a barge and steamer - previously in renmark.

[Wally too]

Hi,
i am just wondering if anyone knows the location of the two icons I grew up with.

One is the Colonel Barge as we used to call her. She was aground and in bad state opposite and just upstream from the Renmark Hotel.

The second i think was a paddle steamer but not sure, cant recall the name, but she was docked for years just upstream from the Paringa Bridge (near Renmark) at what used to be Grimshaws Caravan Park.

They have both been removed.

Any clues?

Cheers

S

[Harold H. Duncan]

The 'Colonel" last time I was that way, has been on the slip, just upriver from the Murray Bridge, bridge, and has been for quite a few years, being restored.
The other sorry can't help
cheers
kiwi

[Mike Smith]

G'day Stephen,

I also grew up in Renmark and remember both boats. Kiwi is correct with his info on the PS Colonel, it is on the slipway at Murray Bridge and has been there since about 1988 and is owned by Steve Moritz who's intention is to restore it, however not much progress has been made to date. At least it is out of the water and the hull has been stabilized and it is no longer deteriorating. The other boat that was moored at Grimshaw's caravan park is the PS Decoy which was re-located to its present location at Mannum by its owner, well known river identity Dick Bromhead. Dick lives on the boat and operates a marina and slipway from her. A steam powered oil fire replica of the Decoy was built in Perth a number of years ago and she operates tourist day trips on the Fremantle River.

Regards

Mike

[Wally too]

thanks for your answers guys.
I am returning to Adelaide / renmark for a Trip in November and have been thinking about these icons, great to hear they are being looked after (at least to some degree).

mike, that is very interesting, growing up in the same town as me and here am i unable to get any further away from it, in Ireland.

Where are you?
and, if you dont mind me asking, what years and age were you in renmark, I was there until about 1977, was sent to Adelaide for the last three years of school because I was a brat in second year i suppose !

(that makes me 50 and guess what, still an eff-ing brat)

[Mike Smith]

G'day Stephen,

My wife and I live in Adelaide. I was in Renmark much earlier than you and left at about 12 years of age with my parents in 1968 when they moved to Adelaide. I was actually born in Berri the year being 1956 and the Renmark Hospital being non operational due to the mighty 56 flood. I still have relatives in Renmark (Uncle/Aunt/Cousins etc) and get back as often as I can. For a while we had a houseboat there which we moored just behind what was then Sonneman's Drink Factory. Unfortunately it got vandalised often so we sold it a few years back. I well remember Pendle's Bus Service and travelled on it to and from Adelaide many times.

Regards

Mike Smith

[Wally too]

Hi Mike,
I remember sonnemans well and if you describes or sent me a picture of your old boat I might remember it.

We kept our boat just up from yours for a few years then !

Kevin bought Liba 4 and it was in the fleet for many years rented out and when it was dissolved we had it for our own use.

I took the paddles off because kevin decided to go racing in it and welded extra deep blades onto the paddles and used to push the throttle mechanism to be the fasted liba on the murray.

All good and well until a tooth chipped off the 60 year old differential from a ferguson tractor used to drive the wheels.

One could say "bloody idiot" but that is the way he was and it was great fun indeed.

So instead of rebuilding the paddles we convinced him to let me remove them.

It made the whole back area of the boat so much more useable.

He was one of the first people to buy four stroke outboards.

At the time they were only available as 15hp.

Right concept but not enough kick really for the size and weight of the boat so it went from being the fastest liba to the slowest ex-liba !

I spent years maintaining that boat and they sold it from underneath me.

I am returning in november to tidy up a few things and see my mother who will be 90 this year.
 
And stock pile things i dont want sold too i suppose if the truth be told.

I have just bought my first bought after 20 years here in ireland......a flat bottom tinnie...40hp, 18 feet long, yes 18 feet !

An ex army assault craft.

Flat bottom tinnies are extremely rare here.

it has taken me 20 years to find one !

happy days (as my father kevin used to say)

s