RIVER TRIVIA
Report on boat delivery from Berri to Border Cliffs (bottom of page)
FISH:
Carp:
Usually dark brown-green in colour.
This fish differs from the golden carp by four whiskers on the side of the
mouth. This fish can be eaten but should be bled first.
These fish are NOT to be returned to the water alive.
Murray Cod:
This fish is usually a light green with
blue/green mottling on its back, head and sides. These fish have
huge mouths and can grow to approx. 2 meters in length.
Minimum legal length is 50cm minimum to 100cm maximum. Bag limit 2 and
boat limit 6. Murray Cod are the largest freshwater fish found in the
Murray.
Silver Perch:
Usually silver colour but can have touches
of brown spotted over the upper surface. Silver Perth are a protected species
and MUST BE RETURNED TO THE WATER IMMEDIATELY.
Catfish:
The skin is smooth and without
scales. Usually brown to deep green on the top with lighter colour
below. These fish have whiskers and dangerous spines on their dorsal
and pectoral areas. These fish are a PROTECTED species.
Callop:
Excellent eating. Min.
length 33cm. Bag limit 5 and Boat limit 15 fish. Normal size is
around 30 to 40 cm. Much sort after as they are considered to be excellent
eating.
Redfin:
Redfin are declared by regulations to be
exotic and it is an offence to return this fish to the water alive.
They are a good fighting and sporting fish with excellent eating
qualities. Redfin dine on Murray cod and callop. Mainly
light brown with dark brown stripes. NOT TO BE RETURNED
TO THE WATER ALIVE
Green and white arrow signs R Commercial Fishing Reach * mean that it is a restricted commercial fishing area and set aside for that purpose. The areas are marked at either end of the reach by a green arrow with white printing.
We have copies of the South Australian Recreational Fishing Guide available to our purchasing clients. The book can be obtained from Primary Industries and Resources SA or by telephoning 8226 2311. A must for all houseboats to have on board.
WHAT'S IN IT FOR ME: (the wiifm)
When you buy a houseboat from Mannum Anchorage we give you
+ Peace of mind that
you are buying a boat which has no encumbrances and
full disclosure.
+ Recommendations and contacts for all houseboat
maintenance.
+ Mannum Anchorage has now been on the river for over 20 years.
+ Innovative contractual arrangements in relation to delivery and
slipping
inspections in upper river areas.
+ Advice on mooring and berth facilities.
+ We can guide you in the right direction for finance and insurance.
+ Specialised finance facilities for survey boats without requiring
additional
security.
+ Quality boats - it's the boats that we reject that make our stock
the best.
For the vendor, we offer stress free service, knowing that the people who are going over your boat are financial, ready to buy and not just 'dreamers' - this reduces the number of viewers dramatically. We have buyers waiting and offer you maximum price with minimum fuss.
Mannum Anchorage is a member of the Houseboat Hirers Assoc.
The report on
River from Mannum to Echuca August 2003
followed by ' A 'Berri' Good trip to the border'.
Lock 10 at Wentworth
Wentworth wharf.
We have travelled through Victoria and New South Wales listing vessels which are well built, come with records and in some instances are in current survey.
Torrumbarry
Lock
Torrumbarry Weir
Bridge at Tooleybuc
Lock 15 at Robinvale
.
As at 12th August, there is approx. 12 feet of water on the down stream side of the Torrumbarry Weir. A vessel which left Mannum several weeks ago has reached Wentworth and is expected soon in Echuca.
Due to good rains, and fairly good water levels, we believe that now and over the next few months, it is going to be possible to motor a houseboat from Echuca down to Wellington at the entrance to Lake Alexandrina. Because of this, over the next two weeks we will be bringing you some of the superb vessels we have listed. We viewed quite a few boats that have too little buoyancy and other factors that would not see them pass an insurance survey in South Australia. These houseboats will not be listed by Mannum Anchorage.
Over the next 10 days or so, I will also put photographs of interest into the this section of the website so that you can view the locks and weirs on the upper reaches of the Murray. It is hoped that we will also be able to give you information on a weekly basis of water flows.
A
‘Berri’ Good Trip to the Border.
Taking on a journey to deliver a vessel from Berri to the Border in summer, tested our belief that ‘Heaven is a Houseboat”. This particular boat delivery took us to the periphery of hell and back. But as in all things, it’s the smooth reflective water, the sunrises and sunsets, flora and fauna that make it all worthwhile.
The boat delivery from Berri to Mildura was to commence on the 26th December 2002 but due to unforeseen circumstances we ended up starting the journey on the 25th January and because of time restraints went only as far as the border where the second crew took over.
Having undertaken previous delivery trips for clients, we were well aware of the lengthy preparations required, however this boat had been stripped of all furniture and fittings so our groundwork was trebled. Due to the longevity of our absence from home it was necessary to include on the manifest our two shepherds and one Burmese cat. On the housekeeping side, packing included 2 x 12/240v fridges, 2 large Eskies, 100 litres of drinking water, precooked casseroles, salad veg, dog and cat food, all crockery and cutlery, cleaning materials, blow up beds and linen, fold up chairs and innumerable odds and ends, including candles by which to dine whilst revelling in the balmy river evenings. We also carried spare ropes, fenders, tools, boarding plank, extension cords, fans, fire blanket, spare battery, 200 litres of diesel, petrol for two generators, oars and outboard for the dinghy. We had also arranged for an additional 200 litres of diesel to be available at the ‘Customs House’. This is an incomplete inventory but hopefully outlines the processes involved.
The weather forecast promised us 40+ degrees for the first two days, followed by “cooler” days in the mid 30s. Aware of the conditions in his home area, the previous owner predicted we’d hit the 50+ mark once on the river. Did this deter us? No way. The knowledge of an evaporative air cooler, which would run from one of the generators, sustained our resolve to enjoy this delivery on the beautiful 20m x 8m ‘No Fixed Address’.
‘No Fixed Address’ had been moored for several days under the auspices of Gary von Bertouch of Swan Houseboats. Gary and Cheryl’s property is one of the most accessible and beautiful on the river. The grassy banks and huge gum trees shaded the boat during the hottest part of the day. The fury fellows immersed themselves in the river whilst the cat just looked at us reproachfully. We walked through whatever sprinklers we could access and prayed for sunset. Sunset did not bring a lot of relief.
he evening was just beautiful: the coloured lights from the Berri Hotel and the bridge reflecting with increasing intensity in the dark water until a gentle breeze sprang up and wrinkled them away. This was going to be a good trip.
The previous owner arrived as promised at 0500 the next morning and we departed shortly after in the gloriously soft pre-dawn light when the pink and blue hues spread gently along the horizon. As the sun rose we travelled along wide stretches of water bounded by cliffs and river red gums reflecting in the river as we enjoyed bacon and eggs on the barbeque. Yes. What a life. The 180hp 6 cylinder Hino diesel throbbed away at a comfortable 1800rpm giving us a steady 7.7kph. At 0840 the temperature had topped the 40 degrees. Instantly our day dissolved.
A brief pit stop for the dogs preceded our arrival at Settler’s Bend. Whilst the river appears wide, it is infact a very narrow channel, currently allowing “one boat only”. It is host to snags and sandbars that move indiscriminately with no regard to their place on the chart. ‘No Fixed Address” draws 2’3 forward and 2’6 aft so we weren’t unduly concerned, although at one stage whilst waiting for another houseboat to navigate the bend we felt the light touch of a sand bar.
Sadly, the majority of attractive and inviting white sandy beaches dotted along the river banks are slowly disappearing under a cover of vegetation, due, apparently, to the lack of summer rains over the past few years to wash them clean.
As we approached Lock 5 at Paringa, the wind started rising. Approaching and entering any lock is always exciting and Lock 5 was no exception. Once the Lock Master throws down the ropes the theory is to hold the boat as close to the wall as possible. Depending on the wind, this is not always as easy as it sounds. On this day the rise was 2.9 metres. Passage through the lock took 30 minutes as a recalcitrant dinghy had to be recaptured and tethered once again. Before the Lock Master had had a chance to get all of the ropes down to us, the stern had swung across the lock, the dinghy was in danger of becoming somewhat longer and a little narrower and we were relieved when the rope broke. We spent two hours tied up to the grassy banks near River Fun Houseboats waiting for our designated time to traverse the Paringa Bridge, which has to be lifted by prior arrangement at 0930, and 1430 hrs. During this time the mercury climbed on board to over 50 degrees.
At
Paringa we took on board another 100 litres of diesel in jerry cans.
We contrived various ways of keeping cool until 1430 when we again
departed shore. Passing by the
township of Renmark we passed the working PS Industry, one of the fastest
paddle steamers on the river, moored on the great sweep of river which is
regarded as the bottom of the “top end” of the Murray.
The
572km mark heralds an interesting hairpin bend called (a misnomer on this
particular day) Whirlpool or Bedlam Corner.
At the completion of 47kms travelling we called it quits here, our
strategy being to pull into the first good, deep water patch which gave
relatively easy access to the river for the dogs. WORD OF WARNING: take great care when mooring near reeds, as
they may harbour rather unfriendly species of snakes.
When the toilet seat is too hot to sit on it can be accepted that temperatures are beyond belief. The air conditioner decided to behave like a fan forced oven and blow only hot air so the dogs surrendered themselves to the relative coolness of the river and dredged a shelf in the bank, the cat was content to lie under a wet towel and us?….we discovered the best way to cool off was at the receiving end of countless buckets of water. TIP: If you intend to travel on the river in summer, make sure your boat is well set up and the air-conditioned works effectively (under a top deck awning).
As the sun finally disappeared behind the lagoon opposite we dined on the rear deck in an eerie twilight. It was gratifying to know that we’d handled the day better than the candle! It had been a day unlike any other we’ve experienced on the river and after a final burst of energy to re-inflate our mattresses which had deflated somewhat during the day, we surrendered to the welcome moving air offered by 2 fans running off a 1 Kva Yamaha generator located on the front deck.
The next day we celebrated Australia Day by remaining moored at Bedlam in cooler conditions – the temperature on the boat came down to a refreshing 33 degrees and we started sorting out the mess. Unfortunately jet skiers and speedboats celebrated in a more aggressive manner, their noise cutting across the tranquillity of the waterway.
Unlike
other trips there was an absence of cattle and roos visible along the
riverbanks, only a few scattered sheep. Evidence
of bird life was also meagre, although we watched swooping kites competing with
Pelicans for scraps of food in the water.
Up and at it the next morning in the milky pre-dawn light, anxious to see more of this constantly unfurling river before the heat set in. The river winds its way through its own expansive flood plain, bordered by glorious red gums and box forests. Around almost every bend, superb mooring spots could be found.
The next night was spent around the corner from Chowilla woolshed. A deep water mooring and big River Red Gums provided shade and a bank high enough for us to just walk from the boat onto the shore.
Upon our approach to Lock 6 the water flowing over the lock walls made slow passage in rather tricky and the water took control of the bow section pulling it towards the fast flowing water, this sent the stern towards the bank and it was several minutes before Kevin could swing the bow into the more sheltered waters of the Lock. Once securely inside the lock gates, we rose another 2.9 metres and passed through in 22 minutes
We continued through spectacular cliffs and timbered sections offering excellent moorings with deep water, where exploration by dinghy into the creeks created when the river took a short cut, is to be encouraged. Oh to have the time.
We stopped for a late lunch the following day by a little creek only a few kilometres downstream from the Old Customs House at Border Cliffs. This was one of those spots where you would like to tie up and stay for a few days, but maybe another time when we can travel at our leisure and just enjoy the tranquillity and peace of this beautiful waterway.
Our plan to steam the additional 1km past Border Cliffs to the actual border was thwarted and taken out of our control, so in the mid afternoon heat, we undertook the nightmarish task of unloading the boat and sadly ended a wonderful journey during which we had meandered along a section of history formed over 20 million years and known to man for 30,000 years.
We were very please to find both cars had kindly been delivered to ‘The Customs House” by David and Sanni (previous owners of No Fixed Address) This part of the boat delivery side of our business takes a great deal of tactical planning and to David in particular we express our gratitude for the effort he put in to make the delivery to the new owner in Mildura an uneventful one. This beautiful vessel with its big diesel did not miss a beat in the most tenuous conditions.
The End