The longest river in Australia, the 2,500km Murray River forms much of the border between the states of New South Wales and Victoria. Never particularly wide or deep it was still an important transport link in the second half of the 19th century. Echuca was an important port on the Murray, and is now home to largest number of operating paddle steamers in the world.
Along with newer, outboard motor powered boats, though they’re more like floating sheds. A law from the turn of the 19th century prevents anyone living on a boat for more than six weeks, so these are holiday rentals, mainly used for boozy weekends away from Melbourne.
We took a two hour cruise on the PS Emmylou, a very relaxing way to travel at a top speed of 4kmph up and down the Murray River.
A slightly less relaxing, but as enjoyable, way to explore the Murray River was an evening run along it’s banks, on a wonderfully twisty and undulating dirt path through the bush.
Echuca is also filled with some wonderful heritage architecture.
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