Murray River Queen
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Australia | |
| Name | Murray River Queen |
| Builder | Keith Veenstra |
| Laid down | 1972 |
| Completed | 1974 |
| In service | 1974 |
| Out of service | 1993 |
| Status | Floating restaurant at Renmark |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | River boat |
| Tonnage | 878.97 |
| Length | 156.36 feet (47.66 m) |
| Beam | 26 feet (7.9 m) |
| Depth | 7.7 feet (2.3 m) |
| Installed power | 205 horsepower (153 kW) |
| Propulsion | Side paddle wheels |
| Speed | 14 kilometres per hour (7.6 kn) |
Murray River Queen is an Australian paddle ship built at Hindmarsh Island in 1974 as a luxury passenger cruise boat. She was a tourist boat carrying passengers on the Murray River in South Australia. For many years, her home port was Goolwa where she offered week-long cruises operated by her builders, the Veenstra family. She was the first of several large boats built by the Veenstras for the Murray River, they later also built the MV Murray Explorer and PS Murray Princess.
Murray River Queen retired from regular service in 1993, and spent ten years initially as a floating hotel at Goolwa,[1] then stored near Mannum. In 2003, she was moved to Waikerie, South Australia, running dinner cruises and occasional longer trips until 2012. For three years she operated as a working hostel for backpackers, then as nostalgic accommodation and a restaurant.[2]
In August 2017, the Murray River Queen was moved from Waikerie 200 km upstream to Renmark. As the ship was no longer registered and legal to cruise under her own power, the journey was made mostly under tow from the PS Oscar W, a 109-year-old paddlesteamer that used to tow barges of wool from stations to the markets.[3] The Murray River Queen will be moored at the Renmark town dock as a tourist attraction[4] after some maintenance in the dry dock on Ral Ral Creek.
The Queen became Moored in Renmark, operating as a restaurant and bar. She formerly offered accommodation and live music on the top deck on weekends. In June 2021, D Neale became the new owner of the Murray River Queen, and the rooms onboard the vessel were soon restored. An onboard café, Kings on Queen, currently operates while The Queen awaits appproval for liqour licensing.[5]
Technical details
Registration:
- Registration Opened: 1979
- Registration Closed: Current
- Registered Number: 385271
- Owner (at time of registration): Murray River Queen Pty Ltd.
Measurements:
- Engine: 205 Hp (Diesel)
- Dimensions: Length 156.36, Breadth 26, Depth 7.7 (feet)
- Tonnage: 878.97
- Construction: Steel
References
- ^ Christopher, Peter (2001). Paddlesteamers and Riverboats of the River Murray (2 ed.). Axiom Publishing. p. 17. ISBN 1864760400.
- ^ "Murray River Queen, Riverland". Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ "Little Oscar W's royal tow to Renmark". Victor Harbor Times. Fairfax Regional Media. 16 August 2017. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ Evins, Brittany (17 August 2017). "Murray River Queen finds new home at Renmark after 200-kilometre tow from Oscar W". ABC News. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
- ^ "History". The Murray River Queen. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
- Marshal, Brian (1988). Paddle boats of the Murray-Darling River System. Mercury Publishing.
- "Murray River Queen: In the Riverland region of South Australia". Postcards from South Australia: Channel Nine television show. World Wide Web Architects Pty Ltd. Archived from the original on 16 June 2005. Retrieved 17 July 2007.
External links
- "Waikerie Murray River Queen". Retrieved 17 July 2007.