The PS Alexander Arbuthnot joined the fleet at the Port of Echuca in 1994. Photo: Campaspe Shire Council.
Step back in time to the days of Echuca’s bustling steam trade and cruise the Murray River with Echuca Paddlesteamers.
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Whether it’s the PS Alexander Arbuthnot or the PS Pevensey, both authentic paddle steamers with their original steam engines, the experience is a must for any Echuca-Moama visitor.
The historic boats take off from the Port of Echuca, which was the third largest port in Australia outside Sydney and Melbourne in the 1870s.
It’s also where the 1980s TV series All the Rivers Run was set, which starred the PS Pevensey as the fictional paddle steamer PS Philadelphia.
In her heyday, the Pevensey carted bales of wool from station properties to the Echuca Wharf before it was transferred on trains to Melbourne.
The Pevensey returned to cruising the Murray River for the first time in two years in late 2021 after a transformation back to her original colours.
The PS Pevensey gained fame starring as the fictional paddle steamer PS Philadelphia in TV series All the Rivers Run.
Photo by
Steve Huntley
It also saw the upstairs fitted out with traditionally-themed rooms and a tribute to All the Rivers Run including a look behind-the-scenes and original relics.
Echuca Paddlesteamers also offers functions on the Pevensey, accommodating up to 100 guests.
The Arbuthnot is a smaller steamer, named after the former owner of the Arbuthnot Sawmills in Koondrook, a town downstream from Echuca.
The Arbuthnot was used to tow barges loaded with red gum logs upstream from the mill.
After being used to cart charcoal during World War II, the Arbuthnot eventually sank before being rescued by a group of volunteers.
In 1989 she was bought by the then Echuca City Council and was recommissioned, joining the fleet at the Port of Echuca in 1994.
Echuca Paddlesteamers cruise daily with tickets available at the Port of Echuca Discovery Centre or by calling 5481 2832.
For more information, visit: www.echucapaddlesteamers.net.au or email enquiries@echucapaddlesteamers.net.au
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