Our History
Our History
Our Story
Since our first cruises in 1996, Murray River Paddlesteamers has proudly become a leading name in authentic river cruising along Australia’s iconic Murray River. What began with a single vessel has grown into a fleet of heritage paddlesteamers offering unforgettable journeys through time, history, and nature.
In 2003, after a year-long restoration, the historic PS Canberra returned to steam power — becoming the only known vessel on the Murray River to have been converted back to steam. In 2018, we upgraded the beloved PS Emmylou with eight luxury cabins, all with ensuites, making her the world’s only wood-fired paddlesteamer offering multi-day cruising experiences.
A new chapter began in 2015 when brothers Craig and Rohan Burgess, alongside local identity and skipper Neil Hutchinson, acquired the business. Under their leadership, the company has grown from strength to strength, earning Gold at the Regional Tourism Awards in 2016 and Silver at the Victorian Tourism Awards in 2018.
As we look to the future, we are proud to announce that our fleet is expanding once more. The PS Australian Star, our most ambitious vessel yet, is currently under construction. She will deliver an unparalleled level of luxury and craftsmanship to Murray River cruising. And joining her will be the newly announced PS Australian Sky — her sister ship — continuing our vision of blending heritage charm with modern comfort.
Today, we offer a diverse range of cruising experiences aboard our fleet of traditional paddlesteamers — from one-hour sightseeing cruises and dining experiences to immersive overnight journeys aboard PS Emmylou. Each cruise features live historical commentary from our skippers and is designed to connect guests with the rich heritage of Australia’s greatest river.
At Murray River Paddlesteamers, we are proud custodians of river history — and even prouder to share it with you, delivered with our signature country hospitality.
We look forward to welcoming you aboard and helping you experience the Murray River like never before.
Echuca Moama
Echuca was founded by an ex-convict named Henry Hopwood, who, after serving time in Port Arthur, worked in a tallow plant on the New South Wales side of the Murray River. In 1850 he built a bark and slab hotel on the Victorian side of the Murray and purchased a small punt to ferry people back and forth from his hotel. In just 16 years, Hopwood helped build a town, known today as Echuca.
Much of Echuca’s history is linked to the river. Being the closest town on the river to Melbourne, the Port of Echuca, built in 1865, quickly became the largest inland port in Australia. With the riverboats able to reach inland settlements, the area prospered, and the Murray became a river highway for delivering wool, fruit, mail, other supplies and later passengers – and even towing barges filled with livestock. At the height of its trading days, the Port of Echuca had more than 240 boats traded from its docks.
In the early 1900s, as rail and road transport fastened, the slower river trade slowly declined. These days, a cruise on a paddle steamer or a visit to the historic Port of Echuca is the best way to get a glimpse into the river’s illustrious past.
Today, Echuca Moama, the twin towns on either side of the Murray, offers not only a glance into Australia’s colonial history and river trade history, but a great range of eateries and bars to indulge in, live music festivals, wineries, many outdoor activities and of course, our favourite, a beautiful sunset over the river.
The Murray River
It’s not difficult to understand how the Murray River got her moniker ‘the Mighty Murray’. She stretches over 2,000 kilometres from Kosciusko National Park in New South Wales, through Victoria, to Goolwa, South Australia. The Murray River is the world’s third-longest navigable river, behind the Nile and the Amazon.
Aboriginal communities lived alongside the river for more than 40,000 years, and you can still see evidence of Aboriginal habitation dating back thousands of years. Today, the Murray plays a significant role in the agricultural industry for much of inland Victoria and is a significant water supply for more than 1.5 million households.
The Murray offers a unique destination to discover one of Australia’s beautiful regions; the riverside towns, the wildlife, and of course, a cruise on an old paddle steamer.
