Iconic Murray Princess returns to the open waters of the River Murray at Mannum

A major milestone in the recovery for flood-ravaged communities has been reached, with a state icon finally returning to the open waters for the first time in months.

A major milestone in the recovery for flood-ravaged South Australian communities was reached today as the iconic Murray Princess returned to the open waters of the River Murray at Mannum.

The historic flood devastated the tourism industry as the high waters inundated businesses, and river use was banned, robbing operators, retailers of what was set to be a crucial summer season after the damage of two years of rolling Covid lockdowns and restrictions.

However, after almost four months moored at Mannum, the largest inland paddlewheeler in the southern hemisphere is back in operation as some businesses forced to shut their doors also start to reopen with hopes to salvage some of the tourism trade in the lead up to Easter.

Murray Princess captain Gus Smith said the crew was relieved to be welcoming guests back on the River Murray after a battle to make sure the impressive 67 metre-long river cruiser survived the floods.

The Murray Princess will return to operation from March 17, 2023.

“The Murray Princess escaped the flood undamaged after preparation work to her moorings at Mannum,” he said.

“I was fortunate to be part of the leadership and the wider team that was able to secure the Murray Princess in the river during the flood – what was done was nothing short of an immense job to make sure she was secure enough to ride out the flood.”

“We can’t wait to get back cruising, doing what we love and showing off this beautiful part of South Australia to our guests.

“It was wonderful to witness Mother Nature in all her glory – but we have to acknowledge the devastation that has been left behind and the long recovery ahead”

Getting my crew back to what they love doing, meeting our guests again and raising awareness of the Murray River systems and the impact of the floods is what we’re looking forward to most.

Tourism experience providers Big Bend By Night owner David LeBrun said his business was one of many to directly benefit from the Murray Princess’ return.

“We’ve had no bookings for three months – all our income is from the Murray Princess, houseboats or school groups. The relaunch of the Princess gets us up and going again, out of worry-mode and straight back into it,” he said.

Murray Princess Captain Gus Smith said he was excited to return to the River Murray.

“It’s been a tough time as a business. We’ve missed the interaction with people because we’re in an isolated spot out here – but we’ve got a beautiful location for the scenic river cliff views that we love to share with visitors,” he said.

Mid Murray Council Mayor Simone Bailey said seeing the Murray Princess’ relaunch was a sign of hope for the whole region’s ongoing recovery.

“These floods have really challenged our community – we’ve seen the devastation to homes and businesses it has caused, the economic impact of the loss of trade, and the overall fatigue and anxiety that comes with living through the uncertainty of a drawn-out disaster of this magnitude,” Mayor Bailey said.

“We’re excited by the Murray Princess’ return to cruising, and to welcome back the first passengers to Mannum and our wider district.

“The reality is that many of our campgrounds and other riverfront facilities such as our local caravan parks and reserves will take a while to fully recover and reopen.

“In the meantime, the visitors coming for a Murray Princess cruise will provide a much-needed boost to our local economy and support for our tourism operators and businesses while we rebuild.”

Murray Princess Captain Gus Smith said he was excited to return to the River Murray.