MEDIA RELEASE 

July 1, 2015

DVD tells the story of Australian’s Paddle Steamers

An entertaining, historically significant and informative DVD Source to Sea – the Story of the Murray Riverboats was launched at the National Museum of Australia (NMA) in Canberra in 2003 and was shown as part of the NMA’s public program. The launch coincided with the 150th anniversary of the start of the river trade in 1853 and highlighted the significant role played by vessels like the NMA’s PS Enterprise.

“The documentary was also used by the NMA to inform their volunteer staff about the significant role played by the riverboats in opening up Australia’s inland river system, as well as giving them a solid background to the history of the development of the Murray and the critical issues facing the Murray Darling Basin,” Executive Producer Ian Doyle said.

The documentary in various lengths has been aired nationally on ABC TV, SBS’s Global Village, Network 7’s The World Around Us, the Foxtel History Channel and on Qantas InFlight.

“As well as the 150th anniversary of the river trade, the DVD was produced in 2003 to coincide with the 125th birthday of the NMA’s PS Enterprise and the 75th anniversary of the Royal Flying Doctor Service,” Ian Doyle said.

The 104 minute DVD, sold in support of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, has special features including extended interviews with river skippers, the history of the river in black & white, the rhythm of steam, a montage of the paddle steamers and individual scene selection.

The September 14th launch date was an important milestone in history of the Murray Riverboats. It was on that date 150 years before that the first two paddle steamers met just above the junction with the Murrumbidgee River on their maiden voyages.

The Randell and Cadell River Run re-enactment during August and September 2003 commemorated this historic event involving Captain William Randell and Captain Francis Cadell and their paddle steamers the PS Mary Ann and the PS Lady Augusta.

Replicas of both these historic riverboats and fifteen large steamers and heritagevessels from three States took part in the celebrations. Along the length of the Murray, various riverboats were restored in time for this historic journey.

Australia has more original, wooden, steam-powered paddle steamers than anywhere else in the world. The last time they gathered in such numbers was for the Centenary of Federation’s Source to Sea celebrations in 2001. Documentary makers Ian Doyle and Paul Williams followed the flotilla and produced Source to Sea – the Story of the Murray Riverboats.

“It’s a story about passion and love - passion for old paddle steamers and love of a river. We were extremely fortunate to gain access to private archival footage from the Robinson family at Chowilla Station and historic photographs from the Rod Williams Collection at the Mannum Heritage Centre. The documentary celebrates the unique and largely untold story of the Murray paddle steamers,” Ian Doyle said.

Source to Sea - the Story of the Murray Riverboats brings to life the remarkable history of a number of the old paddle steamers and shows the dedication of an increasing number of 'passionately mad' wooden boat restorers who are refloating and restoring sunken treasures along the Murray.

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 paddle steamers and barges opened up much of inland Australia along the Murray, Darling and Murrumbidgee Rivers.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that the ‘Father of the Murray River trade’ title should go to the visionary farmer from Gumeracha William Randell. His PS Mary Ann was the first boat launched on the Murray in 1853 and while he didn’t get to Swan Hill before Cadell, he did it largely by himself. I’ve also no doubt that many good bottles of port were consumed during the Randell and Cadell River Run arguing the case for both of these pioneering river men,” Ian Doyle said.

Part proceeds from the sale of the documentary are in support of the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

More information:

Ian Doyle                     Jenny Burton
Executive Producer       Marketing Manager
Source to Sea              RFDS
0417 819 189               08 8238 3333