The Murray River is Australia's longest river, stretching an extraordinary 2,508 kilometres through New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, making it one of the longest navigable rivers on earth. It originates in the mountains of the Great Dividing Range in northeastern Victoria, beginning as a cold mountain stream in the upper reaches before broadening into a powerful lowland river flowing through forests, floodplains, and iconic country townships such as Yarrawonga, Wodonga, Cobram, Echuca, Swan Hill, and Mildura. The Murray forms the border between Victoria and New South Wales for much of its length and ultimately drains into South Australia. As the backbone of the Murray-Darling Basin — Australia's most significant river system — the Murray supports an extraordinary diversity of freshwater fish, including the iconic Murray cod, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. The river transitions dramatically along its length, from cold, clear mountain streams in the upper reaches to wide, slow-moving lowland channels flanked by river red gums, sandy banks, and submerged timber. This variety of habitats makes the Murray one of Australia's premier freshwater fishing destinations, attracting anglers from across the country and around the world.