Tambo River at Ramrod Creek

Swimming Hole Heaven in Victoria

The middle and upper reaches of the Tambo River produce some fantastic sandy beaches for swimming and this spot is no exception. It has everything that you expect from this river including a section of shallow, fast flowing water for water play and large banks of coarse sand and pebbles that provide easy access to the water and a resting place in between swims. Above: The main pool at the Tambo River swimming hole near Bruthen (Order this image)

This swimming hole has two other advantages, namely the deep hole about 100 metres downstream of the bridge, and the easy access from the Lakes Entrance bypass road that runs through Bruthen.

With a range of depths and currents, this place is as adventurous or as relaxed as you want it to be. The current in the shallower sections of the river is quite swift. On my most recent visit I saw a few teenagers hanging on to the underside of the bridge, using their upper body strength to hold on whilst the fast flowing water rushed over their shoulders. If you are floating or boogie boarding between the bridge and the main hole, make sure you take a look at the position of the submerged rocks just before the main pool entrance, so that you can steer to avoid them. Above: The shallow, fast flowing riffles and the free parking on the stone beds (Order this image)

The current is less swift in the main pool, particularly closest to the northern bank. With a greater depth here you can swim 50-60 metre laps. It is also a good spot for snorkelling around or diving from the rocks on the southern side. For those looking for a more relaxed time, you can just sit yourself down in the water, as several people were doing on my visit.

When you get out of the water, the beach is quite gritty, and the coarse sand sticks to anything wet, so a hand towel might come in handy for brushing this sand off your feet before settling down on your towel. Out of the water, the sunlight reflects brightly off the sand bank and in the absence of trees there, the heat can be searing, so bring your sunglasses and don't expect to stay out of the water too long.

This swimming hole is relatively well known by locals. On a hot summer's day there are usually a couple of cars here at any given time, so it doesn't feel isolated, despite the bush outlook. If the main pool happens to be crowded, there is another beach with a sizeable pool of water just around the corner, roughly 300 metres downstream of the main pool. There is reasonable access to this downstream swimming hole along the northern bank of the river. Before you head out, make sure to read the swimming safety information and check with the managing authority for any current change of conditions. The marker indicates the approximate location of the deep pool for swimming in the Tambo River. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can occur with some browsers, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
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