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Restoration Underway on 102-Year-Old Pride of the Murray Paddleboat After Sinking in Queensland
Restoration work has begun on the 102-year-old wooden paddleboat Pride of the Murray, which was transported from Victoria to Longreach, Queensland, in 2022 and sank in the Thomson River in March 2023. The vessel remained submerged for nearly six months before being refloated in September 2023. Workers are stripping and resealing the timber, with plans to allow public access by the end of May.
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LONGREACH, Queensland — The Pride of the Murray, a 102-year-old wooden paddleboat, is undergoing restoration after sinking in the Thomson River in outback Queensland. The vessel was transported approximately 1,750 kilometers from Echuca, Victoria, to Longreach in 2022 for tourism purposes. It sank in March 2023 and remained submerged for nearly six months until it was refloated in September 2023.
Workers from a Longreach tourism operator have started cleaning, stripping back, and resealing the timber structure. The restoration is expected to take several months. The estimated cost of the work exceeds $1.5 million, according to project organizer Mr. Kinnon.
Retired carpenter John Higgins, who is assisting with the restoration, noted that much of the timber remains in good condition despite the submersion. Higgins, who typically restores horse-drawn coaches, described the process of removing silt and damaged materials from the water-logged vessel.
Higgins reported that non-timber materials, such as chipboard, deteriorated significantly after prolonged exposure to water, becoming soft and fragile. However, the original timber, sourced from high-quality materials no longer available, has held up well. Assisting Higgins is Joshua Uphof, a local who previously lived in Echuca and followed the boat's relocation.
The project gained public interest after social media posts in recent months, with Mr. Kinnon stating that responses have been substantial. The boat's history includes prior incidents, though details on earlier sinkings were not specified in available reports.
Long-term plans for the Pride of the Murray remain undecided, but initial goals include allowing tourists to board the vessel by the end of May. Unlike its original use, the restored boat will not offer river cruises. The restoration aims to preserve the historic paddleboat for display in Longreach, supporting local tourism efforts.
