PW Mayflower is cruising Wednesday through April and back to normal schedule in May. Current cruises of the PS Marion are postponed and the Mannum Dock Discovery Museum is closed due to Murray River high river damage and will resume in 2023. Please check this website and Facebook pages for up to date information when cruises will resume. Thank you for your understanding.
To co-incide with her 130th birthday and the PW Mayflower is on her way to a new home at the Mannum Dock Museum at Mannum in South Australia.
The Mayflower is the oldest paddle boat in South Australia and will take pride of place in the heritage fleet at Mannum alongside the grand old lady PS Marion her younger associate at the ripe old age of 114 years.
“It is exciting times for Mannum to now have a second heritage vessel in their fleet to strengthen the town’s origins as the birthplace of the paddle steamer”, said Mayor Dave Burgess, Mid Murray Council.
“How fitting to welcome this historic vessel in her milestone anniversary year to the Mid Murray Council district. She will certainly offer many stories with her intriguing and colourful past and will become one of the premier heritage attractions in the Murray Lakes and Coorong region”.
With the generous donation from Robert O’Callaghan and Pam O’Donnell, the Mannum Dock Museum has been able to both purchase the vessel and will restore it back to its former glory of the 1913 era.
Robert O’Callaghan said, “Pam and I are thrilled to offer assistance to the Mannum Dock Museum Board and the Mid Murray Council to continue to preserve South Australia’s rich river heritage through the PW Mayflower”.
“We have always had a passion for wooden boats and a long association with the Mannum Dock Museum through Rockford Wines and the Steam Powered Dinners on the PS Marion”.
“Preservation of Murray River heritage vessels is crucial to retain our nation’s living maritime heritage and the Mannum Dock Museum is testimony to keeping our river history alive”.
“Pam and I look forward to when the Mayflower is launched again for public cruises in Mannum in the years to come”
