Off the main road and along the banks of the Murray River lies Mypolonga (Mypo), an area of just over 46 square kilometres and a population of around 475.

The township was gazetted in 1915 with many returned soldiers settling into the area planting orchards and turning reclaimed swamps into dairies. The legacy of these original settlers is a thriving and diverse agricultural food bowl that has not only survived through droughts and floods (including the 1956 flood where oranges were picked from boats!!), but is thriving due to the “think outside the box” mentality and resilience of those that live here.

Mypo has always been at the forefront of water efficiency programs, changing from channel irrigation to pipelines, adapting to new styles of irrigation with the removal of overhead sprinklers and the introduction of low throw sprinklers and drip irrigation. Water efficiency was not only gained by changing irrigation, but also changing the crops that were planted to be climate sustainable.

Generational farming practices are now matched with modern and innovative ideas such as robotic dairies, permaculture, organic, regenerative and sustainable farming and plastic drying tunnels. There are also educational and career pathways like Cows Create Careers to make students more aware of careers in agriculture.

From the dry lands to the swamps Mypo residents breed many different types of livestock – beef cattle, sheep, chickens, pigs, and bees to name a few. The crops grown are just as diverse – broad acre cereals and grains, onions, garlic, citrus, pomegranate, avocado, market gardens, olives, figs, finger lime, blueberries and stone fruit as well as three different types of dairies, goat, buffalo and cow.

Gone are the days when a co-op was the way to sell your produce – many of those with orchards now direct sell to retailers, chefs, distilleries and through farmer’s markets, with many value adding what is grown on their properties. This sees the produce sold far and wide (including the farmer’s market in Los Angeles).

With greater exposure to the products grown and produced in Mypo the recognition is now being seen with awards being given for jams, cheeses, olive oil, chutney and gin at local and national levels.

Agri-tourism may be a new name, but the principles have been around for decades (as this has always been a way to create additional income for farmers) with B&B’s, river camping, dairy tours, pick your own days and orchard tours being the staple of many businesses. This is enhanced by museums that take visitors on a journey through agricultural heritage with displays of vintage farm machinery and give visitors an insight into life in Mypo.

This is an ever-evolving space with producers developing new experiences for visitors to enjoy and be entranced by the rural lifestyle.

Mypo also has a full range of auxiliary services that keep the farms working. These are services like mechanics, earthmovers, milk tanker drivers, irrigation specialists and agronomists. Recognition also needs to be given to the seasonal workers who plant, pick, pack, prune and process all that is grown - no agricultural community could survive without them.