Media Release

3rd October 2002

A Story of Passion and Love!

[SBS TV Global Village 6.00 pm Thursday December 26th]

The Centenary of Federation's Source to Sea event took more than three years to plan and three months to complete. It's one of the most memorable journey's ever undertaken down Australia's greatest river  - the Murray - from it's source in the Kosciusko high country to the sea at the Murray mouth town of Goolwa.

"This is a story about passion and love - passion for old paddle steamers and love of a river," said Executive Producer Ian Doyle.

Australia has more original paddle steamers than anywhere else does in the world. Never before had such a flotilla been assembled on the Murray River. At times the fleet included more than 200 heritage and leisure craft, paddlesteamers and riverboats - some more than 100 years old.

Source to Sea - the Story of the Murray Riverboats includes memorable vision of many of the paddle steamers that took part in this historic journey, including the Oscar W, William Randell, Marion and Akuna Amphibious.

It also includes never before seen private family archival footage and historic photographs and celebrates the unique story of the Murray riverboats.

Source to Sea - the Story of the Murray Riverboats brings to life the colourful history of a number of the old riverboats and shows dedication of an increasing number of 'passionately mad' wooden boat restorers.

The documentary includes the story of steam, the hard work, the humour and the romance of the river trade in the late 1800's when several hundred paddleboats and barges opened up much of inland Australia along the Murray, Darling and Murrumbidgee Rivers.

"Compared to the stories of drovers, shearers and squatters, very little is known about the important role these boats played in the history of Australia. Things would have been much different had Lawson and Patterson written about the Murray and her riverboats as Mark Twain did about the Mississippi. It would have placed the Murray more in the centre of Australians consciousness. This documentary tells their story," said Ian Doyle.

Source to Sea - the Story of the Murray Riverboats was made with the assistance of Peter and Jan Teakle from Akuna Station and the South Australian Tourism Commission.

The documentary was produced by Ian Doyle, directed by Paul Williams and edited by Mark Middis. The location sound was recorded by Chris Alderton and the vision shot by Walkley and Logie Award winning cameraman Wayne Harley in 16:9 Digital Betacam format. The post-production was completed by Frame Set and Match and Wombat Studios.

The Source to Sea documentary will be broadcast at 6.00 pm on Thursday December 26th on Global Village on SBS TV.

Proceeds from the sale of the 67-minute director's cut video of Source to Sea - the Story of the Murray Riverboats are in support of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and can be purchased by ringing the RFDS on free call 1800 813 318

More information:

Ian Doyle
Executive Producer
0417 819 189