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Together with the Med on a good day, the mighty Murray is my preferred cruising territory. Ocean-going sea legs not required. Calm, silent waters but for the occasional flip flop of a fish. The gentle swish of the wash and wake as you cruise by stands of white-stemmed gums and beneath towering cliffs. The opportunity to suit yourself, drop anchor where you please, far from the crush of the midnight buffet. A houseboat holiday, however, with thoughts of shared bathrooms, casino carpeting and endless barbecues, may not be everyone’s cup of tea. That is until one encounters the oddly named and even odder looking Boatel cruising near Mannum in South Australia. From the river bank it appears to be a tall, floating box of glass. Inside, you have the smartest thing to hit the Murray in an age. It’s a sunny, late winter’s afternoon as we cruise upriver, the cliffs donning the golden gossamer that is their usual evening attire. The view from our elevated position, unhindered by walls of any kind, is wonderful, enabling us to peer over the gum-lined banks to the billabongs and flood plains beyond, or gaze down on occasional passing river traffic. The vessel’s shallow draft makes it very manoeuvrable despite its size; a state-of-the-art min-bridge means anyone can play captian (a driver’s licence and half-hour lesson is all it takes). The Murray is incredibly beautiful this far south, a slender, oasis-green ribbon winding its way through the semi-arid landscape towards Lake Alexandrina, the Coorong and finally the Murray mouth. |
The cliffs and banks are alive with birds at all hours: at dawn, black swans glide silently through the mist, galahs and cockatoos squabble, cranky squawks echoing across the water. Forests of skeletal trees are adorned with nests of sticks, a hawk drifts by, a shag dries his wings on the river banks. In the evening, pelicans bed down on fallen logs, tucking their enormous beaks beneath their wings; from a distance they appear to be large, curled-by-the-fire, black and white cats. The scenery changes from hour to hour. The water, likewise, drifts from pewter blue to copper brown and all shades in between. As dusk approaches, we look for a suitable spot to drop anchor, in the lee of a river bend, the golden cliffs one side, a tree-lined sandy beach the other. The Boatel is the vision of river devotees, husband and wife architect team Paul and Susan Pruszinski. With smart contemporary interiors and five-star fixtures, the Boatel may be the beginning of a floating chain; the Pruszinskis are considering positioning similar vessels on the Hawkesbury and in New Zealand. Downstairs are five bedrooms with incredibly comfortable king-size beds, ensuite bathrooms with power showers, walk-in robes, push-button electronic blinds and glass doors to the deck. Upstairs is an enormous open-plan living area in neutral tones with funky sofas, a gleaming granite kitchen, pull down movie screen (with surround sound for an instant cinema), large dining table and hi-tech bridge complete with fish finders and navigation screens. |
The living area opens on to a large upstairs deck with man-size barbecue and comfy chairs; downstairs the swimming deck has a sink for cleaning just-caught fish. ChecklistRiver Dream Boatels, phone (08) 8223 3030; www.dreamboatel.com.au
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