THE Cumberoona paddlesteamer slipped out of Albury without any fanfare yesterday and on its way to a new home at Yarrawonga.
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The vessel returned to the Murray River for the first time since 2006 and reached Howlong last night.
Owners Robbie and Fraser Knowles were part of a crew of 10 on board the Cumberoona which set off from its most recent home in dry dock on Wodonga Creek about 7am yesterday.
A brief return to its former home in Noreuil Park was ditched at the last minute.
“We turned left out of Wodonga Creek and headed for home,” Fraser Knowles said.
“It wasn’t always the plan.
“But with the way the river is at the moment we decided to make the most of the good water.
“We decided to go for it.”
The brothers brought forward the trip to Yarrawonga after water levels began to drop due to reduced downstream irrigation needs.
The Cumberoona was accompanied yesterday by a NSW Maritime pilot boat with the only hiccup being hitting a sandbar less than 10 kilometres from Howlong which added an extra hour to the trip.
The delay foiled an earlier plan to reach Corowa last night.
The Cumberoona was halted at Howlong to remove the stack and wheelhouse area including a new wheel to allow the paddlesteamer to pass under the John Conway Bourke bridge.
The vessel squeezed under the bridge in reverse about 5.15pm.
Mr Knowles said the original wheel had been stolen during the paddlesteamer’s time in dry-dock.
The Knowles brothers are still in the process of obtaining licences to operate the paddlesteamer.
Experienced paddlesteamer operator Neil Hutchinson from Echuca was behind the wheel yesterday and the steam engine didn’t miss a beat on its first voyage in eight years.
The Cumberoona crew also included a steam engineer with support on the ground including the Knowles brothers’ father, Wayne.
He had a back-up load of wood already prepared for the next leg of the trip.
“We’ve got a very experienced team,” Mr Knowles said.
“There was no way it wasn’t going to start.
“They have made our job very, very easy.”
Maritime authorities also issued a survey certificate in recent days to allow the Cumberoona to carry passengers again.
The Cumberoona is expected to arrive in Yarrawonga tomorrow.
Albury mayor Kevin Mack said there was never any plans for a public farewell for the Cumberoona at Noreuil Park.
“There were discussions they would moor temporarily at Noreuil Park to complete other repairs,” he said.
“But it would appear those works were done on site at Wodonga Creek and the new owners have taken this opportunity to use the water levels to set sail for Lake Mulwala.
“It might be disappointing in the eyes of some people, but they needed to get down there as quickly as possible.
“Time is of the essence.”
Future river levels will determine when the Cumberoona returns to Albury.