Above : Avoca seen at Mildura in 2011. Photo by kind courtesy of Malcolm Oliver
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HISTORICAL STEAM BOATS LATER CONVERTED TO DIESEL POWER
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Above : Avoca seen at Mildura in 2011. Photo by kind courtesy of Malcolm Oliver |
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Above : Coonawarra, seen above at Mildura in 2011 by Malcolm Oliver |
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1881 |
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Mildura |
Operated by Mildura Paddlesteamers | |
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Coonawarra |
1884 |
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Mildura |
Rebuilt in 1950 from the remains of the hull of the barge "JL Roberts" |
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Avoca |
1877 |
1957 |
Mildura |
Length : 111 ft 3 in, breadth : 21 ft 3 in Built at Milang for the transport of cargo, she was moved in 1891 to the St Vincent Gulf and concentrated on carrying wheat. She returned to the Murray and eventually became a tourist showboat before being purchased in 1957 by Eric Doecke and his son Gavin of Murray Bridge from the Collins family. The boat was converted from steam to diesel. The Doeckes sold Avoca in 1974 and she was moved to Mildura. Sold at aution on 11/4/12 to local restauranteur Simon Harrington for AUS$ 55k, having been owned by businessman and Mildura Brewery owner Stefano de Pieri. Sank at her moorings at Mildura on 25/4/14 after power cut shut off bilge pumps and she lies half-submerged. Dispute over ownership as sale transaction had not been completed at the time of the sinking. Successfully raised on 7th August 2014 |
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Pyap |
1896 |
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Swan Hill |
Steam engine temporarily re-used in modern-build vessel Mundoo. Offers cruises on the Murray from The Swan Hill Pioneer Settlement attraction. |
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Mayflower |
1884 |
1998 |
Mannum |
Restored over 2014-16 by volunteers to her 1913 appearance (when it was a fishing boat at Renmark) after purchase by the Mannum Dock Museum. Served many owners at different ports on the Murray in a long and varied history and is now expected to offer passenger trips for the first ime in 40 years following re-introduction at the All Steamed Up Festival at Mannum Dock in November 2016 Owned by the Mannum Dock Museum of River History |
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VESSEL |
BUILT |
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LOCATION |
NOTES |
WEBSITE |
OTHER WEBSITES |
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Akuna Amphibious |
1875 |
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Akuna Station |
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Iron Dry |
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Amphibious |
1876 |
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Echuca |
Owned by Tim Mills since 1916 and moved to Echuca in 2019, she sank at her moorings in May 2020 |
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MODERN BOATS WITH DIESEL POWER BUT ORIGINALLY BUILT WITH STEAM ENGINES
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1987 |
Mildura |
Intially fitted with steam engine dates from 1892 (ex-Pyap) Operated by Mildura Paddlesteamers |
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| William the Fourth | 1987 | Newcastle, NSW | Built as a close approximation of Australia's first coastal steamship built in the 1830s. 32.3 m long. Her engines were based on original side-lever engines. Out of service from 2001-06 with boiler problems, the Newcastle city council decided to scrap her. A new enthusiast-run organisation, William the Fourth Inc bought the ship and were able to renovate her and she returned to service in November 2018. New diesels were installed to power her, with the steam machinery remaining in place but not used. She runs harbour cruises in Newcastle and is available for charter | Click | |
| Thomson Belle | 1982 | Longreach, QLD | A Murray-river styled paddle steamer built as Ginger Belle which first ran in association with a ginger factory on the Maroochy River. Later transported overland to the Thomson river and worked out of Longreach by tour operators Kinnon & Co, as Thomson Belle. Originally fitted with a steam engine but now has a Ford-Lees diesel unit. Now sailing with Outback Pioneers Cruises | Click | |
| Cobba | 2012 | Thompson's Beach, Cobram Barooga, VIC | 12 metres x 7.6 metres powered by a 110HP Perkins diesel with independent 15KW geared electic motors on each wheel. Built by Danny Dunn owner of Cobram Barooga Boat Hire Company to offer short cruises on the Murray River | Click |
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Diesel Paddle Vessels (conversions from steam)Return to
