BALRANALD Balranald is the next town visited on the Murray River, highway visits. Balranald is most likely a drive through location. Balranald is also another launch town to the Mungo National Park. Balranald is a nice town that could easily command an overnight stopover. In about 1847–48 George James McDonald, the Commissioner for Crown Lands for the Lower Darling District, arrived at the site. McDonald was a Scotsman, born at Balranald on North Uist in the Outer Hebrides; he chose the name of his birth-place for the new settlement. In 1848 Leighton Robinson and Thomas Duggan established a general store at Balranald and during the same year a public-house, the Balranald Inn, was erected by a Mr. Robertson. The Victorian gold-rushes, which began as Balranald was being established and a  correspondent from the area made these comments about the township in August 1858: "This obscure and miserable township, situated on the Lower Murrumbidgee, is here attracting a considerable share of attention, as being one of those rowdy places for which the Australian bush in the interior has become so famous". Don’t you just love that. Well there is just the one hotel now. The Churches are a mix of old and not so old. The Anglican looks to be the oldest but is without an external consecration stone. The Museum is located in the main cbd. The War Memorial location is an enigma. Certainly missed if traveling west, and stumbled across when traveling east; but a worthy acknowledgment it is. For most Balranald is a drive through location, but does have attributes going for it. Not the least the iconic frogs.