Rochester: Outdoor Art, Sport and the Campaspe River

Rochester brings together several themes for a stay: public art, sports history, activities on the Campaspe River and sports facilities. If you’re looking for a hotel in Rochester, you can decide whether art in town, a look at sports history or time by the river should be the focus of your trip.

Outdoor art and local stories

Rochester has an outdoor gallery featuring painted silos, murals, street art, wood carvings, statues and sculptures. You can discover more than 50 works around town. On a walk through Rochester, you can also discover three hand-carved wooden sculptures by Brandon Kroon.

A description dated March 5, 2021, locates the Rochester Mural Festival in Mural Park near Moore Street and mentions eight artists working for a week on a 2.1 × 4.8 metre mural. Check the current event date before travelling. In Iddles Lane, a mural painted by Tim Bowtell tells the story of Rochester local hero Ron Iddles, a respected former Victorian homicide detective. The two works offer different perspectives on mural art: the festival focuses on the collaborative creation of one image, while the work in Iddles Lane tells the story of an individual.

The Oppy statue is also on Moore Street. Rochester Court House is one of the town’s older buildings. Alongside the murals, there is therefore a statue and a building that is part of Rochester’s older built environment.

Sports history and facilities

The Rochester Sports Museum is housed in Rochester Railway Station and has more than 4,000 memorabilia items. Objects from recent sports history include items from Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist, Merv Hughes, Greg Norman and Sharelle McMahon. The museum focuses on its collection and sports history, while the outdoor gallery has a different focus, with artworks around town.

Rochester Recreation Reserve has two sports ovals, two cricket practice facilities, five netball courts, three sand arenas for equestrian sports and a cross-country running course. The facilities cater to a range of sports. Together with the Sports Museum, they illustrate the difference between sport as a subject represented in a collection and the specific sports facilities at the Reserve.

Wirima in Rotary Park

Wirima in Rotary Park is a nature-based play area with a play kitchen, the Mouse House and a park library. These features give it a play-oriented aspect, distinct from the sports museum, art and river activities.

At the Campaspe River: exercise, kayaking and wildlife

Walking, cycling, jogging, picnicking and fishing are possible along the Campaspe River in Rochester. This offers active pursuits alongside quieter ways to spend time by the river. Platypuses can be found at various spots along the river, but sightings are not guaranteed. Squirrel gliders, sugar gliders and feathertail gliders are also occasionally found along the Campaspe River, and their presence can vary by season. Wildlife adds a natural aspect to river activities, but sightings cannot be reliably planned.

Access information dated March 13, 2021, names Rochester Riverside Caravan Park as the access point for the kayak ramp in Rochester. The ramp is designed for people of all ages and with different abilities; anyone using it must bring their own kayak. Check current access details before travelling.

Discover more destinations: Eaglehawk, Kialla, Rosedale, Lakes Entrance, Omeo, Stawell, Grovedale, Gapsted

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.