Echuca has a new headline act. The PS Australian Star, billed as the world's only five-star accommodated paddlesteamer, has completed its inaugural seven-night cruise and is now running year-round departures of three to seven nights on the Murray River. Fares start at $3,045 per person twin-share, and every cabin for the rest of 2026 is spoken for — 2027 and 2028 are filling fast.
Built over more than three years and backed by $2.25 million from the Victorian Government's Regional Tourism Investment Fund, the vessel is Australia's first five-star overnight river ship. It's also the largest wood-fired paddlesteamer in the Southern Hemisphere, carrying just 38 guests in 19 staterooms. Operator Murray River Paddlesteamers now sits under the APT Travel Group, which took a majority stake and is leaning into its centenary in 2027.
The ship trades on a pleasing contradiction: 19th-century steamboat bones with thoroughly modern comforts. Every stateroom opens to a deck and comes with an ensuite, air-conditioning, quality linen, river views and complimentary Starlink Wi-Fi. Shared spaces include a lounge with big river outlooks, a gourmet restaurant, plenty of outdoor deck space and, unusually for a heritage vessel, a passenger lift. Power comes from a hybrid diesel/steam setup built around a 1907 wood-fired steam engine, so the chug upriver still sounds the part.
Itineraries revolve around three- and four-night cruises from Echuca that can be stitched together into a full week, with APT also selling all-inclusive seven-night versions on selected dates. Shore time leans into the region: farm stations, wineries, heritage towns and riverside barbecues beside campfires under the stars. The smaller 16-guest PS Emmylou continues multi-day sailings alongside it.
The pitch is simple: a European-style river cruise without the long-haul flight. For Australians who love cruising but want something slow and close to home, or international visitors after a premium river experience with genuine local character, the Murray now competes at a level it previously didn't. The catch, if you can call it that, is timing — anyone eyeing a 2026 departure will need to join a waitlist, so 2027 is the realistic booking window.
