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Cruising the Murray

16 Jun 2014

Twenty-nine Probus members and friends from Edithvale Combined, left Edithvale heading towards Mannum in South Australia, to spend five days cruising on the PS Murray Princess.

The group stayed at the Mannum Motel overnight and after breakfast were given a guided tour of the town, and the PS Mary Lou and the associated museum. After lunch members boarded the Murray Princess, were shown to their cabins and then explored the vessel.

The Murray Princess departed Mannum heading upstream for our first night’s mooring at Caurnamont. Dinner that night, like all the other nights was delicious and plentiful.

The Captain’s Dinner on the final night was a seafood extravaganza, beautifully presented with dry ice steaming out from under the servery doors and from around the platters and bowls when the doors were opened.

The four days on board were filled with on board and on-shore activities. A talk from the captain about paddle steamers, pioneers and engineers who tamed the Murray, bingo and a trivia quiz filled in an idle hour or two. Just watching the scenery, tall cliffs or billabongs, varying from side to side of the river as it curved back and forth, was beautiful and relaxing. It was fascinating to watch the bird life. The crew would throw meat to whistling kites who swept in and took the morsels in mid-air. Games of cards were played, books were read and plenty of cups of coffee were consumed.

On-shore excursions included a guided tour of the Burk Salter vineyard with tasting, a bush tucker breakfast at Sunnydale. Also at Sunnydale, members were entertained by a sheep shearing demonstration. They also have a wildlife rehabilitation centre there so Probians got up close and personal with kangaroos, wombats and emus. The group was also given the opportunity to go out after dark to see what could be seen by spotlight.

On the last full day aboard, the ship moored at Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Conservation Park which is one of the most significant aboriginal digs in Australia. The tribal elders have returned both to protect their Dreaming place and to share its mysteries with others. There was a flat walk to look at rock carvings and hear about the tribes, while the fitter among the group could climb the many steps to the cliff top and hear more about the dig and the local history.

On leaving the Murray Princess, the group headed for Penola, where they had afternoon tea at the St. Mary MacKillop Centre while they heard her story and then were free to wander through the centre. Dinner and bed at Narracoorte, then home to Edithvale after a very relaxing and entertaining tour.