Echuca has officially been named Victoria’s Top Tourism Town for 2026, and it’s a well-deserved recognition for a destination that has long been known for its riverfront, heritage, food, local experiences and unmistakable Murray River charm.
For visitors, the award is also a useful reminder that Echuca offers much more than a quick weekend stop. It reflects the strength of the whole visitor experience, from what there is to see and do to the businesses and people that make a stay here memorable.
Having built luxury houseboats on this stretch of the Murray for nearly two decades, we’ve had a front-row seat to what makes Echuca special. So, what does the Top Tourism Town title actually recognise, and why does it matter for anyone planning a trip here?
Why the Award Matters
The biggest misconception about awards like this is that they’re decided by whoever posts the most enthusiastically on social media. Not this one.
The Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) is the peak body for tourism operators across the state, and it runs the Top Tourism Town Awards every year. Each category winner is chosen by an independent judging panel, not a public vote.
Panellists work through a full written submission covering heritage, events, visitor numbers and community involvement. Echuca took gold ahead of Ballarat, Bendigo, Mildura, Ocean Grove and Swan Hill on the strength of that submission.
What Echuca Stood Out to the Judges
VTIC judges assess each town across four main areas:
- Quality of the visitor experience
- Community’s commitment to tourism
- Collaboration between local operators
- How well the destination showcases what makes it worth visiting
Echuca performed strongly across all four.
Heritage is an obvious strength. The Port of Echuca was once Australia’s largest inland port, and the town is still home to the country’s largest fleet of paddle steamers. That history remains a visible part of the visitor experience, with boats still moving along the river and past the historic wharf.
But Echuca is not relying on heritage alone. The food, wine, and live music scene has grown alongside the riverfront experience, giving visitors plenty to do between paddle steamer rides and sightseeing.
The events calendar is another major drawcard. The Riverboats Music Festival, Winter Blues Festival and Southern 80 waterski race each attract different crowds, helping bring visitors into town throughout the year and supporting the wider local economy.
A Tourism Town That Works Together
What happens behind the scenes is just as important. Tourism is a major part of Echuca’s local economy, underscoring the town’s long-term commitment to attracting and looking after visitors.
One of the more unusual strengths is the way Echuca and Moama work together. Echuca sits in Victoria, while Moama is just across the Murray in New South Wales, yet the two communities operate as one visitor destination.
Taken together, this gives the judges a pretty complete picture: a strong heritage, a modern visitor offering, major events, a tourism-focused local economy, and two neighbouring towns working together to make the experience better.
From Bronze to Gold in Just One Year
Echuca’s 2026 win is even more impressive when you look at where the town was a year ago. In 2025, Echuca took bronze behind Warrnambool and Ballarat. This year, it moved to the top spot.
That jump reflects the work happening across the region to keep improving the visitor experience. From strengthening the events calendar and showcasing local operators to building on Echuca’s heritage, food, wine and river experiences, the town has continued to give visitors more reasons to come, and even more reasons to return.
Now, the journey continues. Gold now sends Echuca to Canberra this September to represent Victoria at the national Top Tourism Town Awards, up against the best regional destinations from every other state.
What This Means If You’re Planning a Trip
For travellers, the award is a useful sign that Echuca offers a well-rounded visitor experience.
You can explore the town’s river heritage aboard its working paddle steamers, plan a visit around major events like the Riverboats Music Festival or Winter Blues Festival, and spend the rest of your time enjoying the food, wine, live music and riverside atmosphere that have developed around them.
Whether you’re visiting for a weekend, an event or a few slower days on the Murray, there’s enough variety to make the trip feel worthwhile.
Experiencing Echuca from the Murray River
Part of Echuca’s appeal is how many different experiences fit into one destination. There’s the history of the Port, the paddle steamers moving along the river, a busy events calendar, local food and wine, live music, and the slower pace that comes with spending time on the Murray.
That mix is what makes the award feel so fitting. Echuca has enough to keep a weekend full, but it also gives you plenty of room to slow down, get out on the water and enjoy the region at your own pace.
For us at Echuca Luxury Houseboats, the river has always been at the centre of that experience. We’ve been building and launching houseboats here since 2007, and a stay on the Murray gives you a different perspective on the town: close enough to explore the Echuca Moama tourist attractions, while still being able to retreat upriver when you want a quieter side of the region.
If you haven’t been yet, our houseboats for hire put you right in the heart of the Murray River experience. You can also view our Echuca houseboat hire prices to see how accessible a stay in Victoria’s newly crowned Top Tourism Town can be.
