The government paved the way on Monday, September 28, for paddle-steamers and Victorian houseboat operators to resume operations, with regional Victorians able to board without a permit if they have not been to a COVID-19 hotspot in the prior 14 days.
But the same cannot be said for those who operate from the NSW side of the river, who cannot accept passengers from Victoria.
Still, Murray River Paddlesteamers director Rohan Burgess, who has been at the forefront of campaigning for the river's re-opening and is based at Echuca, said the news was a game-changer.
“It's been a huge community effort,” he said.
“So many people within not only the tourism industry but around our towns have done their bit to make sure our voices were heard. It's been a hard slog, but we've been able to get there.”
Mr Burgess said re-opening to the remainder of regional Victoria was essential.
“About 40 per cent of our business comes from regional Victoria,” he said.
“Since essentially March we've had nothing. Now we have close to half our customers returning and that gives us the opportunity to begin to rebuild.”
Mr Burgess said the flow-on impact would also be great for the community.
“This brings more people into our town, which means they go to restaurants, cafés and shops while they are here. It's extra money coming into the economy, which will be great for the recovery of the whole town.”
Campaspe Shire Council chief executive Declan Moore said opening the river was a great outcome for Echuca businesses.
“We welcome the announcement to no longer require a border pass to use the Murray River, and acknowledge and thank the NSW Government and the two state border commissioners for their efforts in this regard,” he said.
“It will be fantastic to see the local tourism industry safely coming back to life, injecting much-needed financial support into local businesses and into our community generally.
“The announcement means that boats, including council’s PS Alexander Arbuthnot, can now operate without requiring a NSW border permit for passengers to board.”
Mr Moore said the news was a big step forward for tourism in the town.
“Opening up the river to all regional Victorians is an extremely important step towards rebuilding visitation to our region,” he said.
“With large volumes of people likely to be gathering at tourism hotspots, council reminds everyone to maintain social distancing, wear face masks and keep washing your hands, in line with the Chief Health Officer’s advice.
“Campaspe is open for business and invites all regional Victorians to come for a visit.”
While Victorian operators are celebrating, operators over the river are desperate for support from the NSW Government.
Luxury on the Murray houseboats owner David Grubb, based at Moama, said while the announcement was a step in the right direction, he and other NSW operators were continuing to hurt.
“We operate, as do a few others, from the NSW side of the river,” he said.
“We can't get people on our boats. It's a step in the right direction for those based on the Victorian banks, but it's still no good for us.
“I can't just take boats across the other side and safely load people on raw river bank with luggage and groceries. It simply can't be done.”
Mr Grubb called on the NSW Government to help its own residents.
“We need them to allow regional Victorians across the river to access NSW businesses on the river,” he said.
“Until that happens, we're still in the same position and we are going to continue to suffer as a result.”
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