The Paddle Steamer Melbourne is a celebrated piece of Murray River heritage. Construction commenced in 1912 at Koondrook, and the hull was launched on 17 July 1913. Its trial run from Koondrook to Echuca was completed the week before Christmas that same year, witnessed by several Victorian Government ministers. Commissioned as a public works vessel, the Melbourne was fitted with a powerful winch to remove snags and assist in building bridges, weirs, and locks along the Murray. Its first official day in service began at the Moama slipway on 1 January 1914.

Later sold to Evans Brothers in Echuca, the Melbourne was used for picnics and excursions until 1942. From 1948 to 1964, it remained moored at Echuca, where R.J. Evans carried out major hull repairs, installed new timber decks, and waterproofed the deckhouses — work that ultimately preserved the vessel during a period when many other paddle steamers were lost.

In 1965, the Melbourne was purchased by Captain Alby Pointon and his wife Freda, who restored and reconfigured it as a passenger steamer to compete with the PS Canberra in Mildura. It embarked on its first public cruise from Mildura Wharf on 1 January 1966 and continued operating daily until the COVID-19 shutdown in March 2020.

In July 2024, the Melbourne was sold to Echuca shipwright Adam Auditori, who carried out extensive works to return the vessel to full survey in preparation for its next chapter.

A Historic Homecoming — November 2025
In November 2025, the Paddle Steamer Melbourne made its milestone journey back from Mildura to Echuca–Moama — returning to the port exactly 60 years after its departure in 1965. This homecoming marks a new era for the vessel, once again operating from the region where its story began, under the stewardship of a local family deeply connected to the river community.

Specifications
Length: 98 feet
Width: 21 feet (waterline), 40 feet (paddle width)
Capacity: 300 passengers
Engine: Twin-cylinder compound steam engine
Cruising Speed: 11 miles per hour