Paddleboat Restoration Begins
ABC Western Qld
Topic: Tourism and Leisure
The 102-year-old Pride of the Murray has been on the banks of the Thomson River since 2023.
In short:
Restoration works have started on the 102-year-old Pride of the Murray paddleboat that sank in 2023.
A retired carpenter says the timber is still in good condition despite being underwater for months.
What's next?
Workers will fix and reseal the historic boat, hoping tourists can visit by May.
A century-old paddleboat is on a riverbank in Queensland, waiting to be fixed.
A 98-year-old paddleboat sank in the Thomson River, near the start of tourist season.
The Pride of the Murray was moved from Victoria to Queensland, but sank in 2023.
The boat was underwater for six months before being lifted in September 2023.
The Pride of the Murray was pulled from the river in September 2023.
People are interested in the paddleboat's future, with a big response on social media.
People want to know what will happen to the boat.
Richard Kinnon says many people care about the paddleboat.
The restoration will cost more than $1.5 million.
Workers are cleaning and fixing the timber paddleboat.
Guests may be able to visit the boat by the end of May.
Restoring the paddleboat
A retired carpenter is working on the boat, which is not his usual job.
The carpenter finds the work interesting, as the team fixes the timber decking.
The carpenter was amazed when the boat was first pulled out of the water.
Silt can get into small spaces.
The restoration is a big job, like fixing Noah's Ark.
Some materials were damaged, like chipboard, which was easy to break.
The timber vessel is still in good condition despite being underwater.
The timber used for the boat is good quality, and hard to find now.
Joshua Uphof is helping to sand and reseal the boat's decking.
Joshua Uphof has been following the story of the boat since it arrived.
The boat is iconic, and was brought from Echuca to Longreach.
Joshua Uphof used to live in Echuca and heard about the boat.
Future plans
The full restoration will take several months.
Long-term plans for the boat are not decided, but there are big ideas.
The boat was briefly refloated by floodwaters in March.
Fixing the paddleboat has been rewarding for the carpenter.
The carpenter compares fixing the boat to giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
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