Current Echuca News !

[ljhall]

Hi,

Have been watching the Echuca Moama Webcam when I get a chance, - usually only for a few minutes at a time.
Noticed a lot more activity on the river lately with the school holidays, and heat wave etc.

Michael, - not a bad photo of the sparks flying out of the Pevensey's Funnel, it looks like she's not fitted with a spark arrestor.

Any reason why the Adelaide hasn't been out on a trip in a while ? - she must have been idle for the best part of 2 months now - hope everything is OK !
I did notice just the other day the her starboard side paddle box is being stripped back for re-painting, I think her last major paint job was over Spring/Summer of 02, however her hull was cleaned and re-painted sometime in early 04.

I also noticed that the Tooraloora has been moved a few times within the Onion Patch, and that the lower deck superstructure frames are up.

Nothing much happenning with the Etona and the Hero at the moment, I'm starting to wonder when the Etona will be on the river again under her own steam, do you know how much work is left to be done ?
I thought the the Hero might be finally operating commercially by now, but I'm now thinking that the good old local government red tape has prevented that due to the slightly primitive mooring site (Log Slip Landing). - is this about right, because I'm certain that all of the plumbing and electrical fittings are complete, and that she is technically finished, ah well, at least MRPS will be happy for a bit longer.

Sorry about all the questions but I just like to know what's happenning.

Cheers,

[Roderick Smith]

Spirit of the Coorong / Spirit of the Murray Echuca – Albury – Echuca cruises.
http://www.coorongcruises.com.au/gmrr_cruises.html
Phone: 08 8555 2203
Toll Free: 1 800 442 203
Email: bookings @ murrayriverrun.com.au
Facsimile: 08 8555 5101
29.1-2.2 Echuca – Albury was fully booked and removed from the website; now has cancellations.
3-7.2 Albury – Echuca was fully booked and removed from the website; now has cancellations.
11-15.2 Echuca – Albury is fully booked.
17-20 Albury – Echuca is cancelled.  The boat will be placed on the truck at Albury for its return to Goolwa.

The downstream terminus is Cadell Motel, so the cruise passes the whole Echuca fleet (private & commercial), those boats now moored at Barmah, anything in the water at Picnic Point, PV Julie Fay at Barooga, a fake SWPV at Yarrawonga and PS Cumberoona at Albury.  There are also some commercial nonpaddlers along the way.  If arriving by car, you could visit the engineering yard where PV 'Cameron of Lochiel' is being fitted out, and also Perricoota (PV Wanganui; access to PV Florence Annie may not be possible).  Announce your intention, and Michael may be able to steer you to Australien.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[michael]

I haven't been able to get down the wharf for a few weeks as I've been flat out with work and then my own jobs after hours. I can tell you the latest goss I know tho.....
1. PS Hero: Not much has happened to her Gary was hoping to get some more work done to her once all Christmas and New Years is over, so shouldn't be too far away.
2. PS Adelaide: Not sure about the painting- all the boats need a good coat. PS Pev and A.A have been rostered for Jan cruisesI haven't got Feb's roster yet but she's in operation mode with water in the boiler, she was used mid dec for a private charter for a couple of hours.
3. Tooraloora: Port management has changed the past month orr so and wrapped her up in red tape not allowing Adam Auditori to continue work, after a few meetings she has been given the green light and he's back working on her I think she's tied up in front of Billy Tea.
4.Etona: the owner is busy playing around on the other new owners boats ie. Ranger and James Maiden. She was supposed to get a whole new front deck and cabins last year but then he changed to a different builder so I don't know when that will happen and he still has to order new tubes and have them fitted. Apparently there was some welding done inside the barrel and according to some people its pretty shitty and they don't wont to be on her when she blows up!!
5. Other news: the silt in front of wet dock is due to be removed this month with a excuvator building a dirt wall across the entrance so it can reach up to in front of the pev and dig its way back.
The wharf is undergoing a major rebuild late Jan+ including replacing pilons upto 2/3 of the wharf will be worked on so i think port boats will be loading passengers at the northern end of the wharf (adelaides mooring).

[ljhall]

Thanks Michael,

I actually thought the Hero was finished, and just laying idle due to red tape, there must be only electrical/plumbing work to be completed, because she's been out on a few trips under her own steam.

Yeah, I know what you mean about the wharf, I noticed that there's been some bracing installed and that at least one pylon is almost snapped in half, or it appears to be anyway !
Probably the most obvious thing I noticed in 06 was the loose planking, - probably borderline between rustic and just plain unsafe !

As far as the Port's change of management is concerned, - is this limited to the director's or has it extended to Manager & CEO level
Is Frank Ryan still the Manager ?
Interesting to hear that this prevented Adam Auditori from working on the Tooraloora, does this have anything to do with the heavy workload at the Port ?

As far as the Etona is concerned, - has Bob Symmons actually replaced the original 1898 boiler with an exchange boiler that needs re-tubing, or is he re-tubing the original one with the rounded furnace ?
I was told that this one was completely rooted and shouldn't be fired at all, and I wouldn't have thought that a re-tube would bring it back to survey standard either.

Thanks again for the up-date !

Cheers,

[michael]

Got down the port today to get up to scratch with the goss.
Tooraloora they red taped her because they didn't think it was appropriate to have her constructed there, but it ended up being that it is shipwright work so it will be able to continue.
Frank Ryan has left and a lady by the name Kelly works there noe and also in the council offices, Mesh and Annitta also do a far bit in  organising.
Adelaide is getting a new coat of paint, starboard paddlebox today, and the wheel house has been sanded back and the steps getting painted too.
Shes to steam on Australia towing D:26 barge.
Yes Etona still has her original boiler and engines still in her!!

[thewharfonline]

According to the latest port newsletter there should be some interesting things going down at the port-

Something to do with all boats having a mooring at the wharf- private boats with moorings at or opposite the wharf (this is by memory)

There's supposed to always be some boat or barge under restoration, with special shipwrights areas

The steam display is also supposed to be increased

and more interactive displays

Oh and more rail to river or steam trains or something like that as well.

The split pylon's been there for awhile hasn't it?

It's funny when they replace boards on the wharf- they're all red compared to the grey older pylons

[Roderick Smith]

The railway-enthusiast operators would love to run more trains to Echuca (a tourist focus, and the right time and distance from Melbourne).
However:
Seymour Railway Heritage Centre can't get approval to run over the Toolamba - Echuca line.  It is fit for the state's heaviest diesels, but not regarded as fit for a passenger train.
Steamrail is nobbled by the so-called fast-rail to Bendigo.  Its trains are restricted to 80 km/h by an arbitrary ruling, and so can't get a satisfactory path which provides sufficient time in Echuca for patrons to enjoy the attractions there.
For Sat.16.2, Steamrail has hired a VLine diesel to haul its train (fitted with in-cab safeworking), so it has a 115 km/h path to Bendigo and sufficient time at Echuca for passengers to enjoy the jazz festival.
For Mon.24.3, SRHC has caved in, and will run its Echuca train via Melbourne and Bendigo.

The Echuca line was in the earliest group of main lines in Victoria:
Geelong 1857
Ballarat ~1862
Bendigo ~1862
Echuca 1864
It is important historically and architecturally.

Update on 19.2: The Sat.16.2 tour was cancelled; insufficient bookings a week in advance.  The Mon.24.3 tour has also been abandoned, and has dropped off SRHC's website.

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[thewharfonline]

I think the newsletter mentioned something about running a train out from the wharf around the information centre and then back.

Doesn't seem like a very long trip to me!

[paddlesteamerman1]

Yes, Kevin Bailley posted me the 'first draft' (i think it was) of the extensive Port of Echuca 'remodelling' and it shows the wharf being extended to allow the 3 port boats and the 3 other steamers a berth at the wharf along with a 'visiters' berth. And utilising the train track around the place to have a train running from the info center to the wharf, and possibly from Bendigo. I am still in the process of downloading the second draft.

[ljhall]

Well, this news comes as a bit of a surprise, as there's really only room for the 3 Port Authority Boats at the Wharf, as to how you could fit in 3 more is beyond me !
And if it is possible, I hope these 3 would be the 'Etona', 'Ranger' and 'Hero', instead of the Newbies.

Do you happen to know if the Port Re-modelling info. is on the Shire of Campaspe Website ?

Cheers...

[thewharfonline]

I think the idea is to extend the wharf- maybe closer to original length to include thew new boats.

There is also room for a tie up, during the flood all the boats were tied at the Wharf. There are photos I'm pretty sure on here.

I was assuming it would be for Canberra, Pride and Emmy- but in honesty I hadn't thought of Hero, I keep forgetting that she's active now.

Etona could be considered a bit of an eye saw if nothing happens in the way of restoring her- the Port may instigate a policy that says she can have a berth there if she is completed, Ranger I'm not sure about.

But the historic vessels should take a preference yes.

But aside from the boats- just imagine the length! 

Sean

[ljhall]

OK, maybe I missed the bit about extending the Wharf, - that would sure look impressive eh !

[paddlesteamerman1]

yes the idea is to extend the wharf and have a berth for the Pev, Ade, AA, Emmy, Canb., Hero while the PoftheM is 'reportedly' going to be 'shunted' down the lower end of the wharf and only come up for cruises, i think the smaller boats are still going to be there.
yes it is all on the website, though i have been sent drafts in hard copy and they are really interesting.

[Roderick Smith]

I followed the final voyage of the season by road.
The water had dropped 10 cm in the 2 weeks since I had followed from Tocumwal to Yarrawonga by boat.
I picked up on the arrival at Yarrawonga at 17.05 on Wed.13.2.  The captain told me that it had been much harder finding depth, and was hitting more snags.
I watched the roading around the weir: quite efficient retrieval and launching.
Thurs.14.2: I was still heading out to the departure site when it left at 7.45.
I got more photos at Bundalong, then advanced to Kellys Rd.
Meanwhile, to reduce the draft of the boat in a tricky section, passengers were offloaded at Brimin Rd, and taken by bus to a couple of wineries, then reboarded at Moodemere.  The previous cruises had had sufficient water for passengers to stay aboard.  As it passed me at Kelly Rd, the sound was of continuous scraping on the bottom for 500 m.
I next saw the boat at the historic Foorde Bridge at Wahgunya/Corowa.  It reached Howlong at 17.30.  Passengers were taken by bus back to a Corowa motel.
Fri.15.2: The bus arrived at Howlong at 7.10, but departure was around 7.45.  I photographed the boat under the new road bridge, then spent the day photographing other hobbies.  There is no river access from the NSW shore until the last few km into Albury.  I was at a vantage point, and got shots at 16.35, then of the arrival at 17.05.  After chatting with passengers and crew, I returned home.

Spirit II has now voyaged 3/4 of the river: Mildura - Echuca is yet to take place.
At Goolwa it has cruised down to the Murray mouth, and beyond into the Coorong.
It has crossed Lake Alexandrina (not allowed to take passengers on that sector).
The original Murray cruise: Wellingto - Renmark - Border Cliffs.
The second program: Renmark - Border Cliffs - Mildura (plus 60 km of Darling River).
Now Echuca - Albury.

Enclosed: the best photo for Paddleducks.  Proof of achievement.  The first paddlesteamer reached Albury in 1855.  Here MV Spirit II has rounded the final bend, and is arriving adjacent to the local PS Cumberoona, and only metres away from the historic Hovell tree, which was marked by the explorer in 1824 on a journey of exploration from Yass (NSW) to Westernport (Victoria).  Fri.15.2.08.  (Roderick Smith)

Regards,
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The full story, with a good photo, is at
www.bendigoadvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/river-runs-rich-in-history/1342021.aspx

River runs rich in history
24/10/2008 Bendigo Advertiser
Governor General Quentin Bryce took in the sights of the historic port of Echuca yesterday while on a tour of the Murray-Darling basin.
The first female to hold the post, it is her first official tour since she was installed in September.
Ms Bryce took a cruise on PS Pevensey, and met with school children before heading to Deniliquin.
“This environment is starkly beautiful. I know it’s drought time, but what a glorious and inspiring landscape we Australians share,’’ she said.
“I have learnt so much; of course every place I’ve been to is quite different.
“I’ve never been (to Echuca) before . . . it is doing extremely well in tourism and you can see why people are coming here in their thousands.’’ Beginning in Bourke, the second leg of her tour has included visits to Albury and Shepparton.
“I’ve appreciated the extraordinary generosity of people in all of these communities, welcoming us into their lives and talking to us about how they’re responding to the drought.
“The great Murray River is such a significant river system in Australia.
“Each place is unique, but what all the towns in the Murray-Darling basin have in common is the extraordinary challenge of water in the very severe drought.’’