Day 31 – Echuca

A flock of cockatoos are surrounding the van as we get up, we try for a photo but they all fly away before we get ready.  A grey and overcast morning.  The next few days don’t look to be too great, but that’s OK, the weather has been so good to us really.  We’ve only had a few full on rainy days and we’ve been able to work around those. 

We start packing up for the massive 16km drive from here into Echuca proper.  I think this may be the shortest distance between camp sites, even shorter than Port Lincoln. I’ve really enjoyed my 2 days by the river with the fire, but the kids seem to enjoy the convenience of a caravan park.   It will make it easier to see the town.

At 11:30 we pull into the NRMA park, Justine goes to make a booking and comes out rather quickly to say, as we live in NSW they won’t allow us to stay.   I have a bit of sense of humour failure about this point.   We’ve got our passes for Christ sake….  No, they want us to go to the police station and sign a bloody affidavit!    So we turn around and leave the park and make our way to the Police station.  Again Justine goes in, this old school cop tells her the affidavit won’t be worth anything, we need Vic Border crossing passes, then goes on to say the passes we have are not ok, as they are only valid for 14 days.   He basically accused us of trying to sneak into Victoria.  He goes onto say, with NSW plates we will get pulled over at some stage (I have been waiting for this).   It is true our passes have expired, that because we crossed over 2 weeks ago, they are Border Crossing Permits, not “Staying in the State” permits .  Best I can tell reading all the requirements we don’t need new passes as we are not crossing the border……   I’m about ready to tell them to shove it where paperwork doesn’t shine, but Justine convinces me to just fill out the border crossing permit again.   Done, with basically a declaration that we have not been in NSW in the past 14 days and a few moments later the permits are emailed to us.   Back to the park and a different attendant is fine with us and doesn’t even ask or look at the damn passes.   Look, I understand things are fluid and changing, but you’d think if anywhere would know what is required is a border town like this.  

Booked in, we’re allocated spot 37, we arrive to find some old bloke just starting to setup, “they told me site 37 or 40, and this was easier to get into” he says.   The day is getting better and better.

Finally setup (site 25!), we have some lunch and then just before 2 we start walking into town for a Paddle Steamer cruise.   We walk along the levee bank, there are all these houseboats moored against the river bank.   It’s only about 500mts and we hit the historic wharf district.  It’s well done, they have the old historic dirt street, then one street across is the main street. 

As we approach the end of the precinct, there is a horse draw carriage sitting there, the bloke spruiks to us if we want a ride.  We wanted to do the stage coach ride at Sovereign Hill, but the queues were always too long, so what the hell, why not.  So with the four of us aboard we take a slow trip up the old street, then into a trot as we hit the main street for a couple of blocks and then back to the beginning, all a bit of fun, lots of waves, smiles and a few camera shots of us around town.

Ready now for our 1hr cruise up the river on the PS Adelaide, it was a pretty easy choice as it’s the only boat on today.   We walk down the old pier, it was pretty amazing to see the flood levels on the depth gauge.   We board the PS Adelaide, apparently the oldest wooden hulled paddle steamer still operating anywhere in the world.  From the pictures she looked a bit crappy compared to the others on offer, but as we arrive she looks pretty good.   While the boat takes about 50 people there ends up being about 9 of us (yesterday would have been close to full) so there is plenty of room to move about.   We ask about masks “Nar, you’re in NSW now, no need”.  

They are doing some minor maintenance on the engine, and we see them throw a few extra logs into the firebox, sure makes my campfires look tame.  A bit of briefing and we’re off.   We’re amazed by how quiet and smooth it is.   It’s just not what we expected.   Such a pleasant and peaceful way to travel.   I’m loving being able to see up close the steam engine working,  such a graceful piece of engineering and craftmanship.  I’m not really a steam buff or anything, but it’s quite mesmerising watching it all work,  bit like watching clockwork.  Even the steering, is simply controlled by two chains feed through pully wheels and channels between the steering wheel and the rudder itself. 

We head east for about 20mins or so before turning around.   Then back past the pier to the west for a bit before returning.   I thought this might be a bit craptasic, but it was great, a really great way to spend a hour.  So glad we did it.  

A quick walk up the main street and an ice cream, before returning to the van for a bit.

Liam wants a home cooked meal, devilled Tuna for dinner tomorrow, so we decide to go out for dinner tonight.   The Shamrock hotel had the better menu and for a change, there seems to be 4 good meals.