It all started with a dream and a bucket list when we first met, this is how our adventure came about on the Murray River. We both love the serenity of the water and boats. With a milestone birthday and our anniversary coming around, making it special was the order of the day. We decided to mix both and booked a cruise on the Murray River on the beautiful Murray Princess. To make it extra special the cruise was Christmas in July. Beginning in Mannum SA, named from an aboriginal word interpretation being "Place of many ducks".
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| The Murray Princess, Mannum |
Driving into the car park and catching our first glimpse, there she sat so elegantly on the water, the Murray Princess. What a beauty. It was almost like stepping back in time and you were dressed in the fashion of the 1800's. Long flowing dresses and a lace parasol to keep the sun off your face. You can feel the excitement building, just thinking that you were about to begin an adventure up the beautiful Murray River, like people did in years gone by.
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| Dinner setting. |
Friday was boarding day, and you are instructed to place your bags near the walkway and when it is time the porters and staff on the boat take your bags to your cabin to wait for you to formerly arrive. We were taken to the lounge area to register and wait to be personally shown to our cabin. In the lounge area you find a small store of items and souvenirs to purchase, and a kitchen area where you can make yourself a cup of tea/coffee and water bottles, a bowl of packets of biscuits to enjoy while relaxing in the lounge. The top lounge has lovely views while sitting and relaxing, there is also a small library and some items of interest. Our cabin was lovely, clean and tidy with ensuite. On the bench waiting were water bottles, cups with the Murray Princess on the side (these were ours to take home), 2 lanyards with a key to our cabin and a badge with our names - cabin number and table number for dinner. For dinner you sat at the table on your badge, other meals you were allowed to sit with other passengers at any table to mingle and make friends.
Breakfast was a buffet selection of cold and hot food, as well as cereal and porridge, fruit, toast and fruit loaf. Some lovely juices along with the lovely coffee and variety of tea for you to select.
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| Christmas tree |
Each day there was a special cocktail created for us to enjoy. We tried each one. The first one was "The Procrastinating Pelican". Oh, so yummy and delicious. These may change with each cruise, so check with the lovely bar staff for the current cocktail and selection. The menu was set out each day with a buffet breakfast, 2 course meal for lunch and dinner. Christmas dinner was a lovely buffet of food from Prawns to oysters, selection of meats, salads, fruit and cheese with the daily cocktail an Espresso Martini. There was also a gift bag given to each passenger from Santa or the Grinch.
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| Wooden Paddle. |
There was an itinerary for each day left in your cabin and at night a chocolate was left on your bed. Each day had various activities to do, should you wish to join in. From a coach tour to Monarto Safari Park, shopping in the nearby township of Murray Bridge, tour on the Hummingbird boat, Bingo, trivia night or Bocce on the shore. You can do as little or as much as you choose to do. Maybe you like to sit in the lounge and read or chat with the person next to you, or watch the river slowly go by and take in the scenery. The beautiful limestone cliffs, soaring hawks and at night groups of pelicans resting in the water around the boat. Such a lovely sight.
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| A menu for selection |
While cruising down the river we were entertained by some lovely singing and jokes by a great entertainer. There was also some history about the Murray River. While walking along the salt flats, we were shown a tree that had a flood line from the 2022 floods, the tree next to it had a canoe cut from the bark. The crew member explained how they would remove the bark from the tree. It was not a quick process as you might split the bark. The limestone cliffs were covered in a white coral-like substance and in some places a grey mould, giving the cliffs a look of dripping icing along the edges.
There is a wealth of history along the Murray River. Starting in 1853 at Noa No Landing with William Randal launching the P.S. Mary Ann, the first paddle steamer on the river. Paddle Steamers were originally used to carry goods to stations and towns along the river, then bringing bales of wool back to be sold. As time progressed the paddle steamers would have had to deal with the change of transport, e.g. the size of trucks that are able to transport a larger cargo than the paddle steamer. The costs involved, droughts and water taken from the river for irrigation. Grapes, almonds and fruit trees are grown along the river as well as general farming. The Murray River is and was a busy river for all that was happening from the early time to the present day.
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| Sandstone cliffs |
Along the cliff faces if you look you may be able to see small fossils and shells buried in the limestone cliffs, homes of small birds that make the river home. To think that one day the river was very wide and flowing without breaks. There has sure been a change in the environment along with the ever-changing farming practices and growth in how much food is produced along the river.
🐸🐸 Our question is will you travel along the Murray River on a paddle steamer, houseboat or maybe camp along the river like many campers do?
🐸🐸 Do you enjoy sitting under a shady tree and watching the world go by or dropping a line in the water and hope for a fish?
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