Victoria, Australia: Nostalgic nature experience on the Murray River

Get inspiration for your tour through the realm of the koalas.

In the Australian state of Victoria, the world's only wood-fired cruise paddle steamer PS Emmylou offers an adventure on the water that is both close to nature and luxurious. The maximum of 18 passengers can experience the charm of the 18th century without having to forego modern comforts. The legendary Paddle Steamer (PS) Emmylou recently underwent a comprehensive upgrade of its cabins with en-suite bathrooms, fine fabrics and plenty of plush to make you feel at home. New itineraries from two to four nights are on offer - on request as a package from/to Melbourne or incorporated into self-drive tours. The boutique riverboat sails its guests from Echuca to untouched nature and historic sites along the Murray River - Australia's Mississippi.


With just nine cabins, the historic PS Emmylou is a riverboat for individualists.
She is the only remaining wood-fired paddle steamer in the world that offers multi-day overnight trips on the Murray River. Of the once 110 paddle steamers of the early 1800s, only five wood-fired ones remain. Only the PS Emmylou offers overnight trips - now even more comfortable and with new routes following extensive renovation. The Murray River, "Australia's Mississippi", is the third longest navigable river in the world. On the slow tour along the northern border of the state of Victoria, nature lovers travel back in time on the historic paddle steamer and also experience Australia's rich wildlife.


The two to four-night cruises on the Emmylou
take passengers for the first time to the forests of Barnah National Park with the world's largest occurrence of red eucalyptus and to the Barmah Wetlands, which have been declared a World Heritage Site. Also new to the offer is an excursion with an environmental specialist on the tributaries of the Murray with its 230 bird species. Due to its small size, the PS Emmylou can easily moor along the route. There are shore excursions to renowned river wineries and cultural monuments. The new anchorage is Perricoota Station, a revitalized farmstead from the 1860s. A nature and nostalgia experience on the Murray also includes romantic dinners on the banks and campfires under the starry sky. On board, luxurious furnishings such as silk bed linen in the contemporary cabins ensure a pleasant stay. Travelers in the spacious Emmylou Suite enjoy a private deck with 180-degree views of the river.


The home port of the PS Emmylou is Echuca, around 200 kilometers north of Melbourne.
Australia's largest fleet of paddle steamers is based here and in the sister city of Moama (New South Wales) on the opposite shore. Other departures on the Victoria side are from Mildura or Swan Hill. Booking and further information at: www.murrayriverpaddlesteamers.com.


"Just a koala nap away": Melbourne & Victoria

With a stopover, a flight to Melbourne (e.g. with Singapore Airlines) takes around 20 hours - exactly as long as Victoria's most famous animal, the koala, sleeps every day. So Melbourne is just a koala nap away. And this trip is worth it: get inspiration for your tour as well as tips for a relaxing "koala nap".

General information about Melbourne & Victoria at:
de.visitmelbourne.com