APAM- List of Paddlers Part 1 Modern and Restored Vessels

[Excelsior]

I called some friends in Echuca today to catch up.  I took the opportunity to ask about the Bull Frog.  Apparently she was originally built as a cabin cruiser, was purchased by Paddy Hogg & then lengthened and rebuilt.  In the early 80s Paddy used the boat to ferry an english journalist down river for a BBC series.  I have the book of the series "River Journies".  The section on the Murray was written by Russell Braddon.  He travels on several vessels for the length of the river, including a boat he describes as being like the African Queen with Paddy Hogg.  The boat's name was Merrilinda.  So, I'm assuming that she was renamed sometime after then.  There's also a photo of the Murray Queen tied up to the remains of the original Moama wharf.  She has no deckhousing except for 2, very new looking, round style paddle boxes.  This must have been the time that she was rebuilt.  I've seen several of early photos of the Queen with square style wooden boxes & the stern cabin wasn't built in like later in life.  By the way, I'm told that the Queen is again operational, but whether in steam or diesel is not known.

[ljhall]

Yeah, I remember the Great River Journies series quite well, I taped it when it was on TV, and nearly drove my family mad watching it all the time, it was made in 1983, I don't have the book though, but I actually saw the MV Merrilinda and her Captain - (the late Paddy Hogg) at Swan Hill sometime in the late 80's.
I lived at Swan Hill for a while as a kid, and I remember throwing the mooring line out to the boat as they were casting off.
Unfortunately, the MV Merrilinda is a different vessel altogether to the PV Bull Frog, the Merrilinda is much bigger, and the Bull Frog wouldn't even be 50ft in length.
Also, I have been sent a photo of the Bull Frog taken back in 1980, and she looks very similar 8 years later when Peter Plowman photographed her near Barmah, and as Russell Braddon's tour of the Murray was in 1983, it's just not possible that these 2 boats are the same.

The photo of the Murray Queen that you described sounds like the one in Riverboat Days, the Phillips book of 1983.
I wonder how she looks now ?
I guess we'll find out soon, as Roderick mentioned that he has a friend in Hobart, who may be able to take a photo of it - to be posted onto this site.

Talk to you soon,

[Excelsior]

I went out on a limb...  And got it wrong.  I guess there is always a first time lol

It didn't seem quite right to me either, but in research it's par for the course.  Since my last post I have spoken to someone who's seen her in the paddock.  She's apparently stuffed.

[ljhall]

Just when I was hoping that the 'Bull  Frog' might have been the boat with the 'funny name' that was being restored somewhere near Tocumwal / Cobram/Barooga.

[michael]

Wasn't Paddle Hogg operating the showboat trix out of Echuca around that time? Apparently she's wrecked on that bend opposite the wharf, same as Lady Augusta

[michael]

Here are shots of Murray Queen I've collected out of books. I never got the chance to see her when she was in Echuca, I was to young at the time and didn't know the river that well, oh well. Popped in to see Adam today but he was out will try tomorrow

[Excelsior]

Wasn't Paddle Hogg operating the showboat trix out of Echuca around that time? Apparently she's wrecked on that bend opposite the wharf, same as Lady Augusta

So that's where she ended up...  I've often wondered.  It's interesting that a boat that was around as late as the Trix hasn't survived.  Especially as she wasn't huge & wasn't a paddler.

[ljhall]

From memory, I think the 'Trix' ex. 'Riverina', was operating until about 1967, there is an article on her in the Echuca Historical Society Museum, the Museum also has a photo of the Trix, but it's been a while and I actually forget what she looked like.
Maybe one of the older Echuca residents could fill us in on the Trix.

I was at a book fair recently and came across an old Australian pictorial book, I think it was published in the late 70's or very early 80's, and it had a riverscape photo in it that would have been taken from the present day Oscar W's site, anyhow you could  clearly see the bow of a small paddlesteamer, which I believe was the 'Despatch' ex. 'Tassie'.
I read somewhere, (but can't remember where...), that this boat was only broken-up in the early 80's, - an unusual period for an original to be scrapped !
The Despatch looked very much like the 'P.S. Eva' C. 1891.

Can anyone confirm any of these details ?

Cheers,

[Roderick Smith]

The moment I saw the reference to nonpaddler showboat Trix, I thought 'Riverina'?  Then Leith raised the name.
I have a photo of MV Riverina at Mildura on Mon.5.9.66.

My earlier enquiries about its disposition got nowhere.
AFAIK, it was an old boat.  I know nothing of its history, and doubt that it was a Lakes Entrance boat.  Generally, boats of this character in Victoria were built for Sydney Harbour or the Hawkesbury, and were then onsold to Victoria.  Derwent River (Tasmania) was another source.
Photographs will prove a lot more.
Perhaps the top deck could be added only when it reached the safety of permanent river operation (there is a famous Australian disaster when a two-deck Sydney ferry, one of the R... fleet, capsized during a regatta or ceremonial fleet on Sydney Harbour).

Wednesday afternoon, second update.  Parsons has an entry under Trix:
Built 1898 at Birkenhead (ie Adelaide, SA).  To the Murray, early 1940s, as a showboat operating from Renmark (SA).  To Echuca as Riverina, operated by Paddy Hogg.  To Murray Bridge c1967 for a brief spell, then to Mildura and to Echuca.
This is consistent with my photo and the earlier report.
My photo must show the boat staging at Mildura en route from Echuca to Murray Bridge.  Why was it rafted off Avoca?  Was that  Hogg boat at that stage, or was it owned by the rival Collins?  Parsons hints that Avoca returned to Mildura in 1976.  Had it returned a decade earlier?  Was this an occasion when Avoca had come to Mildura for survey slipping, but would return to Murray Bridge?  More mysteries.

In the history of postwar riverboat tourism, Mildura was more important than Echuca until Echuca reinvented itself.

This potted summary is top of head; I'd have to check the dates from the books.

c1948: PS Murrumbidgee converted for tourism (mainly weekend rather than day); short life and destroyed by fire.  PV Coonawarra built as a replacement (mainly weekend rather than day). It has only a few seasons and then was relocated because of unreliable water on its main Echuca - Swan Hill route.  AFAIK there was now nothing tourist at Echuca.

Meanwhile, Mildura had PS Canberra and PS Avoca on day tourism (and had had so since the late 1930s or 1940s?).  PV Wanera was converted for overnight cruising.

The paddleboat world which I discovered in 1962-63: static everywhere except Mildura, now with Canberra, Mayflower, Wanera and Riverina.  IIRC Coonawarra and Avoca were at Murray Bridge in this era.  There were various private boats static along the river: Australien at Yarrawonga, Etona at Echuca (having arrived only a couple of years earlier), Gem at Swan Hill folk museum (having arrived only weeks earlier), Pyap & Rothbury at Mildura, Ruby just below Mildura.

The big change came c1965: PS Melbourne went from Echuca to Melbourne and was converted to showboat layout.  Subsequently Canberra went from Mildura to Echuca and got tourist cruising underway there.  I don't know how long it lasted as steam before going to diesel.

1970s: the start of big modern boats on the lower Murray.  Avoca and Coonawarra were transferred back to Mildura.  PV Pyap went to Swan Hill.

And now for someone to pick up this thread: Riverina transferred to Echuca, and the establishment of the Port of Echuca tourist precinct and operation as we know it today, with the restoration of PS Adelaide and PS Pevensey, and the construction of PS Emmylou; subsequently obtaining PS Alexander Arbuthnot from its Shepparton lake operation, and constructing Pride of the Murray (also 1970s?).

In Mildura: the conversion of Rothbury, the loss of Wanera by fire; obtaining Mundoo.

A couple of others to throw in: Use of MV Loyalty at Wentworth, MV Kookaburra going to Swan Hill.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[michael]

Hope this article answers some questions
i've resized it

[AlistairD]

When you look at the jpeg it becomes totally illegible when you blow it up. The only word I make out is "Riverina"

Alistair

----- Original Message -----
From: michael (research@paddleducks.co.uk)
To: research@paddleducks.co.uk (research@paddleducks.co.uk)
Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 6:02 AM
Subject: Re: APAM- List of Paddlers Part 1 Modern and Restored Vessels


Hope this article answers some questions



Michael

 Post generated using Mail2Forum

[Roderick Smith]

Michael's resized photos are interesting.
Presumably they were taken at Echuca, and before PS Melbourne was sent downriver (Aug.65) to Mildura for conversion to a showboat.
My father's photo of MV Riverina at Mildura was taken in Aug.66.
The interpretive sign is a repeat of Parsons's text, back in Echuca by 67.
Why was it in Mildura in 66?
If it was based in Murray Bridge, Mildura was a long way to come just for slipping.
Conclusion: it was on its way downriver, or it was on its way back (and got delayed by low water?).
Or, it was based at Renmark again (as it had been before its Echuca stay), and could well have been at Mildura for slipping.

Conceivably there will be items in Riverine Herald regarding the arrival back in Echuca and the sinking.
They may be viewable at the office or library in Echuca (as original papers).  Michael doesn't have the time; I don't have the time; my former regular Echuca-base scanner of this paper was killed several years ago when a car hit his pushbike.
They may be viewable on microfilm at La Trobe library (Melbourne).  I don't have the time.

Even the interpretive panel is hedging its bets.  It isn't sure which Riverina sank at the location.  Presumably the archive of the relevant licencing authority will reveal something, but which authority, and where would they be housed?

Mac may be able to help; he must have done some research on sunken vessels.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[ljhall]

Hi PD's,

Have been pretty busy lately also, but in regards to the Riverina or 'Trix', I can tell you that she most likely ended her days at Echuca, somewhere between the 'Lady Augusta' wreck site and the E-M Bridge.
I have never seen any trace of wreckage at low river along that reach, however she was probably broken up and what was left over is probably buried deep in silt, (possibly may have been removed altogether.) For example, the wreck of the 'PS Mundoo' C. 1875, was broken up and removed by Toby Henson when he was dredging out a channel for the 'PV Pyap' at Swan Hill way back in 1970.

The 'PS Riverina' C. 1866 was 'definitely' re-built and re-named 'Wandering Jew' in Nov. 1890, this boat ended up wrecked in the Darling River sometime in the early 1930's, she is located just outside Brewarinna, NSW.
There is a pdf on Darling River Wrecks, it's a really good resource, but it's a big file and takes a while to open, I will see if I can find it, and type in the URL in my next post.

The photos of the 'Trix', posted by Michael look very much like the ones I have seen in the Historical Society Museum.

Cheers,

[thewharfonline]

Well done on Roderick finding Betsy, and a nice photo too- I'm glad he got one. Just proves sometimes you need to be on the river to find exactly what you're after.

Michael also has some exciting news, but I'll wait for him to break it.

Sean

[michael]

Oh yeah ruin the suprise Sean!!! Haha yeas I've been around and I've found the Bullfrog, just posting one shot for now as I'm short on time, have to engineer Emmylou tomorrow then head to Melbourne for a week of school.
I've also bought the hull of PV Sundowner, so will have that home in a few weeks.
More detail and photo's in a week time.
And Hero had a warming fire in her tonight so she will be out for a cruise/s tomorrow.