This article was first published in the Riverine Herald on 22 October 2026, written by Andrew Mole. Republished with the kind permission of the author and the Riverine Herald.
Above: Here's a different take on fetch - these two Murray River Retrievers seem to be trying to retrieve each other from the Murray. Photo: Riverine Herald
In a world being swamped by oodles of, well, of oodles, there is one true blue Aussie breed doing its level best to shoulder the designer dog deluge aside.
And when it comes to deluges, there would not be a better breed to outswim the rest of the pack than the Murray River Retriever.
If you want to know just how aquatically able this dog is, take one to the banks of the Murray and stand back.
Australia’s longest waterway is a magnet to these curly haired canines and recently there was a small army of them camped at Morning Glory Resort in Moama - turning it into a kind of Woodstock with wagging tails.
Murray River Retriever Association committee member - and passionate owner - Bronwyn Fulton was one of those watching her MRR gambolling through the shallows before heading into midstream with the rest of the curly crew.
“The Murray River Retriever is Australia's only homegrown retriever - earliest references to a similar dog have been traced back to the early 1800s and they have been breeding true to type since at least 1894,” Bronwyn explained.
“And now, through a lot of work, the association has achieved recognition for the Murray as a 'developing breed' with the Australian National Kennel Council,” she said.
An important move which also separates it from the very English curly coated retriever, which in true colonial fashion, wanted to be top dog in the antipodes but which has now come a cropper.
Although, down through the years, the Murray River Retriever has been known by numerous Murray musings, including Murray River Curly Coated Retriever, Murray River Curlies, Murrays, Curlies, Murray Curly Retriever; and in SA has been, in the past, known as a Murray River Duck Dog, Murray Red and numerous other names.
“But becoming an official breed in the past decade has been a turning point, and there has been genetic testing to identify the true strains and provide a breeding standard,” Bronwyn said.
“Traditionally a lot of owners have seen MRRs as working dogs, so have not been that focused on establishing it as a recognised breed, but as its reputation and ownership has spread across Australia, a lot of owners are now working hard on that,” she said.
“You will find MRRs in every state today, although there is still a concentration of ownership around northern and northwest Victoria and southern NSW - obviously, because that is the Murray’s heartland.”
There is a rich historical connection between the Murray River Retriever and the river it was named after.
MRRs developed from the 1820s with the exploration of the Murray River system, where paddlesteamers became the mode of transport for settlers who were trading between NSW, Victoria, and South Australia.
And the MRR became the watch dog for the families who lived on paddlesteamers, even though their primary purpose was to retrieve wild ducks which provided food for the early settlers.
Today the breed is still used for retrieving, but unlike other breeds which specialise in a particular style or game type, Murrays can be trained to point, flush and retrieve and are used for everything from fetching ducks to tracking deer and pigs.
Murrays have also been trained in many other areas including tracking, and search and rescue, assistance, companion and protection and bomb detection work.
“They are an active and intelligent dog but for pet owners far more manageable than other working types such as Kelpies,” Bronwyn said.
“Described as a moderate exercise dog, they can do more if you want but as just as happy to be much more relaxed about life if that works for you too,” she said.
“They are low maintenance, low shedders and incredible fun, with great personalities and are friendly with other dogs and very safe around children.
“I might be a little biased, and I have owned other breeds, but the Murray River Retriever is just about the perfect four-legged friend.
“They are a loyal, happy breed which will work their way firmly into your heart and stay there.”
This article was first published in the Riverine Herald on 22 October 2026, written by Andrew Mole. Republished with the kind permission of the author and the Riverine Herald.
