Camp at Echuca

Our first two nights on the road was in Echuca in the north of the state on the banks of the Murray River. It is a nice town with an old port on the river where several paddle steamers are based.

Our campsite was right alongside the river.

 

So this is what we will be living in for the next 5 weeks.

River Red Gum

The banks of the river were lined with large River Red Gums with beautiful marking on their trunks.

Paddle Steamer Emmylou

 

The paddle steamer Emmylou

Echuca Wetlands

 

In the morning we went for a walk in the nearby wetlands.

PS Alexander Arbuthnot

 

We spent the afternoon cruising down the river on one of the old paddle steamers, the 'Alexander Arbuthnot'. This steamer was built in 1923 for towing logs to the nearby sawmill. It sunk in 1947 and was raised in 1972 and restored. It's powered by a 10HP Hornsby steam engine.

Paddle Steamer Engine

 

This is its steam engine for those that are interested - Roy!

The Murray at Golgol
 
We had a couple of nights in Echuca before driving west following the river for another nights stop alongside the river at Golgol.

The river was much wider here and is a popular place for water sports. It was also a bit colder here over night -2degC when we woke in the morning!