Boats could run on river all year with guaranteed water level

Yarrawonga businessman Robbie Knowles, who ran cruises with the Sienna Daisy from Noreuil Park, said it was unviable for him now given the variable river volume.

"If you could guarantee a 2.5-metre water level at Albury all-year round we would run a boat all year round," Mr Knowles said.

"It's just very disappointing when you've got to ring people and tell them their wedding will have to be stationary."

IN OTHER NEWS

Mr Knowles said the lack of a constant water level made the Sienna Daisy uneconomical to operate, given problems created by submerged logs and sand bars.

"The biggest thing would be to have a spillway to have water at a high level," Mr Knowles said.

He suggested such a structure could be built on the river near Wonga Wetlands, west of Albury, to allow for cruising between there and Union bridge upstream.

Mr Knowles, who also owns the paddle steamer Cumberoona and runs it on Lake Mulwala, does not think it will "ever" get back to its former home in Albury.

He said submerged logs and fallen trees along a tight stretch of the river between Bundalong and Corowa made it hard to navigate, given the Cumberoona's draft.

The comments come as Murray Regional Tourism undertakes a cruising strategy to find ways to develop attractions for visitors.

Chief executive Mark Francis said it would examine the viability of houseboats on Lake Hume.

Houseboats on the lake were pursued by former Albury councillor Murray King who found resistance from water authorities.

Mr Francis said the study would be outlining barriers that may be needed to overcome for such ventures.

"It was one of our key strategic initiatives we wanted to look at what we could do to recover from COVID with border closures and restrictions," Mr Francis said.

"Hopefully we'll identify a range of opportunities at different locations right across the region."

The report, being done by a consultant, encompasses the length of the river along the NSW-Victoria border and it is expected to be finished by the start of June.

"We're also doing consumer research to look at the appetite for things and what consumers would like," Mr Francis said.

Other works include auditing accommodation to determine gaps, creating a digital dashboard to analyse visitor data and developing a central online hub with information from across regions.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: