Australia

Paddle Steamer Resources by Tramscape
The Internet's largest database of Paddle Steamers past and present

AUSTRALIA

A large number of paddle steamers remain in operation in Australia, many originally built in the 19th century and others built more recently incorporating machinery from earlier steamers. PS Cumberoona, for example, was built new in 1987 but as an almost exact replica of a boat built 120 years earlier reflecting the recent trend to build in the old style. Murray Princess, based at Mannum is the largest paddler on the Murray, but a modern vessel, built in the style of a Mississippi sternwheeler and uses diesel engines.

Whilst larger paddle steamers have been used in Australia, such as in Sydney harbour, the main home was on the Murray and Darling Rivers. The Port of Echuca (right, seen in a photo in 1986 courtesy of Chris Miles), deep inland on the Murray River, developed in the 19th century as an important trading post for goods to and from the relatively unexplored and rapidly developing Australian interior. With an abundance of forested land, small shallow draught, wooden hulled vessels were built locally, with machinery, including wood-fired boilers generally being imported from the United Kingdom.

The steamer "Adelaide" of 1866 is the oldest of the remaining operational paddlers at Echuca, which has turned its port into a attractive tourist destination. "Emmylou" was built in 1982, but in the style of a turn-of-the-century vessel around machinery dating from 1906 and operates privately out of Echuca. many of the steamers were originally freight carriers but have been convered for tourist use.

There are also a number of small paddle driven vessels built in recent years for private ownership, mostly in the style of 19th century Murray riverboats.

Echuca Wharf 1986 Chris Miles.jpg.jpg

HISTORICAL BOATS REMAINING STEAM DRIVEN


PS Adelaide, seen above at Echuca in 1986 by Chris Miles, was built in 1866 and is the oldest operational wooden-hulled paddle steamer operating in the world	PS Etona is another Echuca steamer originally dating from the 19th century which has survived to make the inland port one of the world's great paddle steamer locations.

VESSEL	BUILT	LOCATION	NOTES	WEBSITE	OTHER WEBSITES
Canberra	1912	Echuca	Converted to diesel in 1964 then back to steam in 2003 with a wood-fired boiler and engine dating from 1923. Operated by Murray River Paddle Steamers	Click
Adelaide	1866	Echuca
Alexander Arbuthnot	1923	Echuca	Operated by the Port of Echuca
Pevensey	1910	Echuca	Operated by the Port of Echuca
Etona	1898	Echuca
Melbourne	1912	Mildura		Click
Avoca	1877	Mildura
Marion	1897	Mannum	Owned by the Mannum Dock Museum of River History. Wood-fired and with overnight accommodation, she is available for cruises as well as being an exhibit at the museum.	Click
Industry	1911	Renmark
Oscar W	1908	Goolwa
Enterprise	1878	Canberra (Lake Burley Griffin)	Since 1984, owned by the National Museum of Australia and moved from the Murray River to her lake home at Canberra	Click
Gem	1876	Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement	Under reconstruction

HISTORICAL BOATS CONVERTED TO DIESEL POWER

VESSEL	BUILT	CONV.	LOCATION	NOTES	WEBSITE	OTHER WEBSITES

Pride of the Murray	1924		Echuca	Operated by Murray River Paddle Steamers	Click
Rothbury	1881		Mildura		Click
Coonawarra	1884		Mildura
Pyap	1896		Swan Hill	Steam engine re-used inmodern vessel Mundoo	Click
Mayflower	1998		Morgan
Akuna Amphibious	1875		Akuna Station

MODERN BOATS BUILT WITH NEW STEAM MACHINERY

VESSEL	BUILT	LOCATION	NOTES	WEBSITE	OTHER WEBSITES

Lady Augusta	2003	Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement	Built for 150th Anniversary celebrations as replica of a historical boat
Mary Ann	2003	Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement	Built for 150th Anniversary celebrations as replica of a historical boat
Curlip II	2008	Marlo, Snowy River, VIC	Reproduction of a 48 ft long tow boat on Snowy River 1890-1919 and now offering 1 1/2 hour late morning and afternoon cruises (Wed to Sun at 11:30 and 2:30) and Saturday evening cruises as well as charter opprortunities.	Click
Golden City	2008	Ballarat	Boat newly built by the Golden City Paddle Steamer Museum Society to replace the original vessel of 1885 which was bought by the Apex Club of Ballarat in 1987 and transferred to a newly established Museum Society. The original was lost to fire in 2006 when a refurbishment, which had begun in 2002, was almost complete	Click

MODERN BOATS INCORPORATING HISTORICAL MACHINERY BUILT IN TRADITIONAL STYLE


Although modern, Emmylou is now one of the best known paddlers on the Murray River	These photos, taken in 1986, are shown courtesy of Chris Miles

VESSEL	BUILT	LOCATION	NOTES	WEBSITE	OTHER WEBSITES

Perricoota	1999		Steam engine dates from 1909. Private boat
Emmylou	1982	Echuca	Steam engine dates from 1906. Wood fired. Offers a range of 1,2 and 3 night cruises as well as day trips Operated by Murray River Paddle Steamers	Click
Mundoo	1987	Goolwa	Steam engine dates from 1892 (ex-Pyap)
Cumberoona	1986	Albury, NSW	Two steam engines dated 1906 and 1908	Click
William Randell	1998	Goolwa	steam engines date from 1923
Decoy		Perth	Incorporates elements of original "Decoy" built in 1878 and a steam engine built in 1905 which was originally used in a sawmill !	Click

Private House Boats

Tarella : built 1897 : located near Mannum
Federal : built 1902 : located near Goolwa : open as a Bed and Breakfast accommodation
Decoy : built 1878 : located near Mannum (parts of this 1878 Scottish built vessel are incorporated in the new "Decoy" at perth, see above)

MODERN BOATS WITH DIESEL POWER

Mosquito : built 1995 : located at Mildura
Matilda : built 1997 : located at Mildura : Private boat
Kulkyne : built 1998 : located at Mildura : Private boat
Murray River Queen : built 1973 : located at Goolwa : Static use as restaurant only
Madame Jade : built 1991 : Private boat
Kingfisher : built 1989 : Private boat
Captain Proud : built 1977 : located at Murray Bridge
Canally : built 1980 : Private Boat
Miralie
Impulse
Flender Himmel
Black Shag : built 1999
Tamara-Rae
Goolwa : built 1982 : private boat located at Goolwa : Diesel power

VESSEL	BUILT	LOCATION	NOTES	WEBSITE	OTHER WEBSITES

Kookaburra River Queen I	1988	Brisbane		Click

EXTERNAL WEBSITE LINKS

Port of Echuca - home of paddlers Adelaide, Pevensey, Alexander Arbuthnot, plus Emmylou
The Wharf Online : paddlers on the Murray
Murray River Website : Paddle Steamer Page : Links to all the paddlers from this site profiling everything to do with the river.
Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement, Victoria
Bay Steamers Maritime Museum : operators of screw steam tug Wattle and restoring steam tug Lyttleton II at Sydney

CAN YOU HELP WITH THIS DATABASE ?

The webmaster would be delighted to receive any updates of relevant information and photographs (of which you own copyright) which could help to keep this database as up-to-date as possible and fill in gaps in the historical record.

I know that many of you will have photographs of paddle steamers on the internet on photo-sharing websites such as Picasa and Flickr. No photos are used on this website unless they were taken by the webmaster or someone who has given express permission for their own photos to be used. However, some photos from Flickr etc may be used so long a the copyright tag (Creative Commons etc) allocated to the photo at the time of downloading allows.

Tramscape is trying to develop this website as the main source on the internet for paddle steamer information and photos, so the webmaster would be very grateful if you would allow use of your photos in this database so they can be seen by the wider paddle steamer interest group who will be reading this website.

Please e-mail the Webmaster your information and photos or general authorisation to use photos from another website source. Thank you very much

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