Where the Rivers Run

With a full day of sightseeing planned, we were on our way to the Old Port by 9.30am.  On arriving, it took us a while to find somewhere to park our bikes – and we eventually locked them at the base of the wharf.

I had booked separate tickets online for the paddlesteamer cruise and the walking tour, then found a poster offering a combination ticket at a lower price that was not available online.  I queried this at the ticket office and they agreed to refund me the $20 difference.  

It was soon time to make our way down the long ramp to board the paddlesteamer, Pevensey, for our hour cruise downstream. The old paddlesteamer retains its original steam engine and in its heyday would carry up to 120 tons of cargo, mainly wool bales which it collected from station properties and brought to Echuca wharf to be loaded onto trains to Melbourne.  Originally built in 1911, it was restored in 1973 and became famous for its role as “Philadelphia” in the mini-series, “All the Rivers Run” filmed in Echuca in the early 1980s. Upstairs, a bedroom and dining room have been preserved and the seating on the prow looked like wool bales.  One of the deckhands provided a running commentary as we passed the different paddlesteamers docked in the port area then the houseboats which have to dock further away. 

The Pevensey flew the Murray River flag, which includes four blue bars, believed to represent the Murray River and the three major navigable rivers that flow into it, Murrumbidgee, Darling and Lachlan. There is some dispute over which three rivers, given that the Lachlan River actually joins the Murumbidgee River.

At the half way point, just near Morrisons winery, the boat pulled into the mud and then used the current to reverse and turn so it could return to the port.  The Canberra passed us on our return journey, releasing extra steam as it blew its whistle in greeting.  We also passed a cute miniature paddlesteamer. 

Back at the port, we had time to grab a takeaway coffee and then joined the walking tour.  Led by Ronnie, it was a fascinating insight into the history of Echuca.  We had a quick walk through the Museum, with its miniature Pevensey and then along the foreshore, past the barge D26 with lengths of rivergum chained to the wooden logs to ensure they didn’t sink.  

We learnt a little about the mechanics of the steam engines used in the paddlesteamers and timber mill from one of the engineers who keeps the boiler running, and also takes a turn working on the paddlesteamer.  

As we discovered more about the wharf, including the flood heights, we could see the Pevensey returning from an upstream cruise.  According to our guide, this is an infrequent route, and we were delighted to have a good view of the paddlesteamer in action.  Ronnie then explained how the river system enabled the growth of the paddlesteamers which plied the rivers for some forty years until the development of the rail network made their role redundant. 

The tour finished at the Star hotel, with its hidden underground bar that remained in use even when the pub was closed by the Temperance Society. Also of interest were the wooden gutters that had been retained from the film set.  

Next stop was Morrisons Winery in Moama, some 6kms away.  We had booked lunch for 1pm so maintained a quick pace to ensure we wouldn’t be too late. The winery offers glimpses of the Murray and we enjoyed a delicious lunch of monkfish and a glass of their Pinot Grigio. 

On our way back to Echuca, we detoured via Horseshoe Lagoon and billabong part of Moama’s wetland and floodplain reserve.  Recrossing the Murray, we saw the Pevensey passing Moama beach as it headed upstream.  

After a quick stop for icecream, we wandered along the main street then took the path along the Campaspe River and out of town.  We followed the Scenic track to the junction of the Campaspe and Murray Rivers.  We had been warned that there was not much more than a trickle of water in the Campaspe so had a good idea what to expect.

From the junction, we returned to pick up the River track, a pleasant route that followed the Campaspe River to west Echuca.  We detoured briefly to pick up some supplies from the supermarket and returned to the Airbnb for a quiet night in and an eggplant parmigiana from the Rich Glen provedore.