If you’ve spent any time on the Murray growing up, chances are, you’ve watched The Murray River Queen cruising past, wishing you were on board too. Now that you’re all grown up and can properly enjoy the Riverland for ALL its glory, and by that we mean food and wine, there’s a stack of new memories just waiting to be made.
The iconic Murray River Queen is about to undergo a new chapter in its history, with news that it’s being restored to its former glory to provide visitors and locals with a Riverland food and wine experience. It’s time to get excited.
Owners Matt and Susan Major of Major Ventures are spearheading the changes, after buying the Murray River Queen boat on the Waikerie riverfront almost four years ago.
Recognising a need for harvest labour accommodation in the region and with their background in backpacker recruitment, they initially set-up the boat as Australia’s only floating backpacker accommodation.
It didn’t take them long however, to appreciate the boat had much greater potential and appeal for a broader clientele.
“We quickly realised we had the ability to turn the property into an experiential food and wine tourism venture,” Matt says.
“We wanted to create a regional wine tasting cellar door, restaurant and functions centre.
“There’s so much to see and experience in the Riverland which is difficult to do if you have limited time, we wanted to be able to provide tourists with a one-stop location where they could sample wares from all parts of the region.”
To date, the Majors have upgraded the dining area for their Wok on Water Thai restaurant and revamped the rooftop beer garden and bar area.
And there’s strict criteria for the wine list, it features only Riverland wine. Beers from the Wilkadene Brewery, Sangria from Caudo Vineyards and cider from the Jachmann family complete the local beverage offering.
On sunny days, live music sessions on the top deck roof garden are popular, and a few months ago, Matt and Susan introduced a bus and banquet service, picking up diners from some of the region’s major towns.
Next on the list is accommodation and they’ll be developing 20 cabins to a high quality hotel standard.
The Murray River Queen has had a number of incarnations since it was built by the Veentra family near Hindmarsh Island in the early 1970s.
For two decades after it was launched in 1972, it cruised the river from the Murray Mouth to the Riverland.
It spent 10 years as a floating restaurant at Goolwa before it was snapped up by a group of Waikerie business owners and farmers where it hosted dinner cruises and weddings.
In 2009, the Waikerie Caravan Park took it on as overflow accommodation until it was bought by the Majors.
“We saw a real opportunity to provide a regional experience, showcasing the beauty of the river and the great local food and wine,” Matt says.
“We wanted to make it as regionally-orientated as possible and we’ll continue to expand this offering.”
The Murray River Queen will relocate to Renmark in 2017.
Story adapted from original by Kerrie Lush
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