WINTER and spring rainfall in the Murray River catchments is spelling a bumper tourism outlook for Lake Hume.
As the Murray Darling Basin's biggest water storage, the lake at Albury-Wodonga is 35.8 per cent full.
Last year it reached 29 per cent.
With a capacity six times that of Sydney Harbour, Lake Hume jumped from 24 per cent on September 1 to 40 per cent by October 30.
Destination Albury-Wodonga visitors services manager Renee Dunlop said visitor inquiry on the lake levels had set the scene for a buoyant summer season.
Lake Hume tourist operator Jon Ward is looking forward to a better season after several years of low lake levels.
Mr Ward, of Lake Hume Resort, said public perceptions of an empty lake had damaged the country-based businesses.
"We don't talk about water levels in percentage terms, but usable water," he said.
"Even at 12 per cent, there is 8 sq km of usable water for boating, skiing and fishing."
