Current Echuca News !

[Roderick Smith]

The fleet pushed on, and reached Mildura on Sun.14.12.
Two small wooden boats have trailed home for the break, for some maintenance work and for further modifications based on the experience of 2 weeks of voyaging.
The others have a safe home at Pointon's slip.  The ceremonial resumption will be on 3.1.

Today: two photos which came to me via Michael; I suspect that both were taken from local PV Miralie.
One shows Tooraloora stuck on a sandback (it cut the corner to tightly); it was rescued by local PV Lillian.
The other shows Black Shag, Tooraloora, Billy T and Ivy May moored for the layover.

The small tugboat was followed by a friend for a day or so.  This video was made as a friendship greeting, and not as a documentary for a world audience.  It covers passing Nyah, the arrival at Wood Wood, then departure from Tooleybuc.  Missing in this reach were Tooraloora (delayed with gearbox trouble) and James Maiden (keeping company).  It gives an excellent depiction of the Murray in good water and good weather, and you can judge the strength of the current with ease.  Moonshine has the same hull and motor as my Jessie II: lean, elegant, economical and quiet.  The videomaker is a bay yachter, and so expects more beam and keel for stability; river hulls are a new experience.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9zNV6RVTiyDN3hEXzBwZ1c0REk/edit?usp=drive_web

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The fleet assembled at Mildura on Friday, for a ceremonial farewell on Sat.3.1, to take 2 days to Wentworth, then a week in Darling River, to reach Renmark (SA) on 21.1.
Here is a report from the organiser, with 12 varied photos.
<www.mmyc.com.au/news/2014/12/great-australian-inland-cruise>
This facebook may be open access: photos at Mildura.
www.facebook.com/pages/PS-Industry/325824597564261

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

GAIC went through lock 8 at 9.00 on Thursday, and lock 7 at 11.00 on Friday. With James Maiden running a few days ahead, and Black Shag holding off at Mildura for a later passage, the fleet fitted into a single locking.  There was a planned layday at Customs House, then through lock 6 at 11.00 on Monday for a night at Chowilla, and into Renmark on Tuesday afternoon.  There is now a planned 5 day layover, which will result in a departure on Sunday in conjunction with local PS Industry on its regular public cruise (every Sunday in January).
Photos are at the Industry facebook site, mentioned in the preceding post.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

After several laydays at Renmark, the fleet is ready for an 8.30 departure on Sun.18.1, with a ceremonial sendoff.
Black Shag and Settler have left Mildura on a tighter schedule to catch up.  They don't need the depth over Warakoo which some of the small launches in the fleet needed.
My joining is only days away: Friday from Melbourne, to launch at Cobdogla, and join the Sunday small-boat exploration up Campbells Creek into Lake Bonney (one of the sites tried by Sir Malcolm Campbell for a Bluebird speed record), then with the fleet through lock 3 to the historic Overland Corner Hotel: <www.overlandcornerhotel.com.au>

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The main fleet has had a day at Berri, and moves on to Loxton today.  Three late starters from Mildura (PV Shay, PV Black Shag and PV Settler) came through lock 7 on Monday, and should be through lock 5 and into Renmark today.  Since two boats will need the bridge to be open, I predict a 9.00 start on Thursday for them.  PS James Maiden has gone ahead of the main fleet, and was at Waikerie yesterday.  The owner has to clear a couple of weeks for events elsewhere.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[stephenf10]

It was a pleasant surprise to come across the fleet at Waikerie today while we were taking a break on a Mildura-Goolwa road trip. They resume their journey tomorrow (Thu 29th).

[Roderick Smith]

Ahead of the fleet: James Maiden has reached Goolwa; the Mildura trio stayed upstream of  Waikerie, at a nature reserve.
Adding to the Echuca starters: Emm Dee from Howlong; Blue Moon; Phantom (a Darwin-based aluminium houseboat, diesel electric), Trophy (another bay fishing cruiser, imported from USA).  In this reach, a pontoon houseboat 'Doan Ask'.
I launched at Cobdogla on Saturday afternoon, went up the creek on Sunday (but didn't reach Lake Bonney), with the fleet to Kingston on Murray for an Australia Day breakfast on Monday, then to Overland Corner for lunch.  I backtracked to Cobdogla, out of the water on Tuesday, on the trailer at Waikerie this morning, but for a 7.00 departure.
I am only just home, and will add any missing names when I have uploaded the photos.
The weather has been magnificent.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[DamienG]

  Looking forward to the photo's Roderick.

[Roderick Smith]

Here are my opening photos.  I'll include paddlers and nonpaddlers.  Three paddleboats set out from Echuca to catch up: they did so, but didn't moor where I could photograph them.
PS James Maiden kept pushing ahead, as the owner was involved in major machinery rallies in Tasmania.
PV Black Shag (from Echuca, metal) linked up with Mildura PV Shay and PV Settler, and followed a few days behind the main fleet to Cobdogla, then moored elsewhere for the Waikerie night.

I trailed MV Jessie II (wooden) from Kyabram on Fri.23.1, and launched at Cobdogla on Sat.24.1.  The fleet now was:
From Echuca:
PV Tooraloora (metal)
PV Amelia Jane (pontoon, independent control of each paddle)
PV Billy T (metal)
PV Ivy May (metal)
MV Moonshine (wooden)
MV Sunrise (aluminium or fibreglass, trailed in from Mordialloc).
MV Agnes (wooden).
MV Mars (wooden).
From Mildura:
MV Doanask/Doanarsk (pontoon houseboat).
MV Trophy (aluminium or fibreglass, trailed in from Mordialloc).
MV Blue Moon (wooden?, voyaged from Yarrawonga).
MV Emm Dee (wooden, trailed in from Howlong).
MV Phantom (aluminium, trailed in from Darwin)

I'll post all of the photos being prepared for various groups.  Have just one while I sort out which one is breaking 500 kb.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

Here are six of the fleet moored in Humphrey Bay, an inlet off the main Murray.
Ivy May is only a few years old.  It was built as a sternwheeler, but had weight-distribution trouble, and was converted to side wheel.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

More at Cobdogla.  I am including more than just the paddleboats, to give a better idea of the total event, and more viewing of our glorious Australian river scenery, which is what has tempted so many owners to make the 1600 km voyage.  The paddleboats were designed for this.  The medium launches have the fittings to cope (but the bay boats have to be careful with depth, and have touched a few times).  I have been following closely the progress of my fellow Wooden Boat Association members: boats intended for a half day out fishing or picnicking, now with extras to fit them for the voyage, particularly the canopies.  Compare Agnes at a club picnic in November (Goulburn River, a major Murray tributary) with Agnes as a voyager.
Regards,
Roderick

[Roderick Smith]

I have been a bit too slow to get up the Cobdogla - Overland Corner set.  The fleet is now crossing Lake Alexandrina.  After holding off for first light departure from the channel markers, the decision to go was made at 10.20 local time Sat.; as at 13.50: half way across, and the wind is abating.  Safe, but slow.  I went with a fleet which was fully across in 2.5 h.  Today's fleet has yet reach Point Sturt (30 km from the start), with another 16 km to Clayton.

Australia Day has become increasingly important in recent years, even if not eclipsing Anzac Day.  National pride and culture, usually celebrated in glorious sunshine.  Countless communities roll out local barbecue breakfasts, and the one at Kingston-on-Murray was as great as any.  The lengthy riverbank is lawn landscaped, with plenty of easy mooring.  We pulled in, to a free barbecue breakfast (funded by the local council, with setting up and the work done by community volunteers).  After lots of friendly time, and explaining our fleet and our boats to locals, we set forth for a morning locking.

Pure Australian humour for Australia Day.  Most overseas viewers will be lucky to get half.  <www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1cA2lBfYuc>

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

I'm still working on the rest of my photos.
Here is a 10 min video of the Berri - Loxton day, taken mainly from PV Tooraloora.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiqazqF19Fs
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

I was still working on GAIC and Goolwa when the Cumberoona relocation was announced, then the Henry Charles fire.
Continuing with the GAIC set, here are more from Mon.26.1.15 (all by me): entering and in lock 3 (Overland Corner), then continuing to Overland Corner for lunch and overnight.
The locks are quite daunting for small boats: rough concrete walls, wind funnels, currents.  Locks 1-10 were built to hold about two paddlesteamers and four barges.  Locks 11, 15 & 26 were the same width, but shorter.  The others were never built: killed by the depression.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Kingston_on_Murray - lock 3. PV IvyMay.
Lock 3. JessieII, Emm Dee, Billy T, Moonshine.
Lock 3. Sunshine, Billy T, Moonshine, Tooraloora, Ivy May.
Lock 3 - Overland Corner.  Tooraloora, Blue Moon, Billy T.
Lock 3 - Overland Corner. Tooraloora, from Jessie II.
Lock 3 - Overland Corner.  Ivy May.

[Roderick Smith]

Arriving at Overland Corner for the lunch and overnight stop.  This is where the 19th century horse-coach route from Sydney to Adelaide touched the Murray (but didn't cross).  The famous hotel dates from that era.  It has been restored, and operates again, and is a popular stopping place for voyaging vessels.  In the first few it several hundred metres from the water, and 2/3 up the hill (obscured by the nearer trees, but in front of the distant ones).  I have added a pair of 2007 photo of the hotel to show not only the history, but the immensity of the 1956 floods, which reached across the flood plain and up the hill.  On Tuesday I returned upstream to come out of the water, then trailed to Waikerie for a final night with the fleet, moored in front of PV Murray River Princess.  The final view this cluster in early-morning light on Wednesday as I trailed onwards to the boatyard at Mt Barker for routine maintenance and upgrades.  I caught up with the fleet again at Goolwa, 3 weeks later.
Mars-mostGAICboats.
Phantom-Tooraloora-Mars.
Sunshine-JessieII-IM-ED-AJ-Moonshine.
AmeliaJane.
DoanAsk-Agnes-Tooraloora.
071012F Overland Corner Hotel.
150128W Waikerie. MurrayRiverQueen-EmmDee-Sunshine-Moonshine.
Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor