A HISTORIC PADDLE STEAMER HAS RETURNED TO ITS HOME AFTER A 60-YEAR ABSENCE, OFFERING TOURISTS A CHANCE TO EXPERIENCE AUTHENTIC MURRAY RIVER HERITAGE.
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The Paddle Steamer Melbourne made its milestone journey back from Mildura to Echuca-Moama in November 2025, marking a new chapter for the century-old vessel.
Now operated by a local family with deep ties to the river community, the PS Melbourne offers three distinct cruise experiences from Moama Wharf.
The vessel offers a one-hour Murray River sightseeing cruise, where passengers can watch the engineer tend the wood-fired boiler and see the original twin-cylinder steam engine in action.
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For a more extensive experience, the five-hour Murray-Goulburn Junction cruise departs Moama Wharf at 10am, travelling upstream to where the Murray and Goulburn Rivers meet.
The cruise includes a freshly prepared BBQ lunch served on board.
A 90-minute sunset cruise allows passengers to bring their own picnic, with drinks available on board.
All cruises feature live commentary from the captain or crew sharing stories of the Murray River and the vessel’s legacy.
Children 16 and under cruise free on the one-hour and sunset cruises, and all-day free parking is available.
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The paddle steamer’s history dates back to 1912 when construction commenced at Koondrook.
Its hull was launched on July 17, 1913, with the trial run from Koondrook to Echuca completed the week before Christmas that same year.
The vessel began its first official day of service at the Moama slipway on January 1, 1914.
Originally commissioned as a public works vessel, the Melbourne was fitted with a powerful winch to remove snags and assist in building bridges, weirs and locks along the Murray.
Later sold to Evans Brothers in Echuca, it was used for picnics and excursions until 1942.
From 1948 to 1964, the boat was moored at Echuca, where ongoing preservation work ultimately saved the vessel.
In 1965, the PS Melbourne was purchased by Captain Alby Pointon and his wife Freda, who restored and reconfigured it as a passenger steamer.
It embarked on its first public cruise from Mildura Wharf on January 1, 1966 and continued operating daily until March 2020.
The vessel's new owner, Echuca shipwright Adam Auditori, purchased the steamer in July 2024, and carried out extensive works to return it to full survey status.
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