PS Murray Princess 4-7th August 2026

 PS Murray Princess 4-7th August 2026

Cruising the Murray River from Mannum to Blanche Town on the PS Murray Princess. 

Largest ever Paddlewheel Steamer on the Murray. Launched in 1986 it is 65 metres long and displaces 1500 tons. It is a true paddlewheel in that the rear paddlewheel is the only source of power for forward or aft motion. But, she does have bow and stern side thrusters to give the skipper some control over it when parking or going into Lock 1 at Blanche Town. It has a capacity for 140 passengers. On our trip it was quite comfortable with 47.

PS Murray Princess. Mannum SA August 2026

First night out we paddled up the river for a few hours and tied up to a big old gum tree or two at an unnamed spot on the river. The highlight for me were the pelicans that kept flying by us we moved along. One of those moments when you don't have your camera and you don't have time to go and get it. You just have to stand there and enjoy the sight while it's there.

We kept paddling pretty well non-stop the next day to reach Blanch Town, where we had to negotiate Loch 1, built in 1922 and 1 of the 13 in total. Mind you, it's a bit of a squeeze. Loch 1 is 17 metres wide and the Princess has a beam of 15m. Breathe in!

Lock 1. Blanche Town SA. August 2026

The attraction at Blanch Town was a 'trip' to a 'winery'. We walked the one kilometre to the shop that sold wine with their label on the bottle. Enough said for shore excursions. 

We woke the ext morning to a fog of which a Londoner would be proud. You couldn't see the road bridge from the back of the boat, may be 50 metres away.

Blanche Town Road Bridge is out there, somewhere.

The boat is of course equipped with all the latest radars and sonars and collision detection gizmos, so fog was no problem and we promptly left and headed back down stream, through the lock and sailed on to Swan Reach. As we had been here only a few day before, we couldn't understand why it was a port-of-call, but most seemed excited to be there! Actually we walked around the road and found the museum, which was really good. Others seemed miffed that the advertised 'op shop' was actually closed for renovations.

Swan Reach SA. August 2026

We 'secured' later that day at Sunnybank, in the Big Bend of the river. At Sunnybank we had an excursion to a sheep-show place. It's not a sheep station, they just seem to have a bunch of different sheep and have devised this show for the two cruise ships that come here every week. The show was a bit of fun: a sheep got shorn, we saw a passing parade of a bunch of different sheep, and we witnessed a sheep auction and sheep race...     A sheep race? OK, so they bring three 'racing' sheep into the arena, each with a name on their back, one was called Lambchops or something. Then they get people to bid on each sheep. And people did! About $30 each to secure your sheep for the big race. All money into the pot, winner takes all. The race: they start on one side of the stage and basically finish on the other. There was a 'photo' finish and the pot awarded to the winner. After such excitement we went outside, saw the kids do some whip-cracking and then were allowed to look at the collection of 'antiques'. Oh well, a ride in a cart and a bit of a diversion.

The evening dinner was a BBQ served up in the purpose built round corral area. the crew put on a bit of a show, making music with all kinds of odd things: tongs from the kitchen, buckets for drums, a shovel etc. Finished when the skipper led them all out playing a recorders Pied Piper fashion. All a bit of fun.  Biggest attraction was the fire pit.

Fire Pit. Sunnybank, Big Bend SA August 2026

Next day we stopped at the Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal Heritage Information Site. We walked the 50 metres to the viewing platform of the Men's Camp and given the talk about the rock carvings and the history.

Sam the guide. Ngaut Ngaut SA August 2026

A moon and a spear signifies that this is a men's camp. Ngaut Ngaut SA August 2026

And then we had a similar chat at the women's camp...

Our guide. Ngaut Ngaut SA, August 2026

The sun. Women's camp. Ngaut Ngaut SA, August 2026

Toward the end of the last leg toward Mannum, we were treated to a speed-boat ride. Well in the ship's tender really, but with 225 hp out the back and an expert bosun at the controls, it was quite a bit of fun. Even got drenched as we plunged back and forth through the bow waves of the mother ship.

'Speed boat' ride! 

The Murray river is a bit of a surprise, in that there are huge towering cliffs  around every corner, and almost every flat space on either bank covered with wall to wall weekender shacks. Not really shacks, mostly very nice looking two story home-away-from-home holiday retreats.

Murray River cliffs. August 2026

Being on the boat was quite good fun, plenty of time to read and chill out in the lounge or in the cabin. They had an entertainer who organised bingo and trivia and a 'horse' race to keep us amused. Judy and I ended up dancing after dinner for an hour or so. The meals were OK, but not great enough to get excited about. We were especially miffed when one lunch was a choice of two chilli based asian meals, and no alternates, which made a joke of having to specify food preferences when filling out the forms.There was a white bread dinner roll served with lunch and dinner, and despite specifically stating that Judy did not eat white bread and requested multigrain, it came in the form of a thin slice of multigrain toast, but one when asked for every time. 

Oh well, wasn't a bad way to spend a few days: cruising along the river and watching the world go by.