The historic, wood-fired, Paddle Steamer Marion will be making six short cruises from its home port of Mannum on February 23 and 24. 

The cruises will be staged in conjunction with the Mannum Big River Fishing Competition. 

They will offer one of the few chances to travel aboard the fully-restored, 105-year-old, three-deck, 20-cabin, passenger steamer until next summer because bookings are already heavy for cruises to be held on March 9 and 10.  Only six cruises on May 4 and 5 are scheduled after that until January 2003. 

One-hour cruises will start each day at 11am and 12.30pm and 1½ hour cruises at 2pm. 

Fares for the one-hour cruises are $11 for adults, $2 for children and $25 for families, GST included. Fares for the 1½ hour cruises are $16 for adults, $3 for children and $36 for families, GST included. 

Morning and afternoon teas are available at $3.30 a person, GST included. 

The Marion is part of the Mannum Dock Museum development which features the Museum of River History, an art gallery and the Randell Dry Dock. 

Cruise bookings: Mannum Tourist Information Centre T: 08 8569 1303 

Media enquiries: 

Veronica Jones-Ingram  
Executive Officer
Mannum Dock Museum
Tel 08 8569 2733

Chris Snow
Communication Consultant
CA Snow & Associates
Tel 03 9459 5700

PS Marion, Randell Dry Dock, Mannum Dock Museum of River History – Background

Paddle Steamer Marion

The fully-restored, 105-year-old, three-deck, PS Marion is the world’s only remaining original wood-fired passenger steamer with overnight accommodation.

Built at Milang, on Lake Alexandrina, Marion was initially a floating store, operating on the Darling River for Wentworth storekeepers, Wm Bowring & Co. In 1908, Marion was sold to irrigation pioneer Ben Chaffey, of Renmark, who had her superstructure rebuilt to carry cargo and eight passengers.

The Murray River Shipping Company owned her from 1919 until the company was liquidated in 1952, gradually converting her to an all-passenger boat used for holiday cruises in tandem with the PS Gem. Several owners in the next decade saw her finish her working days as a boarding house at Berri.

In 1963 the National Trust bought Marion and steamed her to Mannum on what was thought to be her ‘last historic voyage’. For more than 25 years Marion lay in the Randell Dry Dock at Mannum until a 1989 public meeting decided that she should be fully restored to operational condition.

About 100,000 hours of voluntary labour resulted in 68% of her hull being replaced, the boiler re-tubed, a new ash tray fitted and the smoke box rebuilt. The engine, built in 1900, was dismantled and rebuilt, the paddle wheels rebuilt and the original 110-volt DC power plant restored to working order. The cabins were restored to their 1940s condition when Marion was in her heyday as a passenger boat.

After a symbolic ‘refloating’ in 1992, Marion was re-commissioned in 1994.

Marion is cared for and crewed by volunteers.

Specifications:  Length: 107ft  11in.  Decks: Three. Weight: 157.31 tons. Beam: 22ft 7in. Overall width (inc. paddle boxes): 38ft. Hull depth: 5ft 3in. Engine: Marshall & Sons, common non-condensing, semi-portable type, 2-cylinders (each 11in by 16in. stroke), spur gear drive, NHP 20, IHP 120. Boiler: Marshal & Sons, 120 PSI.  Accommodation: 17 twin bunk passenger cabins and three crew cabins, two passenger lounges, dining room, galley.  

The Randell Dry Dock

Built in 1873, the Dock has in recent years been cleaned, the removal of 500 cubic metres of debris and sludge revealing timber walls, trestles, hinged gate and rollers in excellent condition. Specifications: 144ft long, 44ft wide and 9ft deep. 

The Mannum Dock Museum of River History

The Museum includes the Mannum Visitors’ Centre and a state-of-the-art, air-conditioned, art gallery is housed in a former garage which has been redeveloped and refurbished. It features literary and pictorial histories of: the river; the Ngarrindjeri people; the early white explorers; the river’s first paddle steamer - Captain William Randell’s PS Mary Ann; the river trade; and the major river floods. It also features Aboriginal artefacts, the Mary Ann’s boiler, a miniature wharf, sandbags used during ‘floods’, a collection of river vessels and a Mannum-built, David Shearer stripper. A theatrette and an outdoor viewing platform from which visitors can see the PS Marion and the Randall Dry Dock are also features of the building which was opened on April 27, 2001. 

Enquiries:

Veronica Jones-Ingram, Executive Officer, Mannum Dock Museum Tel 08 8569 2733

Chris Snow, Communication Consultant, Tel 03 9459 5700 

Go to Mannum Dock