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The
Echuca Wharf was built as part of the
Echuca port complex between 1865-67, with later extensions,for the Victorian Public Works Department by G. Dwyer and Co. following completion of the railway from
Bendigo in 1864.
The wharf is now 75.5 long and is constructed from river red gum felled and milled locally.
The wharf is over ten metres high to allow for variations in winter and summer river levels, allowing goods to be unloaded all year round.
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It attests to the critical role that the river trade played in the pastoral boom and in the rapid economic growth and development of the colonies during this time, which ultimately led to Federation. Today
the wharf is still operational with three tourist cruising paddle-steamers leaving from
the wharf daily.
Port of
Echuca boasts the
Murray River’s largest fleet of authentic Paddle Steamers.
Restored at Port of
Echuca, PS Pevensey, PS
Adelaide and PS Alexander are unique vessels equipped with original steam engines.
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The PS Pevensey was originally built as the barge ”Mascot” in 1909, and then converted to a steamer in 1910. She was built in Moama for Permewan Wright and Company, one of the largest ship owners on the river. Powered by a 20 h.p. twin high pressure steam engine, the Pevensey is a large capacity cargo/tow boat and was capable of carrying 120 tons in giant holds. In 1932 she was almost destroyed by fire at Koraleigh Landing below Nyah, but was rebuilt in 1933-35 at
Morgan, South Australia. In 1939 she ran a regular cargo run between
Morgan and
Mildura before becoming redundant and being tied up at
Mildura. In 1973 the
Echuca City Council purchased her from the Collins brothers and steamed her back to
Echuca. In 1975 she was slipped at Moama and completely restored. She now operated from the Port of
Echuca and was used in the mini series “All the Rivers Run” playing the PS Philadelphia.
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Built at
Echuca, P.S.
Adelaide is the oldest wooden hulled paddlesteamer still operating in the World! Built in 1866, the
Adelaide was originally fitted out to accommodate passengers on the run from
Echuca to Albury. In 1873 she was refitted as a logging steamers and her semi circular paddle boxes where replaced by square ones. Owned by
Murray River Sawmills, she towed log barges to the Barmah Forest where they were loaded and drifted back downstream to
Echuca. She left the town briefly during the 1950's but later was brought back to
Echuca as a community effort in 1960. 1964 saw her lifted from the water and put to rest in
Echuca's Hopwood Gardens, where she lay for 20 years. However, in 1980 restoration commenced and she was recommissioned in 1985.
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The Alexander Arbuthnot was one of the last steamers built on the Murray during the riverboat trade. She was built at Koondrook in 1923 to tow barges carrying logs from the forest to the Arbuthnot Sawmills for some years until the 1940’s when she was sold to charcoal producers in the Barmah Forest. During WW2 the 'A.A.' lay idle and in 1947 sank at her moorings. In 1972 she was raised by a group of Shepparton volunteers. The 'A.A' was bought by the City of
Echuca in 1989 for restoration at the Port.
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