This is being organised around a core of private Echuca paddleboats, but will be joining and joined by local boats along the way.
It is an anything-goes rally: any boat with a sociable crew will be welcome.  The title photo shows three boats: one paddle, one launch (my Jessie II) and one pontoon houseboat.  Hirers won't let pontoon ones through tricky sections.  For an international visitor, the only hire boat would be a River Wren from Riverglen Marina.  That company does wonders twinning hirers for extended voyages.  It would certainly be a grand adventure, and you would see almost every paddleboat which exists on the river.  I am in diabolical time trouble, as it sits in the gap between my Brazil holiday and another China one.  I have done all the water before, and almost certainly will not be taking Jessie II, even though that is the sort of event for which I did buy my own boat.  I expect to launch at Goolwa for the festival, and head to Clayton to meet the fleet.
<www.murrayriver.com.au/great-australian-inland-cruise-2015>

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

This weekend (20 & 21.9.14) has the Echuca railway 150th anniversary, with a special steam train from Melbourne and local shuttle trips.  The port had hoped that the train would be allowed on the wharf line.  I don't know what the boats are doing as part of the celebration.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Easter 2014 fireworks sailpast: <www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lh3m9y_19I&feature=em-subs_digest>.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

I gave advance warning; the event commences in Echuca this Monday, 24.11: 9.00 am for ceremonial photographs, then 10.00 departure.
www.murrayriver.com.au/great-australian-inland-cruise-2015
There are about five paddleboats and tensmaller launches starting in Echuca, with about five and ten more joining along the way.
I expect to be present for 1 week in January, possibly Berri - Overland Corner.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

PV Black Shag pulled out of Echuca this morning (Thurs.20.11), to lie in wait for the main fleet at Barmah.
Current planning until Christmas is:
Paddleboats in the fleet:
From Echuca:
PV Billy T
PS James Maiden (wooden hull)
PV Black Shag
PV Ivy May
PV Tooraloora (two deck; the largest vessel in the fleet)
PV  Amelia Jane
Joining at Swan Hill: possibly PV Iron Dry.
Joining at Mildura: PV Shay, PV Settler, PV Shiralee and possibly PV Miralie.
Plus various locals joining for a day or two.
Plus about 15 launches/yachts: one third starting at Echuca, two thirds joining from Mildura or below.  About eight other owners are offering as crew.
Current key dates are:
Mon.24.11, leave Echuca on an environmental release of Eildon water.
Wed.26: Morning through Torrumbarry lock.
Fri.28: Barmah bridge (but that may switch to Sat.)
Sun.30: Murrabit bridge.
Tues.2 & Wed.3.12: At Swan Hill.
Thurs.4: Swan Hill bridge and Nyah Bridge.
Fri.5: Tooleybuc  bridge
Mon.8: Boundary Bend.
Fri.12-Sat.13: Robinvale.
Sun.14: Euston lock.
Tues.16: Colignan.
Thurs.18: Psyche Bend.  interesting part of the river      
Fri.19: Into Mildura, juggle transport home for Christmas & New Year.
The resumption is expected to be on 4.1.15.

Hot from our man in the field this morning.
141120Th Echuca: Black Shag leaving for Goolwa.  (M Snell)

Thanks for the info Roderick. Is there a full itinerary online? I wouldn't mind seeing the fleet somewhere in the Riverland.

Stephen.

The program was rewritten for 10.00 formalities; 11.00 departure.  The formalities were swift, and departure was at 10.30.  A storm cut across central Victoria in the early afternoon, and did hit the Murray too.  The fleet had tied up for lunch, then didn't get much further.  The target of 52 km, Deep Creek Marina (with a bistro) wasn't achieved.  That won't impact on Tuesday, which was planned to be a short day.  Hence a 50-30 split becomes more a 40-40.
The photo: 141124M Echuca, GAIC fleet.  M Snell (crewing Pevensey).
10.22 Monday, the fleet ready to cast off
Clockwise:
Amelia Jane
James Maiden (has been to Goolwa before)
(Britannia, rear, not going, and heading for slipping with the wet dock now clear again)
Moonshine (same hull as my Jessie II, but different superstructure)
Tooraloora
(Alexander Arbuthnot, not going, just tied up there for convenience)
Ivy May
Mars
Billy T (the instigator of the event, and will become the most-travelled in the fleet, as it was launched at Yarrawonga in 2003).
Ranger (just for day 1, or perhaps Torrumbarry?)
Agnes
Sunshine
not showing: Black Shag (at Barham already, and now continuing without waiting)

Post edit: My two fellow Wooden Boat Association members.  These were the large boats in a club rally 2 weeks earlier (mainly dinghies); now they are the small members of the fleet, with just enough cabin space to sleep two, then a picnic kitchen and portaloo at the rear, and a pushbike for getting supplies or heading to a pub.  Only few places have the shops directly opposite the moorings.

Here are the rest of Michael's Mon.24.11 photos.
One taken before the formalities has a boat missing left of frame, and two obscured by others.
The panorama posted yesterday was taken from PS Pevensey as it rounded up at 10.22 to head downstream.  The owners were walking back to their boats for a 10.30 cast off.
The next set show boats passing Pevensey as it rounded up, and returned upstream.
Torrumbarry today (Tuesday) is an easy run.  Locking will be at around 9.30 on Wednesday.

I edited the earlier post two include the two small wooden boats from the Victorian division of WBA.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

PV Black Shag reached Swan Hill on Wed.26.11.  The rest of the fleet came through Torrumbarry lock, heading for a bush camp.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

My contact arrived at Torrumbarry too late for the locking, which started at 8.00 on Wednesday, and had finished by 9.05 (when he arrived).
After a bush camp, arrival at Barham was around 12.00 on Thursday.
The bridge lifting was at 9.30 on Friday.  Tooraloora had drifted onto a sand bank, but was pulled off by Billy T in time for the bridging.  Murrabit bridge was opened for 15.00.
The fleet spent the night just downstream of the bridge.
After a further bush camp, the fleet would reach Swan Hill on Sun.30.11.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Is there any media with them filming for a documentary Roderick?

QuoteRecording the trip on video
◾We plan to film the trip from land, sea and air as the basis for a documentary on the cruise
◾All participants will be required to sign an undertaking to be included in the film and to accept the event risks; this will help reduce our insurance bill for the trip

http://www.murrayriver.com.au/great-australian-inland-cruise-2015

Sounds like a great trip.

The fleet left Swan Hill on Mon.1.12 afternoon, with a bush camp somewhere, Nyah bridge on Tues.2.12 morning, to Wood Wood for the night, then to Tooleybuc today (Wed.3.12.).  Tooraloora had suffered gearbox trouble, and stayed 40 km about Swan Hill, with James Maiden as company.  With the problem fixed, the duo reached Swan Hill on Tuesday afternoon, and came through the bridge at 9.30 this morning.  They are faster, and are averaging 10 km/h: that puts them through Nyah bridge at 14.30 today, and they catch up with the fleet for dinner tonight.  The Tooleybuc bridging is booked for 9.30 Thursday.  So far there have been no additions, and no dropouts, but opportunity has been made to exploit VLine train/bus connections for crew changeovers.  At Swan Hill, a local pontoon joined as an escort for about 1 km.  It seems that Black Shag is preceding the whole way to Mildura, possibly because of Christmas time commitments.  Enclosed are four Swan Hill views from Michael, which I can share.  Other views have been sent to me privately, but not for sharing.
141201M SwanHill (all from Michael Snell):
* Agnes, pontoon, Mars, Billy T, Sunshine, Moonshine, Ivy May, Iron Dry (not joining), Amelia Jane.
* Agnes, Sunshine, Mars, Amelia Jane, Iron Dry, Billy T.
* Ivy May, Mars, Iron Dry, Billy T.
* Agnes, Ivy May, Iron Dry.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor

Great  reporting and Pic's many thanks Roderick

The fleet reached Boundary Bend on Sat.6.12.  Two boats are now running ahead: Black Shag and Amelia Jane.  I suspect that they have time pressure in December and must reach Mildura promptly.
For a photo, see <www.facebook.com/groups/260527864150656>.

Roderick B Smith
Rail News Victoria Editor