The Murray Darling is the second largest wine region in Australia and has recently seen the emergence of a many small wineries producing exciting and innovative wines. Straddling the Murray River in north-west Victoria and western New South Wales, the Murray Darling is a vast region. The Murray Darling climate is of continental type – hot and dry with very low rainfall. Such is the sunny nature of this climate that the area has become known unofficially as Sunraysia. The lack of humidity here helps to keep the vines free from fungal diseases such as mildew, and assists in guaranteeing the high yields so important to the region's place in the Australian wine industry.