Paddle Boats : Murray River Paddle Steamers : The Alexander Arbuthnot

Some views taken around the Alexander Arbuthnot paddle steamer on the Murray River around Echuca. The boat was buit by the Arbuthnot Sawmill in Koondrook as a barge in 1916. A wood fuelled Ruston & Hornsby10 hp engine was fitted in 1923. It was then used to tow barges to the forest to collect logs for the sawmill until the 1940's. It was then sold to Charcoal producers in Barmah, who used it to bring bagged charcoal to the wharf at Echuca during World War 2. In 1947 after the war had ended the AA was no longer needed and retired, and eventually sank.
In 1972 a group on volunteers from Shepparton raised the AA for use in a theme park. In 1989 the AA was bought by the Echuca City Council, and was restored and re entered service in 1994.

[@blackthorne57]

What a wondeful craft. The Murray River seems to be full of paddle steamers. Thanks for recording and sharing this gem with us.

[@forkdriver500]

I could watch all day and not get bored :)

[@toby621]

tv series all the rivers run
great show

[@trevortrevortsr2]

thank you for posting such a wonderful video

[@rogerpacific8824]

That was great. Very good video.

[@emd645e3c]

No worries, glad someone enjoyed it.

[@FA7273]

That was Tops Thankyou

[@captlarry-3525]

hell of a large boiler.

[@emd645e3c]

Must of been over 20 years or so.

[@gbowne1]

Yeah used to be plenty of steamers there.

[@catw0rld]

Yeah, that's what I'd like to know. The engine and everything was under water? Or was it just scuttled beside a dock or somewhere shallow?
I can't imagine those brass parts spending much time underwater and coming out in the like new condition they appear to be...

[@DAKOTA56777]

Is that a traction engine boiler?

[@christopherd2100]

Can't guarantee but I wouldn't be surprised. Alot of these old steamers were, and perhaps still are, powered by converted traction engines.

[@mdavid1955]

Neat! How long was the steamer sunk?

[@kullotskies]

wow