It was Charles Sturt who named the Rufus River, apparently in honour of his ‘friend McLeahy’s red head’. He was also the first white man to encounter the Aborigines of the area, as he and his crew rowed down the Murray in 1830. Following Sturt was an influx of European traffic in the form of ‘Overlanders’; moving sheep and cattle along the Murray from the eastern colonies to South Australia.
This movement disturbed the Aboriginal people’s pattern of life – and conflicts between the two cultures arose, culminating in a clash that became known as the Rufus River Massacre of 1841. Where it is said 35 people died and a further 16 were injured. There are two areas, where camping is permitted. At the Rufus River campsite (near Lake Victoria), with water, shade and toilets or The Murray River site, which is ‘bush camping’ only.
Wentworth Visitor Information Centre
Address: 65km west of Wentworth (on Renmark unsealed road)
Telephone: (03) 5027 5080