PV Pride of the Murray
The PV Pride of the Murray, like many other paddle wheelers, started out life as a timber logging barge. It was built at Echuca in 1924,[2] and relaunched as a tourist vessel in 1977.[4]
 The Pride of the Murray chartered as a wedding vessel (2012) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
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| Name | Pride of the Murray |
| Namesake | PS Pride of the Murray (1865) |
| Owner | BFER Pty Ltd (Tony and Genny Nunan) |
| Operator | Murray River Paddlesteamers |
| Route | River Murray, Australia |
| Builder | Maxwell Carrington |
| Launched | 1924 |
| Reinstated | 1977 |
| Homeport | Echuca, Victoria (Australia) |
| Identification | C24 |
| Nickname(s) | The Pride, POTM |
| Status | Tourist vessel |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Side paddle wheeler |
| Length | 82 ft 6 in (25.1 m) |
| Beam | 16 ft (4.9 m) |
| Depth of hold | 5 ft (1.5 m) |
| Propulsion | Diesel |
| Notes | Data compiled from several sources[1][2][3] |
History
The Pride of the Murray was built as the timber logging barge C24, at Echuca in 1924. Constructed by C Felshaw for the Murray River Sawmills, the C24 took a team of twelve men between three and four months to complete.
In 1956, the C24 was towed upstream by the PS Oscar W for use during the construction of the new Barmah bridge. Following completion of the bridge, the barge was let go to drift downstream with the current (though still handled by two men) for five days to return to Echuca.[3]
At the end of its working life it was abandoned and sunk in the River Murray (on the Victorian bank, just upstream of the Echuca-Moama Road Rail Bridge). In May 1973, Captain Maxwell Carrington decided to restore the C24 barge, purchasing the wreck for $100.[5] Following the removal of over 250 tons of silt, the barge was refloated and repaired at the Moama slip.[2] Multiple hull planks were renewed, and two decks of accommodation were subsequentially built up.[5] The Pride of the Murray was launched as a diesel-electric passenger vessel from the Echuca Wharf slipway in 1977.[4] The helm of the PV Pride of the Murray was originally located forward on the main deck, however due to the location of passenger seating the wheel was relocated to the upper deck.[5]
The Pride of the Murray, like the PS Canberra and PS Emmylou, is operated by Murray River Paddlesteamers as a tourist attraction in Echuca. She runs hour-long journeys up and down the river daily, and is also available to charter privately.[1]
Particulars
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The Pride of the Murray has dimensions 25.1m x 4.9m x 1.5m. Her paddle-wheels were acquired from the wreck of the PS Hero, which was burned and sank in 1957.[6]
The vessel was named after the PS Pride of the Murray, a stern-wheeler paddle steamer built by Johnston and Davies at Echuca in 1865.[7]
References
- "Pride of the Murray". Murray River Paddlesteamers. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
- Christopher, Peter (2001). Paddlesteamers and Riverboats of the River Murray (Revised and enlarged ed.). Axiom Publishing. ISBN 1 86476 040 0.
- "The Pride of the Murray: A Brief History". Emmylou Paddlesteamer. Emmylou Paddlesteamer. Archived from the original on 3 July 2004. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- "Our Paddlesteamers". Echuca Moama. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- Plowman, Peter (2005). Murray Darling Paddleboats. Dural Delivery Centre: Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd. p. 62. ISBN 1877058378.
- "The History of Hero". Hero. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- "P.S. Pride of the Murray flying the 'River Murray Flag'". State Library of South Australia. 10 May 2001. Retrieved 14 June 2021.