Paddleducks
Paddler Information => Preserved Paddle Ships => Topic started by: Roderick Smith on October 04, 2010, 05:42:41 PM
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Helped by improved water levels, this is shaping up to be the biggest river event since the 2003 Randell Cadell 150th anniversary and the 2001 Source to Sea fleet.
It will be 100 years next year since PS Industry (moored in Renmark), was commissioned. A celebration to commemorate this milestone is being
planned for 1-3.4.11.
A Commmittee of Friends of the Industry is inviting boat owners and organisations connected to other paddle boats to come to Renmark for this occasion.
Industry will steam to Whirlpool Corner [4 km, way below lock 6] to meet with the flotilla of boats mid morning on Sat.2.4 and come on into the Renmark riverfront, where Riverland Brass Band will be playing to greet them. We are hopeful that barge A11, also turning 100, will be in the flotilla. PS Ruby will
also be amongst the boats, having carried passengers from Wentworth. Industry will cruise for 1hr trips during the weekend, with the crew dressed in the style of the era.
The Renmark Hotel function room will house memorabilla of PS Industry and items of history of the river will be on display. There will also be a display of some beautuful replica models of paddle boats. A collection of articles of a bygone era will also be displayed.
A local historian will be there with her computerised encyclopaedic 75year history of boats that have worked on the rivers, so visitors can check on details of interest, such as when and how a boat was built, names of captains and crew and cargo carried.
We are planning to have working displays of 'olden time' skills how things were done in years gone by, eg milking a cow, separating the cream and making butter.
Stationary engines, vintage cars and motor bikes will be on display.
John Angove of Angove Wines is bottling red and white wine for us to commemorate the centenary.
Food and refreshments will be available on the lawns.
Children's entertainment will not be forgotten with the Cubs and Scouts running old style races and games. Ian McNamara (Macka) from 'Australia All Over' has been invited to attend on the Sunday, although his attendance is to be confirmed.
The committee is planning the creation and installation of some historic bollards (or similar) to be a permanent feature of the riverfront.
A quilt depicting the Industry's centenary, is being planned by the two quilting groups, the 'P's and Q's and the Evening Stars, which when completed will be put on display for people to view for many years to come.
An informal dinner has been planned for Saturday night in the Renmark Club. This will give people a chance to mingle and talk about times past. A dance is being
organised in the Paringa Hall for the Friday Evening.
The committee encourage folk attending the weekends event to come dressed in costume of the era.
See www.southaustralia.com/9001605.aspx
The ever-gregarious Mildura paddleboat owners will voyage in full force: perhaps 10-15 paddleboats as a fleet.
With the water up and the temporary Clayton dam now breached, river gossip is that PS Oscar W will voyage upriver from Goolwa (probably with day sectors available), and PS Marion may yet commit, probably with full voyage standards (cabin and meals). Many private downriver boats may well commit too now.
Ever since I have been posting to the group, I have tried to entice those of you from other countries to come to Australia, and experience our landscapes, our river and our paddleboats (steam & diesel). If ever you are going to come, this event is the one to attend. It will be easy for the New Zealanders, but for almost everyone else, coming half way around the world could be a daunting prospect. There is plenty enough on the Murray alone to justify the journey.
Mini: fly into Adelaide, hire a car, drive to Renmark for the weekend (but you may have to use another river town for accommodation), drive back and fly home.
Improved: Hire a Liba Liba houseboat at Renmark as your accommodation. They are sternwheel, and it would be quite legitimate to tuck in at the rear of the flotilla.
See www.libaliba.com.au/
Better: Hire a River Wren from Murray Bridge, and voyage to Renmark, photographing every paddleboat along the way.
See: www.riverglen.com.au
and www.riverwren.com.au/main.asp
These boats hold 7-8 km/h, so a journey would be leisurely, particularly juggling around lock times, and the desire to tie up at night at towns with pubs vs bush camping and cooking on the barbecue and stove.
Consider the possibilities:
Slow itinerary
Day 1: collect at midday, Riverglen - Lake Alexandrina entry - Wellington (downriver) 34 km; overnight moored at a pub.
Day 2: Wellington - Murray Bridge (pub) 46 km
Day 3: Murray Bridge - Mannum (pub) 38 km, time to inspect the museum.
Days 4 & 5: Mannum - Swan Reach (camp plus pub) 94 km
Day 6: Swan Reach - Blanchetown (pub) 28 km, 13.00 locking and resupply the larder.
Day 7: Blanchetown - Morgan (pub) 46 km
Day 8: Morgan - Waikerie (pub) 62 km
Day 9: Waikerie - Kingston 54 km (lunch at Overland Corner pub; camp) [or push to Cobdogla, pub, 61 km]
Day 10: Kingston - Loxton (pub) 53 km [or start at Cobdogla, 46 km]
Day 11: Loxton - Berri (pub) 37 km
Day 12: Berri - Renmark (pub) 42 km, with 13.00 locking.
Day 13: Renmark - Border Cliffs (camp) 68 km, with 15.30 locking.
Join the downriver fleet [Day 13 could be cut, or days 14 & 15 could be added: upstream for a day to just short of the Warrakoo, to join the fleet below lock 7; the hirer may not allow passage above Border Cliffs].
Tighter:
Day 1: Riverglen - Wellington - Riverglen (camp) 52 km [the whole day could be deleted]
Day 2: Riverglen - Murray Bridge - Mannum (pub) 48 km.
Day 3 & 4: Mannum - Blanchetown (bush & pub) 2 x 61 km.
Day 5: Blanchetown - Morgan (pub) 46 km
Day 6: Morgan - Waikerie (pub) 62 km
Day 7: Waikerie - Kingston 54 km (lunch at Overland Corner pub; camp) [or push to Cobdogla 61 km, leaving only 46 km for next day]
Day 8: Kingston - Loxton (pub) 53 km
Day 9: Loxton - Berri (pub) 37 km
Day 10: Berri - Renmark (pub) 42 km, with 13.00 locking.
Day 11: Renmark - Border Cliffs (camp) 68 km
Join the downriver fleet [Day 11 could be deleted, simply join the fleet at Whirlpool Corner]
Tightest:
Day 1: Riverglen - Wellington - Tailem Bend (pub) 34 km [or cut this day, begin on day 2, and go 48 km to Mannum]
Day 2: Tailem Bend - Mannum (pub) 62 km
Day 3: Mannum - Wongulla (bush camp) 66 km
Day 4: Wongulla - Blanchetown (pub) 58 km, with an early start and 16.00 locking, or moor below the lock.
Day 5: Blanchetown - Morgan (pub) 46 km
Day 6: Morgan - Waikerie 62 km, 14.00 lock 2
Day 7: Waikerie - Cobdogla (pub) 61 km (pause at Overland Corner), 15.30 lock 3
Day 8: Cobdogla - 503 km (bush camp) 60 km
Day 9: 503 km - Renmark 65 km, with morning at lock 4 and 16.00 at lock 5.
Or downriver:
Day 1: Renmark - Berri (pub) 42 km with morning locking.
Day 2: Berri - Loxton - Moorook (pub) 74 km, morning locking.
Day 3: Moorook - Overland Corner (pub) - Waikerie (pub) 70 km, morning locking.
Day 4: Waikerie - Morgan (pub) 62 km, morning locking.
Day 5: Morgan - Swan Reach (pub) 74 km, afternoon locking.
Day 6: Swan Reach - Coolcha (bush camp) 66 km
Day 7: Coolcha - Mannum - Murray Bridge (pub) 68 km.
Day 8: Murray Bridge - Wellington - Riverglen 62 km
Riverglen is very flexible.
One way hires are certainly possible and are available in either direction at most times – as long as we have enough lead time to get a boat to Customs House or Renmark as they are based at Murray Bridge.
A return hire is not necessarily required at the time of booking as we have a couple of people interested in taking return hires on a “on demand” basis. If this didn’t work out, we would offer it to our database of past customers. Of course, hirers are welcome to hire for a long enough period to do the trip both ways as well.
At this stage we still have plenty of availability around Easter but would recommend making bookings before Christmas.
River Wrens can maintain an average cruising speed of 7–8 km/h going either upstream or downstream. We don’t expect much flow or wind during April but either of these would affect fuel usage rather than speed.
A UK drivers licence is acceptable. Full instruction on use of the boat and its appliances is given on boarding, along with navigation information and map interpretation.
Positioning could be by bus from Adelaide via Mt Barker to Murray Bridge, then taxi.
Riverglen Marina RSD 3152A Jervois Road MURRAY BRIDGE SA 5253
Phone: 08 8532 1986 Fax: 08 8532 2565 enquiries@riverglen.com.au
Maxi: On top of a mini or midi voyage, hire a car and take in paddleboats along the rest of the Murray (mainly Mildura, Swan Hill, Echuca & Albury), possibly Ballarat, Orbost, Sydney and Brisbane.
The remaining ones are rather remote: Perth, Bourke and Longreach.
March is the best month for weather in southern Australia: fine, without the baking heat of high summer.
Not all of the boats will be moored for you to view: some will be voyaging to Renmark, but you may well end up travelling in tandem for a while (most paddleboats will be faster than a Wren].
I will have Jessie II at Renmark, but probably positioned well in advance, so that I can voyage in aboard a paddlesteamer. Being in the fleet was my original goal, but being aboard a voyaging paddlesteamer beats that.
There are lots of photos of Industry (at various events) in Paddleducks already. For convenience, I am reposting two here for a short while.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Do the 'Friends of the Industry' have a web site?
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AFAIK, no website as such. Googling on 'PS Industry Renmark' brings up 13 sites, mainly tourism ones.
One good one: www.visitrenmark.com/pdf/PS-Industry.pdf (a history of the vessel and its preservation)
Another: www.visitrenmark.com/html/renmark-ps-industry.html (some good historical photographs)
Rumours not confirmed
PS Marion and PS Oscar W may make it to the celebrations, along with PS William Randell, Pv Hebe and PV Flender Himmel.
Other downriver boats with enthusiastic owners could well include: PV Matilda, PV Tania Anne and PV Chloe.
I have checked the dates for Spirit of the Murray cruises. http://spiritaustraliacruises.com.au/great_murray_riverrun.html
They are either mismatched dates, or fully booked already.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Thanks for that Roderick. I'm going to try and get there. Check the dates with you if I could, it's the 1st to the 3th of April 2011?
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Yes, Fri.1-Sun.3.4, carefully planned to be the week before Easter to avoid too many clashes, and problems with accommodation. The main fleet parade is planned for Sat.2.4.
PS Ruby is announcing Fri.1-Mon.4.4 from Wentworth to Renmark, which must be a miscalculation: it would arrive too late to participate.
The return is planned for 4 days over Anzac Day long weekend: Fri.22-Mon.25.4. At this stage, only expressions of interest are being taken, not bookings. The deciding factor now is not water, or even wood, but crewing. Most of the commercial steamers pool crews; operating them simultaneously becomes a problem. Some potential crew members will be skippering their own boats. Thinking back, I recall only two at a time for any recent major event. Three or four at a time, for several consecutive days, will be pushing to the limit, but should not be unachievable.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I've got my accommodation booked so I'll be there for the weekend. Planning on driving there via Swan Hill and Mildura and checking out the paddlers there. Round trip of some 1400kms.
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For those of you coming up the river on a hired boat to attend the event, see
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2475.msg13389#msg13389
The message includes information on a floating hotel downstream from Morgan, and a photo of Jessie II tied up there.
Here are some more photos of that happy location on a through voyage.
The burnt-out stump houses the hotel toilet.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I could put these into off-topic, but they do match the spirit of the Murray River floating 'Globe Hotel', which has been a popular viewing choice.
All river journeys are great, but one favourite was coming up Sangker River from the tourist city Siem Reap to Battambang (Cambodia).
The journey from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is very touristy, across Ton Le Sap, but that lake is so large that the shore is often out of sight. There are boats of the Burmese style providing upmarket overnight cruises: these ones are screw, as were many of the ancestors, but there were also paddle versions in Burma. Most tourists ride the fast boats.
Stung Sangker is also touristy, but is a genuine river. The cruise takes all day, with a lunch break at a floating restaurant, when upriver and downriver boats meet and pass. While passing is possible in most places, there are narrow bits through reeds where one-way traffic is advisable.
I went upriver, commencing at Siem Reap's port. Because of highly-variable lake levels, the whole village is built on boats/rafts/pontoons: houses, the school, a church, even a basketball court.
This selection shows a floating school and a floating basketball court at the port for Siem Reap, and a view from a floating restaurant back onto the four boats converging there at lunchtime.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Drifting even further offstream, but responding to the worries about group quietness, here are four more photos of Siem Reap (my arrival on Wednesday), and the river voyage to Battambang on Thursday. In between, I had a private motorcycle to some of the many temples, including the one used as a set for an Indiana Jones movie.
The last of the selection is my favourite. We stopped to clear a snagged fishing net from the prop. I am a river boater, and of course jumped ashore to get a photo, while the European backpackers were amazed/dumbfounded/bemused.
Don't lose track of the main theme: start planning your Mar.-Apr.11 Australian adventure to be at Renmark for PS Industry's centenary celebrations.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I was looking for something else, and found my photos of the Renmark waterfront and of Paringa lifting-span bridge, attached to
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=2475.msg20730#msg20730
Jessie II (and River Wrens) can get under the bridge at normal pool level without having to book an opening.
In one photo Renmark Club is visible, right on the waterfront. In another photo, Renmark Hotel is visible: on the opposite side of the waterfront road.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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As the September floods receded, the November floods advanced.
The river is flowing strongly: Lake Hume is full; 2 m above the notorious Bitch 'n Pups (below Swan Hill)
Some locks are being bypassed with the navigation channel open (something which I have never witnessed before).
The short-lived dam at Clayton has been bulldozed open again.
Planning for the centenary is proceeding with confidence, with perhaps 100 visiting boats (not all will be paddlers) attending.
The Mildura private fleet: leave lock 11 on Sat.26.3, and arrive at Renmark on Fri.1.4.
PS Oscar W, PS Marion and PS Ruby will all be in attendance, along with many smaller private paddle vessels and other craft. The committee is expecting at least 100 boats. After the weekend, Ruby, Marion and Oscar W will paddle in convoy to Morgan before returning to their home ports. Angove Wines have bottled Special Industry Centenary Wines, a Sauvignon Blanc and a Shiraz at $15 per bottle. You can order it from the Renmark Visitor Centre.
And so, if the thought of balmy 25 deg days and 20 deg nights appeals, with our beautiful river at its best: blue sunny skies, muted green gums, lifegiving megalitres of water, filled with paddlesteamers, abundant birdlife, classic riverside pubs: book your air ticket now. Ruby will be running with overnight accommodation; probably Marion will for this one; Oscar W can offer only day sectors. You can be part of history without having to hire your own vessel, or you might feel that that is the best way to get the photographic coverage which you want.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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You will have noticed my increasing confidence as hopes have been supported by good water levels. Everything is happening as hoped, and this is the time to look at your bank account and visit your travel agent. You will not get as grand a spectacle as this again in under 10 years. The water may well stay up; private owners may well voyage in smaller convoys, but assembling the big passenger boats again will be rare.
I have put up various options:
* Hire a River Wren from Murray Bridge to Renmark or vv, and follow the fleet.
* Hire a Liba Liba at Renmark, and follow the fleet for a day or two upriver or downriver or both.
* Book your way as day sectors on Oscar W, with views of Marion running in tandem upriver from Mannum, or Marion, Ruby & Industry downriver to Morgan. Ten day stages from Tailem Bend 24.3 to Renmark Fri.1.4 (but with gaps left), AUD60 per day including morning or afternoon tea and a bus return to the starting point (you would need a hire car, and arrange your own accommodation each night). 12 day stages from Renmark Mon.4.4 to Tailem Bend Thurs.14.4 (but with gaps left). See www.oscar-w.info/cruise_to_renmark.html
* Book a grand voyage on PS Marion, staying onboard, with meals and sightseeing. I don't think that there is anywhere else in the world where you could make a steam voyage of this duration in 2011. You will have enthusiasts for company, experience our great Australian weather, scenery and wines, and see a lot of history along the way. www.psmarion.com/html/marion_cruises.html
Celebrate the PS Industry Centenary Long Overnight Cruise Mannum to Renmark (9 days 8 nights) 26.3-3.4 (248 KB PDF)
Heritage Flotilla Cruise Renmark to Morgan with PS Marion, PS Ruby, PS Industry & PS Oscar W. Long Overnight Cruise (7 days 6 nights) 4-10.4 (252 KB PDF)
Short Overnight Cruise Morgan to Mannum (3 days 2 nights) 11-13.4 (260 KB PDF)
* Book a grand voyage on PS Ruby. No details are up yet.
* Somehow make friends with a private owner. That fleet is running: Mildura dep. Sat.26.3 to Wentworth; Sun.27 to Frenchman's Creek (50km); Mon.28 to above Lock 8 (48km); Tues.29th to Lake Victoria Station (47km); Wed.30 to Higgins Cutting (30km); Thurs.31 to Chowilla (45km); Fri.1.4 to Whirlpool Bend (40km); Sat.2 join PS Industry leading a grand parade for a ceremonial entry to Renmark. PS Ruby will leave Wentworth a few days later, and steam in longer stages. Mon.4: Private owners have a choice of heading home, or following the four steamers to Morgan.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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The PS Ruby program has been announced. The main downriver program is itemised on the 740 kB pdf, which Eddy has posted here on my behalf.
A summary of the downriver and upriver programs is in the pricing schedule, only 460 kB.
Eddy Matthews: Main list added to this posting, at Rodericks request
There are full length and substage overnight voyages, also day sectors in the lower section: something for everyone. I have reserved a spot on the Wentworth - Renmark stage.
I doubt that any further event for 20 years will see the big four in-survey vessels in fleet mode. The downriver from Renmark from Mon.4.4 is the prize for paddlesteamer enthusiasts, and justifies the cost and effort of flying to Australia. Anyone flying into Mildura, there are local buses to Wentworth. Greyhound runs a daily service between Adelaide and Berri and Renmark (and Mildura). The fleet will also have a lot of the private paddleboats (and my own riverboat). A big fleet on a big river: perfection.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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The Ruby program is now on the website, and also there is a deckplan.
www.psruby.com/programs.php
The booking and enquiry email for Ruby is tourism@wentworth.nsw.gov.au
Monday edit: Here is the promised photo of Industry in action in 2004, taking Riverland produce to Goolwa for the railway 150th anniversary. Foreground: crates of Angoves wine from Renmark (Angoves is bottling centenary wines for the April festivities); rear: crates of oranges from Berri; middle: sacks of wheat or chaff, threshed on old machinery at Loxton Vintage Village.
Monday further edit: There are lots of photos of PS Ruby in the 2010 Wentworth Junction Rally thread, at
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5263.0
I have prepared two more, not posted hitherto, and am adding to this.
Combine them with the deckplan on the website, and you have a good idea of what a voyage aboard should be like. On this occasion, the lock beckoned, but Ruby was rounding into Darling River. In March, Ruby goes through this lock for the first time in 80 years, and keeps going, and I will be in one of those 14 cabins.
I have lots of photos in various spots in Paddleducks showing PS Marion, providing an overnight voyage from downriver; I also have lots of photos of PS Oscar W, providing day stages.
Regards,
Roderick
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River captains are looking at water levels now just as nervously as forebears did 150 years ago, but for different reasons.
* With the river high, it has been closed to all boating from Murrabit through Swan Hill to Tooleybuc, for fear of wake damaging levees.
* Barham bridge should be available again from Feb.11, but Swan Hill may not be available until June 11, blocking several boats.
* Lock 15 Euston is still unavailable until the water level comes down: which may not be in time to reach the Mildura fleet (currently promising to have about 12 paddleboats).
In the upriver direction:
* Murray-Darling is planning work at lock 2 in March. the lock 4 navigation pass hasn't been opened; if the river stays too high, the lock may remain unavailable.
I have now paid for my Wentworth - Renmark voyage on PS Ruby.
On one recent cruise, it made a fine sight beating up in the current through the navigation pass at lock 10 Wentworth.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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http://www.murrayriver.com.au/event/2011/1/554/ps_industry_centenary_brochure.pdf
You've been doing a better job of promoting the event than the organisers so far Roderick.
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I'll believe that when people start greeting me:
'Hi, I'm Bill W who had so much trouble organising a Siberia paddlesteamer tour; I've brought the group here instead'.
'Hi, I'm from the Northumberland Paddleboat Club; I have seen more sun in the last 2 days than in the whole previous 2 months at home'.
'Hi, I'm from the Swiss lakes. I didn't think that it was possible to travel 1000 km in a paddlesteamer today'.
I don't know which tours are full, and which still have space.
For many in this group, it is an unrepeatable opportunity: now or never.
Enclosed:
* A photo via a mailing list, taken by the lockmaster at Wentworth. I have met him often: he was on duty on one day when I tooke Jessie II through, and he is part of the team which organises Wentworth Junction Rally, and makes sure that river events run smoothly on the day. This one shows the navigation pass open, and the river at a high level below the weir. The lock is to the right of frame, redundant.
* To match it, a nearby view taken in July 2010, showing the normal drop of river levels.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Progress report:
Private PS William Randell will not be voyaging from Goolwa to Renmark.
PS Marion is booked out Mannum - Renmark, and is nearly full (or booked out) Renmark - Morgan, but has space Morgan - Mannum.
Because of the complex booking pattern, PS Ruby has some spaces on all sectors.
The preserved steam pump at lock 9 Kulnine, operated by volunteers, should be in steam on Tues.29.3 evening, while PS Ruby overnights there.
At least one boat is voyaging from Echuca: the lifting span at Barham will be raised (by crane).
If the water is too high to get under Swan Hill bridge, the road authority is obliged to move truckable boats around the bridge, at no cost.
Euston lock should be available within the next few days.
There is some doubt still about lock 2 for the upriver boats, but it is expected to available by cruise time.
Anyone who is anybody on the river has finished all recent conversations with 'See you at Renmark'.
It may be tricky getting a cheap airfare now from UK or USA or Europe, but it shouldn't be tricky from NZ.
You can come to Australia any year, and go from base to base. You will not see a fleet voyage of this scale over this distance for at least 10 years.
I will have a couple of Paddleduckers aboard from day to day, and may yet be the fuel tender for PS Minimus if it voyages from Renmark to Morgan.
We are on the final planning countdown for the most exciting river event since the 2003 Randell Cadell 150th, and the 2001 Source to Sea centenary of federation.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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The frustrations of our forebears revisit the current generation.
After years of too little water, part of the fleet will not be able to reach Renmark, because of too much water.
From upriver:
Murrabit bridge isn't fixed, but can be raised with cranepower because the counterweights are in place.
Swan Hill bridge isn't fixed, and can't be raised (no counterweights). Small-medium boats are being trailered past the bridge at NSW RTA expense (MV Emu went weeks ago; PV Miralie and PV Iron Dry, which are both single deck, follow this week).
The water hasn't receded sufficiently for Euston lock to be reopened. That one couldn't have the navpass open, because there was work in progress on a fishladder when the water rose.
From downriver:
Lock 2 is impassable, because the navpass wasn't opened in time. That is unbelievable news. At Goolwa, I saw a tinny fleet which had come down from Mildura. That fleet could bypass lock and weir 2 by venturing into riverside forest, not an option for big boats.
As at this morning, Oscar W's website is announcing that a voyage will run, to Morgan. Marion's website hasn't been updated. Verbal news from Renmark is that the celebrations will take place as planned over Fri.1-Sun.3.4. PS Ruby and the Mildura private fleet will be voyaging as planned. I am rejigging my own voyage to exploit the continuing high water on Darling River. Following in the wake of SWPV Dromedary, I will take Jessie II to Pooncarie (200 river km from Wentworth).
Not all is lost. This is also the centenary year for PS Pevensey, based at Echuca. The port had never offered or promised to send the boat to Renmark. Celebration plans have not been announced, but could well coincide with the annual heritage festival in October. Possibly downriver boats will come upstream, but there is considerable annoyance that it is always downriver coming to Echuca, and not Echuca going downriver. The last Echuca boat to go downriver was privately-owned PS Etona, in the 2001 Source to Sea rally. It got to Goolwa and back.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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As a result of the navigation problems, and also because of riverbank and wharf problems caused by the high water levels at Renmark, it looks possible that the centenary celebrations for the PS Industry may be postponed until later in the year. Should this occur, every endeavour will be made to have the OSCAR ‘W’ to make the trip to Renmark at that time.
The Oscar W website suggests that the whole thing might be postponed. I hope they make a decision soon.
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Hi PD's...& yes Barry we would like a decision too..... :coffee ....Derek
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Phone calls and emails are running hot.
The event is not postponed.
Oscar W is going to Morgan.
Marion is going to Morgan, then taking passengers by bus to Renmark. I can only guess that there will be some shortening of the voyage, but perhaps Marion will be a static b&b for a few night, and the passengers will still get the other sightseeing features.
Ruby had a meeting on Wednesday night.
It is going only as far as Renmark.
The upriver section boards on Tues.5.4, for an early departure on Wed.6.4, to reach Wentworth on Fri.8.4.
The Mildura fleet has no trouble, and there is also the Berri centenary to celebrate, so there should be a fleet voyage that far.
The three boats stuck at Swan Hill will stay there. There was a prospect that the truck which takes boats past the bridge would take them to Mildura, but that may have been a false hope.
I am still juggling dates: I am tempted to cruise to Berri on Monday, back on Tuesday, then follow Ruby upstream, then continue to Pooncarie.
I have my deckie for Pooncarrie. If I go solo, I will tow his tinnie to carry fuel and as breakdown backup.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Emailed the Renmark Paringa Visitor Information Centre to ask the question and this is there reply. So it looks like it's still on.
Good Morning Barry,
The PS Industry 100th Birthday Celebrations is still going ahead. Unfortunately Lock 2 will not be open by then so therefore the PS Marion and Oscar W are unable to make the trip to Renmark. The PS Ruby will still be in attendance and all of the festivities throughout the weekend will be occurring.
Thanks,
Apryl Norton
Visitor Information Officer
Renmark Paringa Visitor Information Centre
84, Murray Ave Renmark SA 5341
Phone: (08) 8586 6704
Website: www.visitrenmark.com
Email: tourist@renmarkparing.sa.gov.au
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Further progress:
The main Berri celebration is in October, so Industry is not going to Berri following the weekend. The planning now is to go to Berri, and have local cruising there, in October.
My own planning now may depend on the private boats.
* I could come out of the water on Monday, and relaunch at Wentworth, for a Darling adventure.
* I could cruise up with Mildura boats, and some will do the Darling.
* I could cruise up with Ruby, then divert to the Darling.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Planning has shaped rapidly.
I will not be launching at Renmark, and will be hard to track. Look for a straw boater and a laptop. I should be able to call Paddleduckers from a mobile, but you may not be able to call me.
Email me at rodsmith @ werple.net.au this week to plan a rendezvous.
I will be launching at Wentworth or Pomona, then cruising to Pooncarie and back over Mon.-Thurs., with Fri.8.4 spare to go down the Murray for half a day to meet PS Ruby coming upstream.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I am loading the car (Sunday morning). Sunday afternoon to SA. Monday morning collect Jessie II; Monday 17.00 be aboard PS Ruby, for 9.30 Tuesday departure from Renmark.
Telephone advice is that the Mildura fleet will make much more rapid progress than first planned, and will arrive in Renmark on Thursday, ready for the weekend.
Further advice is that Euston lock will be open from Monday. MV Emu might get from Swan Hill to Renmark. I don't know if Iron Dry was roaded to Speewa, but Miralie had abandoned hope.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I am loading the car (Sunday morning). Sunday afternoon to SA. Monday morning collect Jessie II; Monday 17.00 be aboard PS Ruby, for 9.30 Tuesday departure from Renmark.
Do you know how far downstream the Ruby is going? The Ruby website still has not updated the program to reflect the fact that Lock 2 is closed. My wife and I will be in Renmark (in a caravan) on the first weekend to see the events there, then moving to Waikerie mid-week and Morgan the following weekend and doing one of the cruises on the Oscar W. It would be nice to see some of the fleet get to Waikerie.
Stephen.
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Word is that the Ruby is going as far as Renmark. She apparentlly left on Tuesday.
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I left Melbourne on Sunday afternoon, overnighted at Wolseley, then collected Jessie II at Mt Barker, and reached Wentworth at 17.00.
I hadn't heard from my deckie, so I have the boat in the caravan park.
We went aboard Ruby, then had dinner at Wentworth Club.
Tues.29.3: Full complement (11 through passengers, perhaps 11 crew, a lot of general public and a group from a local primary school who had had to write an essay to be selected by their school. Great weather, 10.00 departure. Swift current, and through the navpass at lock 10 (and all locks).
We reached lock 9 in mid afternoon, and had difficulty mooring (current and trees). The preserved steam pump operating for our benefit.
Wed.30.3: 8.30 departure, and a tricky round up, and a rapid passage. Through 9, 8 & 7 navpassed, then overnight at Lake Victoria Homestead. A tricky docking, swiping trees.
Thurs. An easy departure. At Higgins cutting, we took the long course: the current was too treacherous and the cutting has a dogleg. We met a Mildura boat which had been heading up side creeks. We paused at Customs House, then moored just below a cliff section.
Fri.1.4: A scenic day, through lock navpass, then into Renmark with a tricky roundup, but an easy docking at Industry's berth: it has moved forwards to the public dock. The Mildura boats were, and the major triumph was MV Emu. It had been trucked around Swan Hill bridge in December, and was waitng at Euston. It came through there on Sunday morning, and did at least one day of 180 km to catch up to the fleet.
In port: Ruby, Industry, PS James Maiden, PV Settler, PV Impulse, PV William Albert, PV Shiralee, PV Tamara Rae, and an assortment of small launches. I was with a friend from Goolwa in the grand parade this morning.
Ruby is going no further: it leaves on Eednesday for a Friday arrival into Wentworth.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Edito.
I have met one of the people ;waiting for me, with at least thre more to find today.
Dark suit, boater with a baroon band, maroon bow tie and grey beard.
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It was a hectic weekend. Barry should have photos up by midweek. I caught up with three Paddleduckers, but didn't meet Stephen.
I rode Valaeme (from the same design stable as my own), Ruby, Industry, Shiralee and Settler, had supper on James Maiden, and attended the dinner. I also chatted with many friends, and Wooden Boat Owners Association had brought in a fleet.
Monday is lay day for Ruby; it leaves on Tuesday morning, to reach Wentworth on Friday. The slower upriver running will be balanced by running longer days.
Many of the boats have had trouble coming up through navpasses, and some of the locks will be operated specially to help them.
I have changed my own planning, and am doing a one way from Pooncarie, with a mail truck transfer to retrieve the car and trailer.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I have just got home from my additional week: voyaging Darling River from Pooncarie to Wentworth, and filling a Murray gap (Robinvale - Wemen).
Here is the start of my selection, beginning with boarding PS Ruby in Wentworth. I went aboard at 17.00 on Mon.28.3 and met the crew (most of whom I knew already) and fellow passengers (most were private boat owners from interstate). The group had dinner at Wentworth Club, then spent the night wharfside ready for departure at 10.00 on Tuesday.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Today's six show the start of the voyage: the first time in 85 years for Ruby to steam into Renmark.
Since obtaining survey in 2010, it had been used as a charter for year 11 students on a leadership-training course: a floating base while the teenagers spent time on challenges on the riverbank. That was the cruise on which it went down and back through the lock 10 navpass, but the destination was only part way to lock 9.
At a national maritime-museum conference a week before the Renmark voyage, Ruby had been placed fourth on a newly-created register of historical vessels. The ARHV (Australian Registered Historic Vessel) pennant was being flown on the steering pole for the first time, below the River Murray flag). Captain Wagner explained to the passengers that the pole, while doubling as a flag pole, has as its principal purpose the guiding of the steering for the person at the helm: line it up with a suitable reference point in the distance, then judge the rate of swing. This allows corrections to be made as wind and current affect the lining, and prevents waiting too late, or overcorrecting.
We were asked to board at 9.30. Ruby has captain's first officer's cabins on the third deck, behind the wheelhouse (traditional Murray-Darling design, and common on most ships), also a crew cabin for two on the rear of the engineering deck. The rest of the crew would be occupying several of the 14 two-berth cabins on the second deck. At last minute, two pairs of passengers cancelled, leaving 11 passengers.
For the first day, the full passenger complement was carried. Day-cruise passengers cruised to lock 9. This included a selected group from a local primary school, chosen on the basis of an essay which they had written.
We cast off at 10.00 (backing against a spring line, and letting the current carry the bow well clear of the work barge, in town for maintenance on the bridge). Parents, friends, people associated with the project and a tv cameraman watched as the kids threw traditional streamers to the dock.
We were soon down through the navpass, then settled into a steady pace while morning tea was served. We passed one moored paddleboat: PV William Henry (formerly Ronald Henry).
Voyaging passengers had a full hot lunch in the dining room; day passengers had a sausage sizzle on the main deck.
The day ended at a tricky spot above lock 9 Kulnine, with overhanging trees. We had come 65 km from 10.05 to 15.15, but docking took to 16.05. Kulnine steam pump is preserved by a group, and it was in steam specially for this visit. The schoolkids were whisked away, but the day passengers were able to watch the operation before their bus left. I was able to linger with the operators, with whom I had been in email contact beforehand.
This was a very pleasant start to the voyage, with the river looking at its best (lots of water, trees in good shape, fine weather, congenial passengers, friendly crew). Entertainment that night was a singalong on the top deck, to the accompaniment of a guitar played by one of the deckhands. He performs in hotels, and had been the entertainer on PS Marion's Berri voyage in 2010.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I covered most of the notes with yesterday's post.
Ruby was flying a lower Murray flag.
Wentworth, where the Darling joins, is regarded as the change from upper to lower.
See www.murrayriver.com.au/about-the-murray/murray-river-flag
One of the day passengers was Jeanette Hope, author of the book Paddle steamer Ruby one hundred years on. She is based locally, and spends a lot of time on heritage-conservation studies.
Murray River is not just paddlesteamers, it is a way of life of which paddlesteamers were just a part: history, geography, economics, nature. The paddlesteamers opened up the interior for large-scale sheep grazing. The Murray and Darling served large sheep stations. Traditionally, the main homestead would be built near the edge (but back from flood levels), with irrigated gardens and vegetable plots. Surrounding would be workers' cottages, and a shearing shed from which wool could be loaded onto barges. Most of the homesteads date from the 1860s. Irrigation schemes came from the 1890s, and spawned many of today's riverside towns. Wentworth - Renmark is a lonely reach, with no nearby roads and no towns; there are several homesteads.
Today's selection:
* The hull of a long-derelict paddlesteamer, also showing how the high water floods into the adjacent red gum forest. That is an essential part of their ecology.
* Moorna homestead.
* The day trippers express their thanks for a great day on the water.
* A selection of the pump in action. The panel of construction photos has the date Aug.1931 for them.
As well as demonstrating the steam pump, the preservation group provided complimentary champagne, plus red & white wine.
It is known both as Kulnine Pump (the location) and Millewa A (the irrigation area which it served).
It was built by Thompson (Castlemaine, Vic.). That engineering firm had its background in building gold-mining machinery; it built steam locomotives for Victorian Railways and for Queensland Railways, and also built the steam powered punt which crossed Yarra River at Williamstown (Melbourne). It survives, renamed through takeovers, and builds special railway points and crossing fittings.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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On Wed.30.3, we took off forwards (release the bow line; the current brought the bow off the bank) and rounded up upstream.
We passed SWPV Risbey before heading through the lock 9 (Kulnine) navpass, then made steady progress to Ned's Corner.
This was a planned wooding stop, with the chance for passengers to inspect the homestead, outbuildings and shearing shed, guided by a caretaker.
Up to a few years ago, the shearing shed had been used by several properties collaboratively.
The property has been bought by a private conservation trust, and vegetation is being restored. It is adjacent to some declared national parks.
The property is available for inspection, and is used as a base for conservation conferences. Cottages can be hired by families or friends for a retreat in peaceful surroundings.
With the water up, the property manager had had to build a dirt causeway over a small billabong (lagoon) so that the wood could be brought to the river bank.
The docking was very much in upriver style: Captain Wagner made a fast approach bow to the bank, then the mud held the bow while the current brought the stern around, and while lines could be set. As a precaution, the steering pole was lowered, so that it could not be damaged by overhanging limbs.
The navpass photo shows clearly how the water drops over the sill of the dam, and also ramps down through the pass. Low-powered boats lack the strength to come up the ramp through the current. There were all sorts of stories shared at Renmark. One small boat was in trouble at lock 5; the lockmaster opened the lock for that one. A medium boat barely succeeded in a test run at lock 10. He had to gun the motor beyond 2500 rpm to 3000 rpm, and sat on the ridge like a seesaw, then crept over the top. Another burnt out a clutch. The navpass at lock 2 had not been opened (preventing the downriver fleet from reaching Renmark). Tinnies could avoid the weir by motoring through the trees. One medium-size flat-hull wooden boat heading to Goolwa a month earlier went over the weir wall, like a kayak shooting rapids.
When I was photographing every bridge, weir, lock and punt, I missed lock 8: as with lock 6, there is no public access. When I took my own boat through, I couldn't get a photo which showed the name. I was very pleased to get the nameboard photo this time.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Here's my collection of photo's
Industry Birthday Cake
Industry departing on a saturday trip
Industry and Ruby
The view of Renmark
Myself and daughter onboard Industry
Industry steering wheel
Ruby Saturday evening
Industry at fairylight parade
James Maiden departing Saturday night
Industry Sunday, can you spot Roderick!!!
Settler and Shiralie
Sunday Morning parade
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Hi PD's....Michael.....that .jpg.....Industry departing on a saturday trip is brilliant :beer
It portays so many elements of Australian river life
Paddlers
Smoke from the boiler
Steam
Bluish water in the Murray?
The reflection from the sun on the water.......
People having a good time :08.......Derek
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Those two night shots are stunning: were there spotlights trained from the riverbank?
Michael's: 'Can you find Roderick on Industry?' spawns an out-of-sequence duo.
Aboard Ruby, can you find Michael?
A guest should wear nothing to distinguish him from locals.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Continuing with Wed.30.3.
We started at 771 km, about 1 km above lock 9, at 9.30
Lock 8 Wangumma was at 732 km, at 12.40
Neds Corner was at 720 km for the wooding and inspection stop, 13.40 to around 15.10.
Lock 7 (well underwater) was was at 702 km, at 16.25
Lake Victoria Homestead was at 688 km, and we were tied up by 18.05. This was a slow docking: Captain Wagner did another bow onto the bank turn, but amongst trees. It was slow to work clear of them, and the tying up point was against a low cliff, so steps had to be cut. We had covered 83 km/h in 7 h of cruising, about 12 km/h. That was our typical average for the whole voyage, although current brought the speed up to 17 km/h briefly in one reach.
The owner of the homestead wasn't home, but advised us by phone to go up and inspect the exterior of the homestead, and various older outbuildings.
Later that evening, he came and visited us aboard.
Entertainment involved bringing out the modern video screen in the lounge. Normally it is hidden in a wooden cabinet, as it is an anachronism. It had been out to show the safety demonstration to the primary-school group at the start of the voyage. On this occasion, we watched two historic paddlesteamer videos. One was 'Riverboats remembered', which includes scenes of grand voyaging on the big four in the 1920s, exactly the image and mood which we were recreating.
Although I am widely-travelled Australian boy, my rural adventures have covered dairy, orchard, grain, forestry, fisheries and mining. This was my first time inside a shearing shed. This one wasn't derelict: it could shear again tomorrow. The number of shearing points had been reduced from the days of hand shears to steam-powered shears, and reduced again when electric shears were introduced.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Thurs.31.3
688 km, Lake Victoria Homestead dep. ~9.00.
The tight corners before and at Devil's Elbow were taken with ease, despite the current.
The cliffs there are unique on the river: layers of browns; all others are red, and not layered.
At Kulcurna, we were watched by the passengers on tourist day boat Spirit of the Murray, on a Renmark - Mildura program.
As we reached Higgins Cutting, we met PV Impulse. It had been up Lindsay Creek for several kilometres, then had come a short distance up the original channel, to head into the cutting (a short cut, and normally the only way through). Because of the fierce current, and the dog leg, the larger Ruby would follow the original channel. I had tried to go through the original channel a couple of years ago, but the reeds were too thick. Today, we couldn't even see a reed.
Impulse did more side exploration, and arrived at Border Cliffs after us. We had a break there. The former customs house is now a kiosk selling supplies to boaties, and is also the base for a hire fleet. I have launched Jessie II there twice.
We continued to a riverside camp at 622 km, just downstream of a cliff section.
Because of the high water, the tinnie was used to set a winchline so that Ruby could be sufficiently close to dry land for the evening barbecue. This was one occasion when all of the crew and passengers could mingle and relax, and swap river and boating stories. Leon Wagner's business when not boating is a bush catering service. He had set up a bush oven for the lunch break of the Randell Cadell fleet at Merbein in 2003. Tonight, he cooked a damper in a camp oven in the coals of the campfire.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Extended journey by ship, by riverboat or by train starts to become a way of life after the fourth night. It was hard to believe that the goal would be achieved on Fri.1.4 afternoon.
While viewing today's selection, have a player-piano version of 'Cruising down the river' as background music:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcUpo5c2cOo
The overnight mooring had been at 622 km. We left around 9.00, then went through the navpass for lock 6 Murtho, then soon passed a government workboat, MV Irabinna. It is based at Berri (with a couple of other workboats). Being of landing-barge style, I suspect that it is used to bring road-based equipment into otherwise-inaccessible zones. Not long later, we passed a sternwheel houseboat (the one from earlier was actually a quarterwheel houseboat). We knew that civilisation was not far ahead.
The morning scenery included some quite dramatic cliffs. At a point with a lookout tower, there was a lone figure on it. Captain Roly Bartlett (owner of PS William Randell) was there with a camera, capturing Ruby steaming majestically through the landscape, in glorious sun.
Preparing for the arrival, I was asked to sift through the player-piano rolls and select something which I could play to give a sense of occasion for the docking. I rejected 'Colonel Bogie', and went for 'Danny Boy' ('Cruising down the river' wasn't in the collection). I also put on my weekend centenary garb. Most people attending centenaries forget that 100 years ago was well past the Victorian era. My boater is genuine straw, and has been at tramway and railway centenaries already. By 13.15, we were passing PS James Maiden, in steam ready to follow us into Renmark. This gave another bird watching circles photo: I was photographing Warwick who was photographing me.
In town, Industry had moved forwards to the public wharf, to release its own for us. We steamed past the wharf, and had to go quite a long way downstream to find a space where rounding up would be easy and safe. Docking (around 14.05) was easy, and surprisingly unceremonial.
In the competent hands of Captain Leon Wagner and our friendly crew, the clock had been turned back 85 years, steaming 263 km over 4 days. Leon had brought other big boats through before (MV Coonawarra and MV Wanera). Passengers had eaten well, and had enjoyed the great river scenery in wonderful weather. For us, this was not the end of the journey: we would be aboard for 2 more nights enjoying the continuous party of the multiple festival events and ceremonies. I would be seeking the various Paddleduckers attending, and riding on as many paddleboats as I could.
In 1966, I never even imagined that I would one day be voyaging aboard this paddlesteamer. I photographed Ruby in the park whenever I was passing through Wentworth. As soon as the restoration project commenced, I had the ambition of being aboard a voyage one day, and I attended many Wentworth events where different stages of the project were achieved.
In the fleet photo, I am on PS Ruby (with barge Argo out of view behind me); ahead are: PS James Maiden, PV Shiralee, PV Settler; beyond the modern houseboat PV Impulse and PV William Albert; not visible beyond them PV Tamara Rae. PS Minimus was based at the caravan park. Large wooden MV Emu had been part of the fleet; large local cruising launch MV Merri-Linda was also active. Joining them was a varied range (at least 20) of smaller wooden launches, steam launches and dinghies.
In the 1966 photo, the lady beside me was Mrs Robbins, owner of Ruby as a houseboat. The others are my family and family friends. We were holidaying together at Mildura, and I was getting maximum benefit from my motor-vehicle learners permit.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Hi PD's....& three cheers for our Roderick playing the paper pianola :whistle & enjoying a glass of OZ Red Ned @ the same time..... :beer......Derek
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Thanks Derek.
I was hoping see you trek to the event.
'Steamboat Bill' and 'Captain Nipper'
www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ7zgbvyNaM
I have Australianised the former, but couldn't both play and sing from memory.
Fast down the Murrumbidgee steamed Invincible
Commanded by that skipper, Mister 'Steamboat' Bill
Billy had his orders on the strict QT
You've just got to beat the record of the Pevensey...
I can cover a lot of today's river skippers by varying the boat name.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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There was no time to feel sad that Ruby's voyage was over: right from the moment the gangplank was set, the weekend was hectic. Around the basic structure of parades and presentations, there was the constant meeting of old friends from other river events, fellow Paddleduckers and new friends.
Two good portfolios have been posted already:
Barry's photos:
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5545.msg29968#msg29968, and keep on going
or view the whole thread www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5545
Michael's photos:
www.paddleducks.co.uk/smf/index.php?topic=5353.msg30037#msg30037
Renmark has its main street running parallel with the river for about 1 km, set back, with the gap filled with lawns. Half way along, a T intersection provides a link to Sturt Hwy (linking Sydney & Mildura to Adelaide).
From east to west:
The visitor centre, where long-distance buses call, and the normal home of Industry when not steaming.
Renmark Hotel: a magnificent art-deco structure, with views across lawns to the river.
Various shops and Ozone Theatre, opposite Renmark Club (on the riverbank) and banks.
The whole stretch of riverbank has a low level wharf, suitable for voyaging houseboats to stay for up to 24 h while visiting and resupplying.
Despite the middle section of the wharf being under reconstruction, the wharf coped with the fleet with ease. Smaller boats moored at the west end, near the launching ramp.
The main public focus was on the lawn opposite the hotel, alongside the departure point for Industry and Ruby cruises (also a modern local boat, making its normal public cruises). The hotel had provided its function room as a display room for photos, models and memorabilia, and also the base for talks by a river historian. In the street were older vehicles. On the lawns were food stalls, a band shelter, and a dance floor. Angoves Winery had a tent selling its specially-bottled centenary wines: a 2008 shiraz and a 2010 sauvignon blanc. Smaller boats tended to be running up and down all the time, conveying guests. Larger boats tended to go out only for parades (two on Saturday, two on Sunday). Industry made several 1 h public cruises. The first on Saturday was for invited guests; the others that day were booked out (many Marion people missed having a ride). On Sunday, it added an extra cruise to the advertised program. Ruby made fewer 1 h public cruises.
I structured my program:
Friday: meet, greet, dinner at Renmark Hotel, supper on James Maiden.
Saturday: morning parade in MV Valaeme (a wooden boat from Queensland, on its way home from 2011 Goolwa Wooden Boat Festival); lunch internet session in the local library; afternoon reenactments & presentations; afternoon Ruby cruise with Barry aboard; the centenary dinner at the hotel (which ran so late that I missed my James Maiden cruise in the fairylight parade); supper on James Maiden.
Sunday: morning Industry cruise; lunch parade on Shiralee; afternoon parade on Settler (with Michael and family as fellow passengers); final thanks from the organisers; 16.00 Ruby bus back to Wentworth.
In the gaps, I kept meeting people from other boats and events, many of whom had simply driven to Renmark without a boat.
On Saturday, passengers from Marion arrived during the day, and left at the end of the dinner. With them were crew from Oscar W, and some of the private-boat owners stranded at lock 2: Amphibious, Flender Himmel, Tania Ann and Kingfisher.
In the photos, the signficance of 'Lady Mabel' is that is was the name which Industry carried when appearing in the film All the rivers run.
I have lots of photos of the boats in various combinations, including Minimus, but they have been covered in the other selections. I have done a whole selection of the small launches for Wooden Boat Association.
The wooden cruising launch MV Emu is an honorary paddleboat. It was built by a craftsman at Goolwa, with the aim of voyaging to Yarrawonga. Lack of access to lock 1 caused changes: it was crane launched at Waikerie, voyaged to 2010 Wentworth Junction Rally, and continued to Yarrawonga in tandem with PV Miralie. The return was stranded by high water: first at Tooleybuc (until the span was raised by crane), then at Swan Hill (the bridge couldn't be raised). Emu was craned onto a low loader, then spent more time at Swan Hill. The next hazard was lock 15 Euston: unavailable until Sun.27.3 morning. The upstream mechanisms had failed, and one gate was opened by cable attached to a 4wd. The boat was now zooming to catch up to the fleet, and did about 180 km on one day. It caught up at lock 8.
One of my photos shows PV Tamara Rae, not covered by the others.
There were only three lowlights for the weekend: the late-running dinner cut the fairylight parade to just three vessels, but Michael's photos show the stunning effect; Marion people couldn't get a spot on Industry (the faiylight parade had space, but their return bus couldn't wait until the end); an officious water policeman did his best to make the parades useless, and to antagonise wooden-boat owners never to trail to the area again.
Apart from those lowlights, the weather had been great, the crowds were cheerful, the program was packed.
Coming events: Centenary of Pevensey at Echuca, 20.7; this will include a fleet voyage to Torrumbarry. Centenary of Berri, October. Industry will cruise there for the weekend.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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Latest news on what happened after Renmark weekend from a boat mate...
Trip from Swan Hill to home was uneventful and enjoyable. Had a friend on board for the first day and a half which allowed me to sit back and enjoy the view. I don’t get to do that very often. We’d had a call from Andrew Ward to say that both Iron Dry and Shay had to get past a recently fallen gum at the back of Murphy’s Island and that both had been forced into trees etc by the current as they did so. This convinced me that I had better go down through Murphy’s Cutting which I did. Was a bit apprehensive and the heart rate was up for sure …. Came through without any trouble though. Bumbang Island Cutting was also fairly ‘ferocious’ and threw Miralie about quite a bit with swirls and currents. Actually did it twice as we had family and friends visit at Robinvale and we took them on a trip up and around Bumbang Island and back down through the cutting. PB Shay has gone up onto the land at Baldwyn’s boatyard for inspection and repairs to her paddle box. Hull looks very good.
Yep, Ruby did have some problems …. Going down, at Lock 9, she had to round up and moor to allow passengers to view the Lake Cullulleraine steam pump.. As she was coming in, the current swept her sideways into a box tree which did some minor damage, and it took over an hour to free her and move her up a bit and get her moored. Coming back, up through L9, proved even more of a problem. … Attempt 1 saw her swept into the lock chamber wall as she attempted to steam up through the nav pass. She dropped back and came again, this time taking out the marker on the end of the weir wall. She dropped back again, this time mooring for the night. Attempt 3 saw her come up through the lock. From the photo in the local paper I’d say she has split her spring beam and second-hand advice is that she may have sprung a butt plate, causing her to leak. Again, rumour has it that she will go up on the Buronga slip for inspection and repairs.
I spent 2 days on Iron Dry with Ted Ward, taking her from Mildura to Lock 9. Was a good run and she goes along well. Some campers on the bank this side of Lock 9 were very obliging and will keep an eye on her until Easter when Ted’s son, Andrew, will go down and take her down through the lock for an Easter holiday around Ned’s Corner Station. Better still …. The same campers were there when Ruby went down and also when she came back AND … they have lots of photos which I hope will turn up in the mail in the next few days.
Last I heard, Settler, Shiralee and Emu were at Loxton, then down to Mick Knight’s place (PB Hebe) until they can get through L2. Mick Black stayed with us on Iron Dry on one night and next day was at Renmark to take James Maiden on down the river. Impulse is back at her mooring at Buronga. William Albert went up through L6, through the nav pass at L7 but then couldn’t stem the current at L8, even on her third attempt with a 60hp tinnie assist. On her last attempt she did a clutch plate and had to drop down astern with no forward gear. She’s tied up below L8, last I heard waiting for the gear box to be removed and repaired.
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Additional photos of this event can be found at the Murray River Photo web site (us link below)
http://www.murrayriverphotos.com.au/tag/Renmark/
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Here are a few pictures of the boats at Morgan. Unfortunately I forgot my "proper" camera so the pix are from my phone camera.
The pictures are of the Oscar W and Marion tied up at the riverbank, the Kingfisher, and the shacks just downstream of Morgan taken from the Oscar.
Stephen.
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www.berricentenary.com.au/2011/07/p-s-industry-berri-centenary-visit
PS Industry will be visiting Berri over Sat.1 & Sun.2.10.11. It will be moored at the Berri riverfront and conducting 1 hour river cruises, steaming from the Berri Wharf:
10.30-11.30 & 14.00-15.00, Sat.1.
10.30-11.30, Sun.2
That hints at a Friday morning departure from Renmark (morning bridge, morning locking, early afternoon arrival). Friday afternoon isn't impossible.
Possibly a Sunday afternoon up river: afternoon locking and afternoon bridge. That is tight, but achievable. When I did it, I had a headstart from Lyrup.
Contact Renmark visitor centre for the prospect of the extended voyage.
I had hoped to commence my spring boating at Renmark for Berri, but I will still be in China (cruising Yangtse River), and also for the long weekend in Morgan. It would have been great to take in a chase to Berri, then follow Canally to Morgan (Jessie II would be inadequate as a tow vessel).
Perhaps new member Kevin or longer-time member Mike Smith will be able to cover these events on behalf of the group?
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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I made this one for a pub group (Renmark Hotel, centre rear) and for a cinema group (Ozone Cinema, far right), so I am adding to my existing selection of the the PS Industry centenary celebrations.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor