The Echuca Story
The paddle-steamer days back in 1865 to 1910 were a boom time for Echuca. From the earliest days of Echuca’s history, growth and development of the area has been intimately linked with the Murray River System.
The very name Echuca is indicative of the vital role rivers have played in the town’s existence - an aboriginal word meaning “Meeting of the Waters”. Echuca is situated close to the junction of the Goulburn, Campaspe and Murray Rivers.
Echuca was founded by one of the most enterprising characters of the early colonial days, an ex-convict named Henry Hopwood. In 1850 he bought a small punt, which operated across the Murray near the Campaspe junction. Originally known as “Hopwood’s Ferry” it was changed to Echuca as the town grew.
Hopwood worked to establish a town, which eventually had a major influence on the development of the great inland river system. When he died in 1869 he left a thriving town where nothing had existed 16 years earlier, when he built his first slab Inn.
Echuca’s close proximity to Melbourne and the ambitions of the city’s founder, led to the Port of Echuca becoming the largest inland port in Australia. The riverboat trade was of national importance because it had the effect of opening up inland Australia for settlement and thereby increasing the country’s production of wool.
When the rail link was established with Melbourne in 1864, Echuca, being the closest point on The Murray to Melbourne, grew rapidly. Paddlesteamers traded along the Murray – Darling River system, bringing wool from isolated stations in outback Australia to the railhead at Echuca, for eventual sale and shipping overseas. During the boon period, products worth a quarter million pounds were handled annually. For many years Echuca was the main ship building center for the river transport industry. As the ship building industry grew, so did the demand for red gum as a durable timber for wharf piles, railway sleepers and building materials.
In the 1870’s the district supported a dozen mills cutting in excess of 1000 logs each week. Felling was carried out in the Barmah, Moira and Perricoota forests surrounding Echuca. Before long the two industries began to rely on each other.
The riverboat days boomed at Echuca – until the great depression of the 1890’s. As the railways were extended in New South Wales and road transport improved, the river trade declined and the old wharf, built in 1865, was defunct by the 1920’s.
By an accident of good fortune Echuca’s subsequent growth moved away from the river, leaving the old wharf and the original buildings in decay but intact.
Now the old Port of Echuca has been restored and the passenger carrying cargo steamers “Pevensey”, “Adelaide” and “Alexander Arbuthtnot” and the barge “Ada” and the century old buildings such as the Bond Store, the Customs House, the Star Hotel and the Bridge Hotel are open for inspection and business once again. The entire Port Area was declared an historic precinct in 1975.
There are lots of stories to be told about the riverboats and the colourful characters that crewed them. Stories too about the customs strife between Colonies that helped shape the free trade provisions of the Australian constitution.
The recommissioning of the “P.S. Adelaide” on October 29th 1985, by Prince Charles and Princess Diana was another step in the direction of illuminating that heritage and establishing it as another unique and special aspect of the Australian cultural identity.
While the Murray river still provides the life blood of the region as a playground used by traditional Paddlesteamers, powerboats, canoes, fisherman and swimmers, other attractions, wineries, museums, vast expanses of lush native forests, absorbing examples of historical architecture and many venues for sporting and cultural pursuits all make today’s Echuca the exciting holiday destination that it has become.
Today’s visitors are able to wander through yesteryear, whilst still enjoying the comforts we have learnt to love.