HISTORIC steam boats will be taking to the water at Wentworth on July 9-12 for the silver jubilee of the Steam Boat Association of Australia.
The association has timed its celebrations to coincide with this year's Wentworth Junction Rally, organised by the Vintage Machinery Society of Sunraysia and the Rivers and Riverboat Historical and Preservation Society.
The rally, to be held at the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers, is taking the theme of "Marine-Type Engines".
It will showcase vintage and steam engines, paddleboats, barges, vintage machinery, steam launches and heritage craft, classic river boats and vintage tractors, cars and bikes.
SBAA secretary Terry Lance said the body was formed in 1985 in response to a growing number of people searching for information on old steam-powered vessels.
"Those early meetings were held in the workshop lunch room of the Sydney Maritime Museum," Terry said.
"From those humble beginnings, SBAA has since seen a steady lift in membership.
"It now has more than 100 members around Australia and about 60 launch-size steam boats on the register."
Terry said the group normally held two regular events each year - at Dora Creek on Lake Macquarie each Queen's Birthday weekend and at Taree, on the Manning River, in October.
He said the committee wanted to celebrate the group's anniversary at a location which would be reasonably convenient for most of its members.
"As the Junction Rally coincided with our anniversary, and the Murray River has a long history of steam navigation, it was decided this would be the venue," Terry said.
"We haven't got a formal cruise agenda at this stage, but will be in town to take part in any parade on water organised by the Junction Rally people.
"We usually go as a group for a day up whatever stream takes our fancy.
"So between the Friday and Monday, this should cover both the Murray and the Darling.
"Lunch is usually on the bank somewhere in a cocky's paddock, with the boats tied to a handy tree."
Terry said visitors would see a mix of restored historic craft and new boats built to classic English designs.
"The Willow Bend Caravan Park is usually the place to find plenty of boats against the bank, their skippers swapping information - and lies - with each other over a few beers in front of a fire," Terry said.
"I have had confirmation from about 40 members, who will come from as far afield as Perth, Cairns and Hobart.
"There should be about 10 steamboats, at least, of different types, including one steam outboard engine from Hobart.
"There are usually quite a few people with steam launches who turn up, despite not belonging to the SBAA, so there should be quite a few more.
"We hope to join the Junction Rally people for a spectacle of plenty of steam whistle blowing as we did in 2007 for the Ruby re-launch."
The Ruby, an authentic 19th century paddle steamer, was restored to its original 1907 configuration by a team of volunteers as the flagship of the historic Port of Wentworth.
- For more details, phone Terry on (02) 8837 0550 at work or on 0413 889 247 any time.
