Happy days: The Pride of the Murray on the Thomson River in Longreach. Photo: Outback Pioneers
Police are investigating the circumstances behind the Pride of the Murray’s sinking in Longreach on Monday morning.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
The 99-year-old paddlesteamer, which was relocated from its long-time Echuca home to central-west Queensland last year, had been moored on the Thomson River.
Only the roof now remains visible.
Heartbreaking: The roof of the Pride of the Murray is just visible after it sank to the bottom of the Thomson River in Longreach on Monday. Photo: 7 News
Longreach police Senior Sergeant Chris Smith said officers received a call shortly after 7am on March 6.
“A kayaker was paddling past about 7.15am and noticed that the paddlesteamer had tilted,” Sen Sgt Smith said.
“We were on the scene within the half-hour and by that time you could only just see the roof.”
Sen Sgt Smith said police were treating the incident as suspicious.
“The area is a crime scene at the moment because we don’t know what has happened,” he said.
Sen Sgt Smith said local detectives had launched an investigation, with relevant agencies, including Maritime Safety Queensland and the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, notified.
Police are hopeful salvage experts will help retrieve the boat within the next seven to 10 days.
Outback Pioneers, owner of the Pride of the Murray, issued a public statement on Monday.
Company co-founder Richard Kinnon was optimistic the iconic boat could be retrieved.
“We will do whatever is necessary to ensure our guests still have a fantastic cruise experience in Longreach,” Mr Kinnon told the ABC.
“This is a setback, but not the end of the story.”
Outback Pioneers said it would contact tourists who had already booked tours on the boat, and its other vessels were still operating.
Memories: Richard Kinnon with the Pride of the Murray in Longreach, Queensland.
Photo by
Contributed
This is the latest chapter in a storied history for the Pride of the Murray.
Built in 1924 as a barge to tow behind other boats, the Pride of the Murray was named after the original PS Pride of the Murray.
It later had an engine added to transport timber to the mill in Echuca.
When no longer needed for timber duties, the Pride of the Murray was sunk in the Murray.
In 1973, Captain Maxwell Carrington decided she was worth restoring and purchased the boat for $100.
Four years later, the now revitalised diesel-electric passenger boat was relaunched from the Echuca Wharf and began her new life as a tourist vessel.
The Pride of the Murray arrived in Longreach in June 2022 after a lengthy journey from Echuca.
A team of 40 people, including expert truck drivers, a police escort and power workers to lift low-hanging lines, helped with the journey.
The boat underwent restoration works before hitting the water under the care of the renowned Longreach tourism company.
The Thomson River supplies water to the residents of Longreach, a town of more than 3000 people.
The Pride of the Murray’s sinking comes just weeks from the start of the peak tourist season for central-west Queensland.
22°C