Jessie II (a Bolger Tennessee)

[Roderick Smith]

My delayed March cruise was on Lake Eildon, formed by an enlarged dam on Goulburn River (a mid 1950s project).  This was never commercial-cruising territory, and there is no paddle vessel on the lake.
I collected Jessie II on Fri.14.3.  As I drove south through Nagambie, Michael was driving north (returning home from a week at trade school).  I launched at Jerusalem Creek marina that evening.
Sat.: up the Goulburn, Howqua and Big rivers.
Sun.: to the dam wall, with the original Sugarloaf weir wall laid bare behind the current one.
I retrieved  at lunchtime, and returned Jessie II to the Merrigum base (my brother's farm).

The original 1920s Sugarloaf Weir impounded the amount of the current Eildon Weir at 11%.

As ever, I had lots of conversations with people who admire the traditional lines of my boat (even though it isn't a paddle one).

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Dec.08 cruise.
I launched at Loxton on Sat.20.12 afternoon, then headed downstream to Overland Corner (linking with the upstream end of an earlier cruise), then upstream to Berri and Lyrup.  There were not many paddleboats in the whole stretch:
* a wreck about 3 km downstream of Loxton (posted to Goolwa wrecks).
* QPV Tamara Rae, moored at Moorook (about 1 km downstream of the public mooring).
* A houseboat, possible ex Liba Liba, at Kingston-on-Murray.
* PV Ronald Henry, lying at Lyrup.  Adjacent is a withdrawn wooden punt.  IIRC, I saw this one as a work barge at Berri (only 10 km downstream) on an earlier visit.  The punt in action at Lyrup is a modern metal one.
I also enclose a photo of Jessie II in lock 4, Bookpurnong.  This is my favourite lock photogenically, because of the backdrop of limestone cliffs.  Boat crew are not allowed ashore in locks, but most lockkeepers will take my camera and get a shot for me.
On this cruise I also passed through lock 3, Overland Corner.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

For my post-Christmas cruise, I drove to SA over Tues.30 & Wed.31.12.  At Moorook, QWPV Tamara Rae had been shifted into a town-centre mooring since my visit a week earlier.  I collected Jessie II from Waikerie, launched at Border Cliffs, and headed 30 km upriver.  I was heading to Wentworth and return, the loneliest section of Murray River, and 200 km each way.  My boat can do 100 km per day with ease, but there would be some tricky sections, and four locks to traverse (free passage, but restricted hours: 8.00-11.30, then 13.00-16.30).  The stretch also included the notorious Warrakoo reach, below lock 7: about 1 km of very shallow and narrow channel, with a dogleg.  Going up, I strayed onto 70 cm; coming down I got through on minimum 1 m.  Far worse was weed above lock 7; a 4 km stretch was choked completely, with no channel.  I tiptoed between clumps, with frequent stops to clear the prop.  I saw a few stern-wheel and quarter-wheel paddle houseboats along the way.  I made the schedule with ease: lock 7 Rufus River on Thurs.1.1 morning; lock 8 Wangumma that afternoon; lock 9 Kulnine on Fri.2.1 morning; lock 10 Wentworth mid afternoon.  That was interesting: my first sharing with big boats.  There was a sternwheel houseboat in first, then two outboard ones, a ski boat beside the houseboats, and my launch last.  I cruised up Darling River for 2 km (to give my first mate the chance to claim a portion of the Darling), photographed PV Murrundi tucked in behind PS Ruby, then moored at the caravan park.
Dinner was at Captain Sturt Hotel.  One photo on the bar wall showed PS Excelsior moored at Wentworth, opposite the mouth of Tucker Creek.
Sat.3.1: down through locks 10 & 9.
Sun.4.1: down through locks 8 & 7, and in to Border Cliffs.  We drove into Renmark for dinner at Tower Tavern, a riverside hotel/bistro, with just a brief glimpse of PS Industry along the way.  We didn't walk up to view barge Argo.
Mon.5.1: retrieve, then to Cobdogla.  PS Roy is still on the hard, with no obvious sign of restoration work commencing.
Tues.6.1: to Waikerie to leave the boat, with a quick check on PV Murray River Queen.  Then to Euston to watch the preparations for raising PS Canally (see separate post), then home.

Extra: MV Kookaburra was at lock 7, being transferred from Wentworth to Mannum for its operational base.  It isn't paddle, but is a rarity on the Murray: a large screw-driven commercial vessel.  Top of head, the only others are MV Maryanne at Echuca and MV Expedition at Murray Bridge, so we tend to include rather than exclude.  Kookaburra was built for lunch cruises at Port Adelaide.  I haven't got a date for its relocation to Swan Hill.  I do have a date for its relocation to Wentworth (delayed at Euston for a few months), and photos of it at Swan Hill, Euston and Wentworth.  The lockmaster told me that the voyage will continue in January.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Thurs.2.4: delayed by an errand in Melbourne, I left in the early afternoon via south-western pub photography.
Fri.3.4: Jessie II was not ready; special paint was being heat cured overnight.  I spent the night at Callington (Adelaide Hills).
Sat.4.4: I collected Jessie II at Mt Barker, and photographed it beside a more-recent variant of the design (Extempore, a Mundoo III).  I launched at the very steep public ramp at Murray Bridge (using a friend's truck).  I moored alongside PV Matilda (currently for sale): it had come downriver from Purnong on Thursday.
On the other side was PV Flender Himmel, which had beaten me in by 2 h.
Further downriver was local replica PS Cato, in light steam.  It was having boiler problems, and would be in any parades, but would be able to steam back to its berth upstream of the two bridges.
Slightly upriver was PS Marion.  It was making regular short cruises, and had added a 17.00 one to the program.  It was operating from the bank in the National Machinery Rally grounds, but would overnight at the pumpout wharf.  It had come down from Mannum on Wednesday, and would leave at 13.00 Mon. as a public cruise back to Mannum.
The other boats were three classic 1930s cruising launches (my guess 15 m), and lots of wooden dinghies.
At the public wharf were PV Captain Proud (making a lunch cruise and a dinner cruise) and PV Madam Jade (a trading vessel).
I went in the 13.00 parade, caught up with gossip, and took the evening dinner cruise on Captain Proud.
Sun.5.4: I was in two parades, with the gap spent viewing part of the display, which was large and varied.  By organising a car drop, I was able to retrieve at the much easier ramp at Long Island Marina, and cover most of the distance to Renmark.  I spent the evening parked along a really nice 1930s two-storey stone hotel at Wanbi.
Mon.6.4: I launched at Border Cliffs former Customs house, and just made the 74 km to Renmark, in daylight, including an easy passage through lock 6.  I moored in front of Renmark Club (almost tying the stern line onto the bistro verandah), and dined there.  Below lock 6 I saw an unnamed Mundoo (a larger variant of my Tennessee), but had no time to pause for a chat.  At Renmark, a new lower-level public wharf was being constructed, with the contractor bringing PV Hebe towing his work barge.
Tues.7.4: An easy day.  I feared that I had miscalculated the clearance of the lifting bridge, and would have to wait until the 9.30 opening (one of two for the day, the other being at 14.00; both must be prebooked with 2 h notice).  Instead, I cleared with ease at 8.00, and made an 8.30 passage through lock 5, after waiting for a houseboat coming upriver.  I reached Lyrup for an early lunch (the upper limit of a previous cruise), and was back to view the afternoon bridge opening, but it wasn't needed.  The big surprise: not far below lock 5 I saw PV Murrundi heading downriver.  It had been up the creek at Renmark overnight.  I guess that it had needed the 9.30 bridge opening.  I spent the afternoon at the library's internet facility, and shopping, then moored at Tower Tavern for an evening work session on RNV and for dinner.  I saw most of the Liba Liba sternwheel houseboat fleet, and PS Industry (steaming on Sat. & Sun. over Easter) and barge Argo.
Wed.8.4: I had damaged my prop on a log at the tavern wharf, and was cruising more slowly (10 km/h instead of 13 km/h), so I couldn't make the 11.30 last morning locking.  Instead I poked for a couple of kilometres up Chowilla Creek, then paused for lunch at the lock holding tieup, and was straight in for a 13.00 locking (shared with two tinnies on a long-distance camping safari).  I was back at Border Cliffs by 14.30, and loaded to go by 16.00.  Again, I had an RNV work session and dinner, this time at Paringa pub.
Thurs.9.4: I made a morning run to Colignan to leave Jessie II on a friend's property (in a shed) until the June Ruby event at Wentworth, then a simple 7 h drive home.

The next national rally will be held in Pinjarra (WA), with no waterway for boat participation.

First edit: I now have the photos of the Murray Bridge rally enclosed.  I forgot to photograph my own boat alongside Matilda.
The wooden model was one of many on sale cheaply, and was placed in the wind and current by some young boys.  Eventually it was retrieved with a boat hook.

Second edit: More paddleboats, plus riverside pubs and Jessie II sneaking under Paringa lifting-span bridge (built in 1927 as a combined rail & road bridge).

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Because I was overseas, I missed my spring cruising.  My Christmas cruise was delayed by a trip to Queensland.  For it, Michael brought Jessie II from Merrigum to Deep Creek (between Echuca and Torrumbarry).  I was aiming to cruise upstream, through Echuca, to Barmah and Picnic Point, and catch up with lots of news.  After a gearshift cable broke, I lost 2 days (moored conveniently in front of Deep Creek Hotel).  Hence, all I saw of paddleboats upstream were PV Run Riot and PS Colonial Lass, at their base moorings.  I did get to chat with one of Emmylou's captains.  Because there was sufficient water (600 mm) over the sill at Torrumbarry, I went downstream and through the lock, but had run out of time to cruise for more than a token 6 km below the lock.
My only news has come from Michael: PS Pevensey has still not received the maintenance required for it continue carrying passengers.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

With the water up I had lots of choices for which difficult stretch to traverse; the planning was also juggling around my February cruise, and positioning to Goolwa for Wooden Boat Festival, then Renmark.
I chose Swan Hill - Robinvale as a one-way downstream, as I could return on a public-transport bus to retrieve my car and trailer.
I would have to launch downstream of the bridge at Swan Hill (no height, even for my boat, and the raising mechanism has been out of action for 2 years), have the Nyah bridge raised, but could sneak under Tooleybuc bridge.
Mon.27.12: I left Melbourne in the morning, collected my deckie and boat, loaded all fuel and provisions, and launched at Swan Hill at 17.00.
We were invited to an evening barbecue cruise upriver aboard PV Iron Dry, along with owners of other boats in port.  MV Emu had completed its Goolwa - Yarrawonga voyage, but was now stuck until the water drops.  It had got past Koondrook/Barham bridge (one also with a failed mechanism) only because the bridge span was raised using two cranes.  Also in port were resident PV Shay, PV Black Shag and PV Temeraire (on which we were hosted to supper).  Commercial PV Pyap lives at the folk museum, near landlocked PS Gem.
Tues.28.12: We set forth at 7.00, and soon passed a quarterwheeler party boat, and PV Murrundi, stranded during an upriver voyage.

On the current magnificent water, everybody should be able to go everywhere, with plenty of water above snags.
In the continuing parts of this documentary: plenty of water is not unallayed bliss.  The lock at Robinvale has been closed because it is too dangerous.
Other locks have been bypassed by opening the weir for through water flow, with the navigation pass in use.

My proposed February jaunt upriver from Swan Hill would require the lifting of bridges at Murrabit (available) and Koondrook/Barham (not available).

Because so much water has flowed out of forests, with lots of accumulated leaf/bark litter, there is huge oxygen deprivation.  Every hour, we would cruise past a floating dead Murray Cod.  We also saw no cormorants: there were no fish for them to catch (also no pelicans).  River shrimp/ prawns/crays/yabbies were crawling up banks in a desperate attempt to find oxygen.

Enclosed: photos of a few of the abovementioned boats.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Tues.28.12.10.
The aim today was Swan Hill (1410 km) to Tooleybuc (1320 km), plus doubling back along the short passage around Beveridge Island (6 km each way).
The water was so high that we also did a double back through the shortcut at Murphy's Island (500 m each way).
Opening of bridges is free, but is usually done only at set times, and only by advance booking.
Because this was not a busy link with a town on each shore, I could have a choice of time; because of Christmas holidays, I had to book a few days in advance, and nominated 14.00.  On the day, we were making such good progress (12-13 km/h with the current), that I was able to arrange by mobile phone for a 13.00 opening.  This was a public holiday, but the three council workers were able to adjust.
We left Swan Hill at 7.15, and soon passed PV Murrundi (photo posted about three posts ago, taken during a different cruise).
The old river channel is normally too snagged, but we cruised around it with ease, and hit only two snags.  River distances are marked via it, and the island is still officially Victorian.  We then turned up the new channel, and could make only 7 km/h against the current.  There is a private punt crossing to the island, for farming access.  Normally one has to phone in advance to have the cables lowered, but that was unnecessary today: my boat is shallow draft, and even a deeper one would have had no trouble.
At 1377 km we crossed the public Speewa Punt, but I was busy phoning for bridge times while in mobile range, and didn't take a photo (I have photos from earlier visits, by road, when the water was much lower).
We reached Nyah bridge (1357 km) at 12.40, and laid off at the bank for lunch.  The crew arrived at about 12.55, and had 15 min of preparation: four clamps which hold the bridge stable when trucks pass over have to be removed, then the truck with the hydraulic pump must be parked on the bridge and coupled, traffic stopped, and span up.  The movement is quite fast, and so the crew gave me a generous vertical clearance.  This bridge is more recent than most (1940s), and has welded metal girders instead of wooden trusses.  While we were waiting, a speedboat came up river.  It had the clearance to get under, but when the skipper guessed what was about to happen, it rounded up and went downstream to lie in wait and photograph my boat coming through.  My deckie took a photo on his camera, but I don't have it yet to post here.  We couldn't quite relax: the engineer had phoned me.  Since assuring me that I would fit under Tooleybuc bridge (completed in 1925, wooden truss), the river had risen.  However, there was more clearance available under the fixed spans.  At Murphy's island, after going via the river, we ducked back up the short cut: knocked to 4 km/h in the current.  We did fit under the side channel at Tooleybuc, and tied up around 16.00 on the downstream side of the bridge, then rang the engineer to reassure him that we would not be needed a Wednesday morning opening.  There is a nice pub straight opposite the mooring and the bridge, so we dined there with no need to cook aboard.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Wed.29.12.10
This was the grand-adventure day.  It is rare for Murray River to be navigable for even a tinnie through the 2 km Bitch & Pups rapids section below Goodnight.  Most years, a big boat can get through by waiting for a brief rise, and sneaking through.  This isn't just shallow and snagged, it runs over a rocky rapid.  It is also narrow, and with overhanging branches.  Friends coming upriver in October got through on 2 m in comfort.  Jessie II zoomed through on 6-7 m.
The full journey was Tooleybuc 1320 km to Wakool Jn 1285 km, then an estimated 32 km up Wakool River to Edwards Jn, and quick pokes of 1 km up the Edwards, 2 km up the Wakool, and 4 km back to Kyalite: 77 km.
Bitch & Pups lies between 1305 km and 1303 km.
At the confluence, the Murray is the minor river, making a T junction with the Wakool (the original Murray).
Wakool River was impressive in this water, and smooth: there were too many great reflections to pass each.
At Kyalite, we passed under the new bridge, and saw PV Bungunyah (subject of its own thread, see www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5469.0).  The junction of the Edwards was hard to find, as water had flooded into redgum forests on both sides of both rivers, and over the separating spit.  After one false move into the forest, we found the main channel, and continued up for a short distance (we were running out of time), and met two fishermen in a tinnie who said that they hadn't got to that spot for many years.  After sampling a bit of the Wakool above the confluence, we returned to Kyalite, and tied up at the site of the old bridge, in front of the pub.  It does meals only at weekends, so we used the onboard griller oven to cook our own dinner, but did spend time in the pub meeting locals.  It had several photos of the old bridge on display.  One view appears in the Bungunyah thread.  The other is here, but I have had major trouble showing the curved counterweight track.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[derekwarner_decoy]

Roderick....  ....on behalf of our PD membership  ....we thank you for your continued snaps of  of OZ water & ships.......keep up the good work for twenty eleven..... ....Derek

[kno3]

Thanks for the nice pics and descriptions. How do you guys cope with the huge flood down-under?

[Roderick Smith]

Flooding tends to move rapidly.
Most towns are built above flood levels, but can be isolated when approach roads are blocked.
Those buildings in vulnerable spots are protected with sandbag levees.
Others are built on stilts.
Others will be flooded, and are evacuated.
The Murray Darling is high, but not really in flood.
The ecology of redgum forests is that the trees want to get their roots wet every year or so, and that is happening now, after several years of drought.
The proposed new management policy wants to cut irrigation to provide environmental flows.
Over years, major dams have been built to buffer water supply over many years.  AFAIK every Murray-Darling dam is full, except for Dartmouth (the topmost, which is 70%).  The flow in the river is from the plains below the dams: rising fast, and falling fast.

Queensland, which has always been more flood prone, is different.  There are emergency flights bringing food into cities isolated by flooding, but not every part of every town is underwater.  Modern tinnies have sufficient power to work against strong flood currents, and deliver food to people and stock, or rescue either.  They do have to be careful to avoid waterborne debris.

The biggest Murray flood in recent history was in 1956: both the Murray and the Darling were in flood at the same time, hitting river towns from Wentworth (NSW) through SA.  A lot has been published about this flood, and a book was printed for the 2006 50th anniversary celebrations.  I have various posts elsewhere about the event.  1956 was a last hurrah for many paddlesteamers.  They were brought out of retirement to rescue stock and deliver supplies.  Wentworth still commemorates the 'Fergies which saved Wentworth'.  The Ferguson was was a small tractor, suitable for operation between rows of fruit trees and vines, and was very popular with fruit-block owners.  The Fergies worked ceaselessly to raise and repair levee banks, and saved the town.

None of the major capitals is affected (ie not another New Orleans), and most of the riverside towns and cities have been built to be clear of most flooding.  Low land is devoted to caravan parks and sportsgrounds.

Enclosed: a photo of Lake Nagambie rising over the caravan park at Nagambie, as Goulburn River flooded.  I was at a Wooden Boat Association rally.  We were told on Sunday morning to evacuate, and did so.  The four boats in the photo had floated over the edge of the lake.  My low-draft boat could well have gone another 50 m by afternoon.

Post edit: I have tidied some words, and added a photo from Luke (builder of PS Billy Tea) which came to me via Michael.  This is Gundagai, with Murrumbidgee River flooding over the low-lying parts, but below the modern road bridge, the old road bridge, and the disused railway bridge.  Back in history, Gundagai was the limit of navigation for paddlesteamers.

Edit: Here is a link to an ABC news item on Queensland flooding: www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/02/3105016.htm

Wednesday edit:
The Wed.5.1 Melbourne 'Herald Sun' news item has links to several videos.
eg http://video.heraldsun.com.au/1720522550/Scenes-from-the-flood?area=endslate1
or start at the top, and link your way through
www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national

www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/02/3105016.htm
has a good view of why the airport is closed.

Of course, the grimmest scenes feature in the coverages. The typical
Queenslander house is designed on stilts for two reasons: air circulation to
reduce the effect of hot weather, and protection against ordinary flooding. A
lot of the problems are not the flooding as such, but the disruption to life and
being cut off from supply lines.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[mjt60a]

....Modern tinnies have sufficient power to work against strong flood currents, and deliver food to people and stock, or rescue either....

Now there's a coincidence, at the exact moment I was reading this, I looked at the TV and it was exactly what was happening on BBC news- but in Rockhampton (I think that's where he said it was)
They also said there are crocodiles and venomous snakes in it so best resist the temptation for a quick swim!

[Roderick Smith]

Thurs.30.12:
This was an easy day.
7.15  dep. Kyalite
9.42 confluence of Wakool and Murray (1.5 h faster than the upstream run)
13.00 turn into Murrumbidgee River
13.55 round up
14.40 regain Murray River
15.15 run up through the Murphy's Island cutoff & back
15.48 Boundary Bend.
I did a petrol resupply.  We could have eaten at the roadhouse, but we had prepared two meals in one baking on Wednesday.  After dinner we were invited onto a neighbouring houseboat for a pleasant evening quaffing beer and swapping river stories.

On both of these days we saw no fishermen and no waterskiers, also no cormorants and no pelicans.  With blackwater killing fish, the birds had moved elsewhere; the fishermen had no reason to be out, and the traditional holiday riverbanks couldn't access their sites: underwater.

Fri.31.12:
On about five long straight stretches, we picked up a head wind and substantial chop.  The long lean aspect ratio of the hull helped the ride be smooth, but constant helm correction was needed.  We saw lots more dead floating Murray Cod, and grazed a couple of floaters.
7.19 dep. Boundary Bend
14.45 arr. Euston
The last 60 km were in the pool of Euston weir.  I had been up by 44 km before, and so we took the shortcut around Bumbang Island, and saved 12 km and an hour.  We tied up behind the pumpout, a short walk across the riverbank lawns to Euston Club, where we got a table from which we could see the boat.  The Club had been a long-time financial supporter of the restoration of PS Canally locally.  After working on RNV for the late afternoon, we enjoyed the special buffet, then joined the New Years Eve party until an 0.15 return to the boat.  In other years, I have had New Years Eve on the boat at Bonnie Doon (Lake Eildon), and Deep Creek Marina Hotel (Murray below Echuca).

AFAIK, the Murrumbidgee was the third busiest of the big ones (after Murray & Darling).  It was surprisingly narrow and overhung.  It was deep enough already, and more water was arriving soon (4.12 at Gundagai, and about 3 weeks of travel).  Only a couple of days after my photo, two-deck PV Bungunyah would be beating up this stretch.
The third photo is miscaptioned: it is not Kyalite.  The ripples looked severe, but the boat coped.

Edit: I have now added a photo of MV Maranoa, from my deckie.  It was built from an old railway tender, and was originally a sternwheeler.  It is moored at Robinvale.  There are other photos in Paddleducks already: my first meeting with the boat and its owner was as it came up through Torrumbarry lock, in 2003.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The voyage was going so well, and the boat was already fully provisioned.  I hoped to continue to Mildura (2 days of 100 km, plus one more to retrieve and get home).  That was not possible: the water is so high that the lock had been closed for traffic: too dangerous to approach.  Fast-flowing water was spilling over the top of the weir.
My original plan had been to catch a bus to Swan Hill to collect the car & trailer.  Time was saved when a Swan Hill friend offered to bring the car & trailer to Robinvale; I could then drop him home.  The local friend who would be holding my boat on his property would join me on his tinnie for a circuit of Bumbang Island.
As I was eating breakfast, there was a tap on the window: 'Good morning, may I have a look at your boat? - mine is up there on a trailer'.
He had another Bolger Tennessee, one which I have never seen before.  Moonshine is 10 m long (Jessie II is 9 m), and has a different fitout.  He launched, and joined our convoy.  We had morning tea at Robinvale, then set out at 10.00, up through the short cut (4 km/h against the current), then 12 km downriver, with a pause at the Canally restoration site.  Since the earlier photos in a different thread, the boat was relocated about 200 m into a side creek to prevent a second sinking.  Tarpaulins reduce the amount of water ingested.  The restoration people come down twice per week to pump out the bilge (the automatic setting on the pump can't be trusted), and the boat is moored on a slight side angle to facilitate drainage.

Photos today:
* The original Euston Hotel.
* The two Tennessees together, with Euston Club visible.  New Years Eve dinner had been in the dining room, which is the curved window overlooking the mooring.
* Moonshine cruising at about 13 km/h.  These are displacement hulls.
* A sternwheel houseboat.  I am not a fan of boxes on pontoons, but they should be easy to model.
* Canally, with the opening for the paddlebox near the camera, and the high water spilling into the forest into the distance.

I am hoping to do the Robinvale to Swan Hill around Australia Day (26.1), then leave the boat with a friend and collect it there to continue to Goolwa Wooden Boat Festival.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The cd of photos from my deckie has arrived.  I will be editing most posts to include extra views.  Those who have been following the series should drop back in a week, and check the lot for additions.
We didn't photograph the dead cod, but we saw lots.
I agree with the locals: it is too late.  A release of Goulburn water will take 3 weeks to reach Wemen and Mildura.

See www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/dirty-water-leads-to-fish-kill/story-e6frf7kx-1225983825252. which covers the facts and has a graphic photo.
We were seeing about one to three dead fish per hour.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor