Ted Egan's Paddleboats Of The Murray River

The mighty Murray River was the highway to the opening up of much of the pastoral country of western NSW and Victoria. The development of the paddle steamer and the navigation of the Murray and Darling rivers brought the inland to life.
In 1853 the South Australian government saw that the Murray could be an inland highway and offered a reward of two thousand pounds for the first person to take a steamboat to the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers.
For years the river trade flourished and railways were constructed to the river from Melbourne and Adelaide to collect the valuable wool cargo and to transport it to the world.
These days the cargo that uses the river is tourism. And the leisure industry has seen a whole new flotilla of luxury shipping take to the Murray's waters.

[@acersalman8258]

very very beautiful ❤

[@fandangofandango2022]

Great History / Loved it.

[@rodericksmith8218]

Beautiful and authentic: people, boats and places which I know, but they were much younger when this program was made. I've taken my boat from the top of Lake Hume to the mouth. Tinnies and kayakers have done that from even higher up. I have covered 1000 km of the river on assorted paddlesteamers. Viewers can do sections in hired houseboats, sections in preserved paddlesteamers, or the whole length in day boats in four programs.

[@traktorworks3200]

well a surprisingly excellent commentary. clear, not over bearing, friendly and just very easy going. loved the whole video.

[@James-kv6kb]

It's so sad we don't allow professionals to make television anymore especially when they showed the real Australia not just the eastern states

[@joshuaclaridge1991]

Kinda reminds me of Ted and derreck on the boat.

[@grahamrobson3616]

So great to know he still alive and kicking. Sad to think how many great characters like him are gone. Malcolm Douglas, Jack Absalom, Steve Erwin R.I.P.

[@gregjohnson1123]

Great stuff

[@rjl110919581]

THANK YOU FOR LOVE DETAIL HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA LIFE IN BUSH

[@yeads6401]

Love it musical documentary Nice one Ted

[@smitajky]

The locks were put it to enable navigation by river boats through much more of the year. Instead of only flood times. And the railway to Echuca actually lead to the boom times for the river boats. The river voyages were shorter and so more economic. Even when I arrived here red gum from the Barmah forest was still being brought to multiple working saw mills at Echuca by these paddleboats. That would have been a hundred years after the railway was first built.

[@bandonaboattv2826]

Great bit of history in this video :) Team BOAB tv

[@alanhill4334]

Great narration.

[@rayunseitig6367]

fun

[@dianestevens626]

Would love to go there

[@bricktorianrailways5765]

Emmylou featured is the only Emmylou ever built for the river therefor not a replica :)

[@bjorn1583]

how can the first rail to the river happen in 1864 in echuca when the first australian public railway (also the first in australia to be built with iron rail) was between goolwa and port elliot for the sole purpose of getting goods and people to and from the river and the sea port which was done in 1854, 10 years before echuca got rail. the rail link between goolwa and elliot is why the murry became a highway. at least l see why they didnt go any further south than mannum or they would have to tell the truth.

[@baritonebynight]

Glad the PS Marion is back in service again where she belongs.

[@jazzridez]

Me thinks the paddle wheel is there just for looks. What powers the movement?

[@lisamoose3016]

Paddle powers the ship the paddles is powered by a steam engine

[@lukeslocomotives8521]

The Rothbery winning the race is completely unfair! It is diesel powered. They put three diesel boats against two steam boats. Who do you think is going to win!?!? TOTALLY UNFAIR. Steam Power all the way.

[@bjorn1583]

its almost as dodgy as saying that echuca was the first rail to the river