access on the Murray River. Guests can launch their own boats from the private boat ramp and explore the river. The beach access and boat ramp offer different ways to enjoy the river: spending time by the water or exploring in your own boat. The grounds include more than 160 acres of bushland, and the resort is surrounded by more than 20,000 acres of state parkland. Guests can walk or cycle around the grounds. This is a practical consideration when choosing accommodation: if you’re looking for river access, boating in your own vessel and land-based activities at your place of stay, this resort offers that combination.

Past ball events

The Koonoomoo Pickers and Packers Charity Ball 2022 took place from 24 to 26 June, was sold out, and up to 2,400 tickets were sold in advance. The Koonoomoo Pickers and Packers Ball was held from 23 to 25 June 2023 and attended by more than 3,000 people from the region. For planning purposes, note that these dates are in the past; if you want to visit Koonoomoo specifically for an event, check current event dates.

For the broader travel overview: Moira Shire.