I mentioned the celebrations at Wentworth [NSW] in July in the Mary Ann thread. The floods were worst from Wentworth down, because this is at the confluence of the Murray and the Darling, and both rivers were in flood.
SA produced a brilliant commemoration in 2004 for the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Goolwa - Port Elliot railway, incorporating riverboats, trains and a sailing ship (still yet to be written up for this forum).
Now SA has done it again, and this news is happening now.
I did give a foretaste in another post.
See
www.dwlbc.sa.gov.au/murray/56flood/index.html for the program, and for the history of some of the vessels (including Hebe).
* Barge Dart is normally displayed with PS Oscar W at Signal Point interpretative centre, Goolwa. For the Source to Sea event in 2001, it was fitted with two display rooms, camouflaged as a deck cargo of piles.
For this event it is conveying a display, and is being towed from Renmark to Goolwa, pausing at most river towns for the display to be viewed; an auxiliary display is placed in a town venue or riverside marquee. Most of the towing is by the Department of Transport tug MV Nalta Yuki (IIRC based at Morgan, and mainly used to tow car-punts to the 10 or 11 locations where they are operated). It will be towed from Murray Bridge to Goolwa by PS Oscar W.
* Preserved steamers are running public cruises as part of the community celebrations in each town. PS Industry cruised from Renmark to Berri (then went up on the slip for maintenance). PS Marion (just off the slip from major hull replanking) is cruising from Mannum to Cadell and return. Private paddleboats are mooring alongside the display when it is in their region. Each town has created a program of local events. A commemorative book containing personal memories of the event, Recollections of the 56 flood, was launched at Renmark.
The program has been timed to coincide with the peak of the flood in each centre:
* 27.8-5.9: Renmark (with PS Industry)
* 8-12.9: Berri (with PS Industry)
* 15-20.9: Loxton
* 22-27.9: Kingston on Murray (with some events also held in Barmera, and at the steam-pump museum at Cobdogla)
* 29.9-3.10: Waikerie (with PV Hebe)
* 5.10: Cadell (with PS Marion, PV Hebe, PV Incredible & PV Gypsy Ellen)
* 6-11.10: Morgan (with PS Marion, PV Hebe, PV Incredible & PV Gypsy Ellen). Not mentioned in the program, but PV Mayflower is normally moored here.
* 10.10: Blanchetown (with PS Marion & PV Incredible).
* 11.10: Swan Reach (with PS Marion & PV Incredible).
* 13-19.10: Mannum (with PS Marion & PV Incredible). There is also a private PV moored there.
* 21.10-1.11: Murray Bridge (with PS Oscar W; commercial PV Captain Proud, private PV Madam Jade replica PV Cato and under-restoration PS Colonal moored there).
* 4-5.11: Milang.
* 7-18.11: Goolwa (PV Killawarra, PV Federal & SWPV Goolwa are also based there).
Between Morgan and Murray Bridge, there will also be glimpses of SWPV Murray River Princess, MV Expedition and derelict PS Tarella (now under restoration). Former PS Decoy is not visible from the river: the yard is on the far side of a side billabong.
I would have loved to be cruising from Cadell to Morgan on Thursday, but it was RNV mailout day. I will try to get to the display somewhere, and I hope that Martin (the group's SA representative) has got (or can get) some coverage.
I can't find a shot of Dart quickly, so here is one of Marion (on a cruise to Morgan) and Oscar W at Blanchetown in 2005. There are two Sturt Hwy bridges. The 1964 one replaced twin punts, but later developed concrete cancer. It was retained as a pedestrian bridge when the 1998 bridge was commissioned. PS Marion made a special cruise to attend the ceremony.
The Hebe photo formerly attached to this post has been relocated to Research, Apam, List of modern and preserved vessels.
Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor
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