THE Rothbury might be a pretty good analogy for the Sunraysia community during a flood. Like our towns, farms and businesses, she has to adjust to the fast and rising Murray River, but she doesn't let it stop her.

Yet Mildura's paddle-wheelers and other tourist attractions are facing a challenge of perceptions as the Murray rises and news reports in capital cities are filled with footage and reports from flood-ravaged towns upstream. It would seem to many that Mildura's part of the Murray is off limits as a tourist destination, which of course is not true.

It is true is that riverside caravan parks and houseboat businesses have been temporarily shut down and that many popular camping and fishing spots are inaccessible, but hotels, motels, restaurants, bars and high-ground attractions have no reason to close, other than a lack of patrons if flood stories scare them away.

Mildura Paddle Steamers, the company that operates the Rothbury, the PV Mundoo and the famed PS Melbourne, has kept running through many floods, including the monster of 1974, but it is among many tourism businesses fielding nervous inquiries and cancellation calls from would-be travellers who think the boats must be out of action, or even that Mildura might be cut off by floodwaters.

Last week, Sunraysia Daily joined coachloads of visitors on the Rothbury as it easily navigated the powerful current it was built for, and passengers seemed to enjoy the rare experience of viewing a flood from out on the water, where they could see well back into the fast-filling floodplains and billabongs.

Passenger Naomi Fleming-Stuart, who grew up by the shores of Lake Hawthorn and has recently moved back to the family home at Cabarita after 12 years in Canberra, said visitors to the area actually had a rare opportunity during a flood.

"I think it's well worthwhile to come and have a look, and in fact the flood itself is quite fascinating," she said.

With young relatives Danny, 11, and Jessie Franks, 9, accompanying her on the cruise, she said that "for some kids it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience".

"I think that's really impressive," said Ms Fleming-Stuart, whose family once operated a tourist business at Cabarita.

"Tourism is absolutely integral to the way we live in Mildura.

"I would say to (tourists), don't stay away because of fear. See what it's like (here) with the river being dynamic and changing.

"It's an historic thing that's worth seeing with your own eyes."

Restaurateur and Mildura Rural City councillor Stefano Di Pieri said he and some other tourism operators may have been caught unprepared by the tourist reaction to flood news and that he would now direct advertising at markets where people may have false perceptions of the rising river's impact.

"We have to fight that perception ... let people know that we are open for business," he said.

His own business had suffered from the loss of houseboat tourism on the Murray, but he said that "we can turn it on its head" because there was plenty of other accommodation available, roads were passable and the flooding river was an attraction in itself.

"Come and have a look at a big river," Cr di Pieri said.

As the councillor responsible for tourism, he would be urging a "go for broke" effort to market Sunraysia as safe and open, and also said local people could help the cause by word-of-mouth messaging.

Cr Mark Eckel, the councillor responsible for events and recreation, said he had been very worried at perceptions drawn from media flood coverage of disasters upstream, and he also called on Sunraysians to help spread the word.

"There's no better promotion than word of mouth," Cr Eckel said. "Word needs to go out to the visitor-friends market. Speak up and be our mouthpiece and that would be absolutely wonderful," he said.

Many of the region's natural attractions, such as national parks, would only be enhanced by excess water.

"I couldn't think of a better time to visit Hattah (lakes system) and of course the beautiful Lake Cullulleraine," Cr Eckel said.

He added that the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers at Wentworth could also be a special attraction, as both rivers were flooding.

"I can't think of a more iconic location than that and, even though you can't get down on to the junction itself, you can certainly have a look at the expanse of the river in that locality," he said.