This is a set of three panels, explaining the importance of the Murray River, to the Berri community. The left-hand panel reads:
RIVER BOAT TRAIL
"This Interpretative Trail tells the stories of the people and boats that made the River Murray a busy inland highway during the latter nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
"From the 1850s fleets of paddle steamers and their barges carried produce from station and farms to transit points downriver.
"There were also floating shops, mail steamers, mission boats and passenger liners, as well as small fishing boats, powerful milk launches and ferries providing links across the waterway. Some river boats helped build the locks and weirs while others kept the channels clear of snags.
"Ports, trading companies and shipbuilding facilities were established along the river and many of the Murray's settlements developed because of the trade brought by the river boats."
There is an inset map, showing Shipwrecks, and Land-based Heritage Sites: 'The Riverboat Trail is a series of 18 signs along the South Australian section of the River Murray from Goolwa to Border Cliffs and across Lakes Alexandrina and Albert.'
The middle panel also has a couple of photos, with the following transcribed:
BERRI
"The river fairly writhes in this Riverland section…"
"Berri lies on a large bend in the Murray, one of many such twists and turns that challenged riverboat skippers navigating this sketch of the waterway.
"The town was officially established in 1911 but before then a few independent settlers had developed small-scale holdings in the area and welcomed the passing river boats. Some enterprising groups had even established woodpiles on the river banks to provide fuel for the steamers.
"Fruit growing was successful on the irrigated blocks and the Berri Co-op Ltd was established in 1916. The town's population increased in the 1920s and 1930s with an influx of returned soldiers and paddle steamers called regularly to collect the area's dried and fresh produce for shipment to the Adelaide markets."
RIVER WRECKS
Barges Ajax & Achilles
Structural remains of these barges are generally visible a short distance above Lock No. 4, where they were abandoned near the bank. Both vessels were built at Murray Bridge and worked for the E&WS Department of South Australia.
Undaunted
From the construction as a side-wheeler in 1875, the Undaunted was converted a number of times to a barge, a motor vessel and a two-masted ketch working on Lake Alexandrina. It was broken up near the Berri Pumping Station.
Fishing Boats on the Murray
"Professional fishermen worked and lived along the river. While farms and orchards were being established, the government gave some of the settlers exclusive rights to fish certain reaches, thereby supplementing their diet and income.
"Fishing rights were also granted to ex-servicemen and others who simply wanted to be professional fishermen.
"Catches were sent off to Melbourne or Adelaide, although often they were rotten before reaching their markets. Passing passenger steamers also bought fresh fish for their dining rooms. Some fishermen made a good living catching leeches for Adelaide doctors.
"Many of the fishermen worked and lived on small steamers with half-submerged punts tied to the sponson. Fish could be kept alive in these open punts, but they were also a temptation to anyone wanting a free meal.
"As the blocks were established and farms developed, the rights to the reaches were let go and professional fishing gradually declined after the 1940's.
Visited: 1711, Thursday, 31 May, 2018