Echuca (Australia), QEII jubilee rally

[Roderick Smith]

The two posts cover everything.  I was planning to have Jessie II there, but am more likely to be on PV Struggler.
Were any paddlesteamers in the Thames event?

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Queen's Diamond Jubilee
On Sun.12, 1000 vessels will dress ship and steam along Thames River in central London in a great maritime pageant to celebrate the queen's 60 years on the throne.
Several paddleboat owners have expressed interest in creating a similar event on the Murray at Echuca.  The current concept would be for all vessels to be dressed with bunting and steam, in line, during daytime, from a point at Victoria Park upstream to the Echuca-Moama bridge and to encourage the community to view the parade.  Crews and passengers would be encouraged to dress in costume relevant to 1952 and the lead and last boat could carry brass/ pipe bands playing appropriate music.
The date will be Mon.11.6 (Queens Birthday long weekend), commencing at 11.00.  Further information Warwick Turner (warwickatechuca @ bigpond.com).

Queen's Diamond Jubilee River Pageant on Murray River, Mon.11.6. 12.
A spectacular will be held on Murray River, featuring all types of rivercraft to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.
Paddlesteamers, speed boats, canoes, fishing boats and houseboats are all invited to participate in the pageant to honour the Queen in her 60th year of service.  In the spirit of the occasion all boats participating are encouraged to fly appropriate bunting and flags.
The idea was the brainchild of steam and boat enthusiast Warwick Turner after learning that, on 3.6, Britain will celebrate this occasion with a 1000 boat pageant on River Thames.  Warwick said, "When I read about this event in England, I thought, we could do something similar on the Murray River here in Echuca to help celebrate the occasion. Having support from the paddlesteamers was also a great start."
"The Echuca Steam Rally will be held on Sat. 9 & Sun. 10.6, so it was perfect timing to hold the event, given that many people interested in steam will be in town," Warwick said.
All types of vessels are encouraged to attend. To date the pageant has confirmation from the PS Adelaide, PS Emmylou, PS Pevensey, PS Canberra, PV Pride of the Murray, PS Struggler, PS Ranger, PS Henry Charles and PS Barmah.
The River Pageant will cruise from Victoria Park Boat Ramp to the Echuca-Moama Bridge commencing at 11.00.
Those wishing to view the spectacle from the riverbank should visit areas such as Riverboat Dock, Echuca Wharf, Echuca Boat Ramp and the Onion Patch.
The Queen succeeded King George VI in 1952, and was crowned in 1953, so visitors and residents are encouraged to dress in 1950s style.  Carters of Echuca will provide a $100 voucher for the best dressed family.
Local car clubs have also been invited to display their vehicles in Murray Esplanade between 10.30 and 13.00.
To register your boat or for more information please contact Warwick Turner.
Belinda Owen, Major Events Officer, Shire of Campaspe
Box 35, Echuca VIC 3564, b.owen@campaspe.vic.gov.au, www.campaspe.vic.gov.au, www.facebook.com/ShireOfCampaspe

[Barry]

Some photos from the QE II jubilee regatta held today at Echuca. Eleven paddlers on the water Adelaide, Barmah, Billy Tea, Canberra, Emmy Lou, Henry Charles, Hero, Pevensey, Pride of the Murray, Ranger and Struggler.

[Barry]

A few more. And G'day Roderick that was me yelling out to you from the Pevensey.

[Barry]

A few more.

[Roderick Smith]

What an excellent selection from Barry.  It was a great day: good weather, an excellent range of boats (nearly all decorated), a large crowd lining the vantage points, and most waving flags.  I was Michael's guest aboard PV Struggler.  Many people thought that it was a steamer: the wooden stove in the cabin was fired up and providing welcome warmth.  In the first of Barry's photos of me, I am still in needed-warm clothing.  A light fog soon cleared, the sun strengthened, and I was able to change into my 1950s outfit by the time the fleet was assembling.  The authentic sleeveless jumper was one worn by my father in the era.  Another nice touch was three acrobatic aircraft (a prewar Stearman from an Echuca owner, and two 1950s Yaks) which came over in close formation for a few passes, and did a peel manoeuvre.  My photo selection has been made to complement Barry's, showing the various boats which were not paddlesteamers, also the aircraft (I put up a paddlesteamer photo on an aviation group).   The only boat which I missed was SL St Elmo (from Kerang), which was launching as the parade dispersed.  Five paddleboats at the port weren't out and about: PS Etona (in one of Barry's photos), PS Alexander Arbuthnot (tied up at the wharf), PV Tooraloora (stuck in the wet dock), PS/PV Britannia (stuck in the wet dock) and PV (PS?) Pericoota (blocked by the others in the wet dock).
Echuca Federal Band was playing on the foredeck of PS Adelaide: God save the Queen, Rule Britannia and other suitable tunes.  I did take a 62 MB clip, but it is silent (I don't know why the sound wasn't picked up).

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[michael]

Great photo's of a great day, had a great time on the river with family friends and other vessels and the great weather, couldn't ask for much more, god save the queen!

[Spankbucket]

Hi all

The BBC had exclusive rights to the Jubilee River Pageant and so, in their usual way, presented dumbed-down, jokey, 'outreaching', multiculturally-focussed coverage. Although many boats were shown, often in long shot, it was impossible to see any thing in detail so I'm still none the wiser if any paddlers were included.

They made little or no mention of the 'Little Ships' of Dunkirk and I tried, but failed, to spot my local entry, the historic Whitby lifeboat that played a key role in the rescue of passengers from the 'Rohilla' in WW1.   

BTW...just to correct something quoted earlier...The Queen succeeded to the Throne immediately upon the death of her father in Feb 1952. The Coronation took place in June 1953, well over a year later. I concede though that both dates definitely fell in the '50's!

Cheers...Bernie

[derekwarner_decoy]

Thanks Roderick.....

[stephenf10]

Disappointing to see the Etona still sitting sad and silent. Does anyone know what the story is? Will she ever move under her own steam again?

Stephen.

[Roderick Smith]

Etona's owner has retired from his pharmacy, which could be an ominous sign for future funding.  I don't know: it hasn't been a topic during gossip sessions of the rumour mill.

Echuca was a highly appropriate venue for the pageant for another reason, not just for being able to assemble a major fleet.
In her 1954 tour of Australia, the first by a reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth's royal train visited Echuca, and halted at a specially-built platform on the wharf line, behind the civic centre.  That was an era when paddlesteamers were moribund and forgotten: the nation was obsessed with being 'modern'.
The main reason for being there was that the line formed part of a circular route around the state, linking major provincial centres.  On Fri.5.3, the train had started from an overnight stay at Goorambat.  The royal party came cross country by car from Benalla to Tatura to reboard.  The train was at Echuca civic hall platform 14.00-14.20 for a civic reception, then continued towards Bendigo, and finished the day at Ballarat Racecourse platform.

From what I could see on Saturday, the platform has only just been demolished, to make way for the construction of a new municipal library.
School trains used to come onto the wharf line during term time, to give the students the shortest walk.  I don't know where they pulled up.
The line was closed (and dismantled?).  Reinstatement was a 1988 bicentennial project, but dragged.  I have been there on one of the very few (only two?) special trains to traverse the line after it was reopened.  It is now dormant again.

I don't think that paddlesteamers have formed part of any subsequent royal tour, although various heritage sites have been visited.  Prince Charles drove a preserved Bendigo tram on one tour.  QEII had a civic reception aboard ex-Sydney steam ferry South Steyne on one Melbourne visit.

Post edit: The first royal visit to Australia was by Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, the second son of Queen Victoria.  Unlikely to succeed to the throne, he carved out a successful naval career. V&A Dock (Cape Town, South Africa) is not the familiar Victoria & Albert; it is Victoria and Alfred.  In ~1867, Alfred commanded HMS Galatea on one or two major world goodwill tours, binding the empire together.  I checked: it was a screw ship, not paddle.  During his stay in Melbourne, he was taken to Bendigo on the recently-opened railway (1862 completion).  It had reached Echuca by 1864, but I don't think that the prince went beyond Bendigo.

The photo (in two magnifications/croppings) was taken by my father during a family caravanning holiday.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

There is a folio of photos at
http://www.mmg.com.au/galleries?showGalleryId=20469
Many were taken by the owner of PV Tooraloora, unable to get out of the wet dock.  He was standing on the historic 1870s bridge.
There is a good one showing the full complement aboard PV Struggler.

In the background of one of Barry's photos, you will see one other paddleboat which didn't participate: Amelia Jane (a modern-houseboat style, with paddle propulsion).

I enclose a photo of the three vessels stranded in the wet dock: Perricoota, Britannia & Tooraloora.  A week earlier, they could have got out.  A coming project this year is the dredging of the sandbar which blocks the entry.  This photo was the first of the day as the sun was burning off the last of the morning mist/fog, and gentle wood smoke was rising from the paddlesteamers preparing for the day's activity.

Post Edit: Wed.13.3 Echuca Riverine Herald has devoted three half-pages to the event.  Apart from the cover photo, the largest of the interior photos was of PV Struggler: dressed with red, white& blue bunting and all relevant flags, and with the skipper and his passengers matching the 1950s theme.

Further post edit: I have added the last of the paddleboats in port, but not participating, PV Amelia Jane.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Roderick Smith]

The three-page Riverine Herald article came as a 7 MB pdf.  I tried trimming it by cropping the advertisements, and it went to 10 MB.
I split it into three pages, still too large for a forum post, but couldn't find a way of uploading to the files section.
I have now cropped and shrunk to the largest which fits into the limit for the forum section, done as jpg.

Now to focus on the PS Melbourne centenary, Aug.-Sept.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Spankbucket]

Hi Road

Great pictures and looks like a wonderful event...I'm jealous!!

What is the flag you're flying in one of the earlier pictures please?...the one with the Union Jack, English red cross and blue striped background??

Regards.......Bernie

[Roderick Smith]

The flag in question is an upper Murray flag.  The stripes represent the major tributaries, but I am not sure which ones.  The majors are the Darling, Lachlan, Murrumbidgee and Goulburn, but the Lachlan was not used much for navigation.
See: http://www.murrayriver.com.au/about-the-murray/murray-river-flag
The combined flag has become the main upper Murray flag today.  It is flown by all commercial vessels, and most private ones when cruising normally, not just at rallies.
The lower Murray flag is slightly different, but has the same symbolism.  River people regard the transition as Wentworth: where the Darling joins the Murray.
When PS Ruby was voyaging to Renmark in 2011, it was flying a lower Murray flag.
In my section of the photo album, you can see something of everything.
Britannia is displaying a full Union Jack, an upper Murray and the Victorian state flag.
Tooraloora is flying an Australian flag on the stern, an upper Murray on the bow, and the 1953-72 Northern Ireland flag below it (the country from which the owner came).
On Struggler, Michael was flying an upper Murray on the stempost, an Australian on the towpost, with a small Union Jack above it, and small Union Jacks on each paddlebox.
Outside the wharf booking office, the port was flying an Australian and an upper Murray, on two posts: I guess that that is daily routine.

Post edit: Disaster typo Island now turned into correct Ireland.  The owner was from Erin, not Kiwi.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

[Spankbucket]

Thanks Rod...and apologies for the typo in your name in my previous post.

A very thorough explanation.

You have made me think of Geography lessons in the mid-50's when we did the 'Murray Darling Plain'. I paid so little attention to it that I was made to get up in front of the class and do a presentation, complete with map,  on what I had learnt!! Now I would have found the content relevant and interesting..but I didn't know that back then!!!

Thanks again......Bernie