Murray River Paddlesteamer

admin Victoria

Monday 05 – Friday 08 November 2024

In March 2024 we saw a show on ABC Back Roads about the Murray River featuring the traditional PS Emmylou. It’s the world’s only wood-fired paddle steamer offering overnight cruises. So we thought let’s go for our 50th wedding anniversary. And here we are on a 4 night cruise.

Wedding 4 November 1974
50 years later – 4 November 2024
Murray River 4 night cruise
First nights mooring at Norris bend
Our cabin on the Emmylou
Dawn on the Murray River
Captain Scotty steers Emmylou up the Murray
Emmylou’s 1906 Marshall Steam Engine
She uses 1 tonne of wood a day and 250 litres of water per hour
Engineer Calum stoking the fire that moves us
Tap above for a short video of Emmylou’s steam engine in action …
… driving the paddles
Emmylou on the Murray
We stopped at Perricoota Station built in the 1860s
And travelled by bus to Restdown Winery for a lunch of local produce and wine tastings
Rainbow Bee-eater at Restdown Winery
We moored at Deep Creek for the 2nd night
River birds: Australasian Darter & Great Egret
Visiting Pelican
Dead River Red Gums
The millennium drought from 2001 to 2009 took a significant toll on the river red gums, with some 500 years old trees dying
Chef Andrew produces great meals from his tiny kitchen
Paddle Boat Shay overtaking
Emmylou under way at 6 kph
Photo taken from the Shay and emailed to us
1700 kilometres from the mouth of the Murray
Amy serving wine at Happy Hour
Wazza does double duty, bus driver and entertainer
Kangaroo with joey near where we spent night 3 at Layfield Lane
We transferred to the 111 year old PS Canberra for a short cruise around Echuca
Echuca wharf, originally 332 meters long was built in 1867
There’s still a few paddlesteamers left, each different
Under the old iron bridge built in 1878 for trains now used by cars
Final happy hour on Emmylou

Saturday 09 November 2024

Distance: 5.0 km Time: Pam 30:45/Jeff 39:41

We stayed an extra night in Echuca to join 108 runners and walkers in the Echuca Moama parkrun along Campaspe River.

Echuca Moama parkrun