Waikerie
Town which describes itself as 'The Citrus Centre of Australia'.
Located 177 km north-east from Adelaide and 30 metres above sea level on the Murray River, Waikerie describes itself as 'The Citrus Centre of Australia' partly because it is in the heart of South Australia's rich Riverland district.
It is a small, pleasant town sitting on the cliffs above the Murray River and surrounded by both citrus and extensive stands of stone fruits - apricots, peaches, pears and plums.
The town itself is located a few kilometres off the Sturt Highway. It is worth diverting for the views across the Murray River which has carved its way through the landscape. The water from the Murray has to be pumped up the cliffs to provide the citrus orchards with water.
Prior to European settlement the area was probably inhabited by the Yuyu Aborigines. It is from their language that the town's name derived some sources believing that it means 'many wings or birds' or 'anything that flies'. The river provided abundant food and they lived well off a diet of kangaroos, emus, wombats, goannas, lizards, ducks, turtles, fish, snakes and bird eggs.
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