These Australian twin towns are having a moment with hot new experiences

Cycling alongside the mighty Murray River and towering red gums strewn across this iconic landscape, it's easy to forget I haven't ridden a bike for more than 30 years.

But my confidence is back and balancing is a breeze - turns out riding a bike really is as easy as just that. Granted, I did sneak in a few practice laps around the local school oval on my husband's treadly in preparation for this e-bike tour of Echuca, as pedalling on the town's Scenic Trail is the best way to see its highlights reel, from Echuca Wharf and the Riverboat Dock, to the old (circa 1878) and new (2022) bridges linking Echuca and Moama.

Our guide, David from Green Pedal, enlightens us with colourful stories about convict Henry Hopwood (whose business enterprises put Echuca on the map), and a geography lesson of sorts at the point where NSW's Murray meets Victoria's Campaspe River.

Straddling each side of the border, the historic twin towns of Echuca Moama have long been a drawcard for tourists, whether it's for a river adventure, a taste of history or feasting at one of the many dining destinations. Now add to that list Wildergreen, the new place to chill with family and friends that's been hotly anticipated by locals - including David. "Is it open?!" he asks, when the group reveals it's our post-ride lunch venue during this 48-hour jaunt.

No doubt about it, two days in Echuca Moama - let's call it a weekend - is a pleasure everyone should add to their future travel plans.

Wildergreen is the shiny new offering at Moama Bowling Club, a popular destination that's clearly about more than just lawn bowls. CEO Paul Barnes says that while the club has 300 bowling members, there are 25,000 social members.

The club is already home to high-end restaurant Junction, which is made up of stylish dining spaces (including a gigantic birdcage-like structure that commands attention as you drive by, and reminds me I've been here before) and has helped make the regional centre a drawcard. Now it's hoped Wildergreen will have the same effect.

It's billed as a sanctuary, and walking into Wildergreen taps into our childlike sense of wonder. Everyone whips their phones out to capture the tiny timber teepee and mini in-ground trampolines - some even indulge in a quick mid-meal bounce. The space is also beautifully designed to include a fire pit area, a small stage for live music, and plenty of tables and seating options, all sitting within landscaped surrounds which will create shaded areas as the gardens mature.

The vision is to encourage families, children and holiday campers to visit Moama Bowling Club, a complement to Junction and the club's bistro that Barnes tells us is "just pumping".

"Even though our restaurant Embr looks pretty flash, we want people to come in casual gear and feel really comfortable," he says.

Embr is the uber-cool pizza restaurant at the heart of Wildergreen. With Sardinian-born chef Daniel Girau at the helm, the menu celebrates genuine Italian cuisine using seasonal Australian ingredients. Girau tells us his food is inspired by his grandmother and homeland, and over four hours we're treated to a smorgasbord of rich antipasti, wood-fired pizzas, silky handmade pasta and delish desserts. It sets the scene for a vibrant menu made for sharing.

Next door to Embr is Treehouse, an inviting space for children over five to enjoy supervised play and explore Wildergreen's playgrounds while parents enjoy a kid-free meal. A row of gaming consoles is also set up for older kids, and there are plans to run pop-up activities during school holidays.

A weekend on the Murray wouldn't be complete without boarding a boat and our sunset dinner cruise is the ideal time to enjoy this quintessential Echuca Moama experience. The wide stretch of water is much quieter now than during the day, save for a handful of kayakers and enthusiastic jetskiers, enjoying the attention they elicit from this bunch of sightseers. We learn that while the river officially sits in NSW, all boats dock on the Victorian bank - and there are scores of them, from historic paddle steamers to private and hirable houseboats.

We're aboard a luxury vessel from Executive Houseboats, a family-owned company that hires out the boat year-round. They confirm my assumption that Echuca Moama is busiest during the summer months, noting in particular its popularity with groups visiting to play golf and fish.

After all the cruising and grazing, there's something to be said for taking time to stretch your legs and appreciate the origins of the place you're visiting. A peaceful spot to do this in Moama is Horseshoe Lagoon, an ecological reserve on the Murray River floodplain that's significant to the local Yorta Yorta people and also the site of Moama's early development - the town's original wharf was built here in the late 1800s.

Now, 1.5 kilometres of winding paths take you alongside the wetlands where, to the soundtrack of birdsong, you can better appreciate the flora and fauna that thrive in this ecosystem - and the fact that Echuca Moama was a special part of the world long before the boats, the bikes, and the beautiful bites and bevvies.

The writer was a guest of Wildergreen