CHEERS erupted from the banks of the Murray River as the world’s oldest wooden-hulled paddlesteamer passed safely under the Swan Hill Bridge on Friday morning.
Large crowds gathered on the banks of the Murray with cameras and
video recorders in hand to capture a memorable moment in the PS Adelaide’s
journey from Echuca to Mildura.
The impatient Adelaide could be heard loud
and clear as it made its way to meet the bridge from the Pioneer Settlement.
Slowly but steadily the lift span rose to the occasion, as New South Wales’
Roads and Maritime Services workers — who had been commissioned to complete the
$2.5 million lift span restoration — looked on.
The boat easily cleared the
height but the wind looked to disrupt proceedings as the steamer veered to one
side of the river while the crew scrambled to throw out tyres to buffer any
impact.
PS Adelaide’s captain Graham Trist said the paddlesteamer missed the
bridge by about 25mm.
More on this story in Monday’s edition of The Guardian (3/9/12).
