The waterway is synonymous with Albury and indeed the city was formed off the back of its suitability as a crossing place for early travellers.

Navigating the river originally involved bark canoes being carved out of river red gums by Aboriginal inhabitants.

With European settlement, the river became a trade route from 1855 with paddlesteamers travelling from Albury to Echuca where they would link with a rail line to Melbourne.

Ever since there has been an air of romance about the Border's paddlesteamer days.

The watercraft gives its name to Albury's rugby union team, there is the Paddlesteamer Motel in Wodonga Place and a stylised paddlewheel forms the Albury Council's logo.

Yet despite this sentimental attachment, the paddlesteamer reality in Albury over the past 10 years has been grim.

The PS Cumberoona stopped sailing in 2006 and remained in dry dock for years while the council debated its future.

The boat's fate was sealed when the council sold it to Yarrawonga brothers Fraser and Robbie Knowles in 2014 and it left Albury in March last year.

While it is uncertain that the Cumberoona will ever return to Albury for cruises, it is pleasing the brothers have announced plans for another of their boats to offer pleasure trips.

A cruiseboat, The Sienna Daisy, is set to begin excursions from Albury five days a week from later this month.

It is a welcome investment in the Border's tourism sector and the Knowles brothers are committed to running the service through until Easter.

With the development of the River Deck Cafe, which recently won a tourism award, it will add to the vibrancy of Albury's riverside which has long been popular with locals but has lacked a floating drawcard.

Having a cruise service will give visitors a different impression of the city and show-off sights such as the Wonga Wetlands and the lattice railway bridge which has carried trains since 1883.

And for locals, it will be something to boast about the next time talk with outsiders turns to the Murray River.