Sunset on the Murray River, South Australia.

Heidi and Peter Hutton get off to a nervous start in fast flowing water. They launched at Towong in the Snowy Mountains.

Day 1. A fast-flowing Murray River snakes it’s way out of the Snowy Mountains. After years of drought the lushness of the Snowy Mountain country is spectacular.

A tree on the lush banks of the Murray River, on the way towards Lake Hume, South Australia.

Heidi and Peter camp on the upper reaches of Lake Hume on their journey to paddle from the source of the Murray River to the mouth at the sea.

The kakay slices through glassy water of Lake Hume, part of the Murray River catchment.

Ghostly gums are remnants of a pre-flooded era on Lake Hume.

The river cuts its course around a bend. The large inundation of water has washed away banks, leaving some trees hanging.

A superfluous sign at Barmah State Forest campground – from a time when the Murray River catchment was in drought.

Duckweed: the consequence of nutrient overload spilling out of the Barmah lakes and choking the river.

A classic houseboat at Echuca on the Murray River, South Australia.

A typical view along the journey from the source of the Murray River to the sea: the enchanted Barmah State Forest from the protection of the tent.

A serene sunset, just past Robinvale/Euston. At this location, it’s less than a day’s paddle to get to the 1000km-to-go marker.

This section between Colignon and Nangelic features some of the biggest red gums in Australia. In lower water, golden sandy beaches prevail, making ideal campsites. In higher water levels, it’s not so ideal.

As the sun set, the fish fed, lips smacking the surface of the water and Heidi and Peter reached a milestone: the confluence of the Murray and the Darling at Wentworth.

Just the riverbank and is the arid interior of Australia, with desert scrub all the way to the horizon.

Another milestone: the border of Victoria and New South Wales on the Murray River. There’s now 650km to go to the mouth of the river.

South Australia’s golden limestone cliffs are just downstream from the Victorian/South Australian border.

The grassy banks of Renmark, South Australia, on the Murray River.

Tortured red gums are works of art and great places to wash the muddy banks from feet.

The end of the journey – a healthy Murray flows into the ocean at Goolwa.