Riverina

Riverina, predominantly rural region, south-central New South Wales, Australia. Occupying 26,509 square miles (68,658 square km), it is bounded on the north and northwest by the Lachlan and Murrumbidgee rivers, on the south by the Murray River, and on the east by an imaginary line connecting the towns of Condobolin, Junee, and Albury. Most of the Riverina comprises level alluvial plains laced with meandering streams that flood periodically. Only in the east does the terrain become hilly. The soils are generally fertile and the climate mild. Average annual rainfall varies from 12 inches (300 mm) in the northwest to 25 inches (635 mm) in the southeast.

Evidence of Aboriginal occupation of the area more than 30,000 years ago has been found. Early exploration of the district was undertaken by John Oxley in 1817 and Thomas Mitchell in 1836. Pastoralists, attracted by the abundant natural fodder, began to enter the area in the 1830s; since then, improvements in farming methods and conditions have led to great increases in agricultural productivity.

Along the southeastern slopes, with their lower temperatures and more reliable rain, arable farming is dominant, including fruit growing and dairying. Farther west, mixed wheat-sheep farms are characteristic. The great wealth of the Riverina, however, lies in its irrigated land, most of which borders the Murray and Murrumbidgee, farming being more intensive along the latter. Production is either horticultural (citrus and stone fruit, wine grapes, vegetables) or mixed (rice, wheat, oats, meat, wool). Irrigation water is supplied by the Burrinjuck and Berembed reservoirs on the Murrumbidgee and Hume Reservoir on the Murray, supplemented since 1949 by the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Industry is restricted to processing local products and includes wineries, canneries, and fruit-packing plants. Some tin and gypsum is mined, as well as negligible amounts of gold and subbituminous coal.

The major Riverina towns are Albury, Wagga Wagga, Leeton, Griffith, Junee, Narrandera, Deniliquin, Hay, and Condobolin. The region is well served by highways (Sturt, Mid Western, Newell, Cobb, Riverina) and railroads (the Sydney-Melbourne line crosses the southeastern corner with branch lines running north to Hillston and west to Hay).