Arrive in Melbourne and board your train at Southern Cross station to the rural town of Echuca in northern Victoria. This is where you’ll board the PS Emmylou, your floating home for the next four nights. The moment you step aboard, be transported to the golden age of paddle steamer travel, where life moved at a slower pace and travel wasn’t simply about the destination, but the journey itself.

A perfect replica of a vintage paddle steamer with the original 1906 Marshall and Sons steam engine, Emmylou is reminiscent of a bygone era with its gleaming timber cladding and authentic wheelhouse that you can access and chat with the skipper. The eight onboard cabins are decked out in fine linens, private en suites and direct access to the deck, where you can pause to watch the serene river scenes pass by. Set off at 4pm this afternoon for Layfield Lane, spending your time on board relaxing with a good book or watching the Upper Murray River scenery. At Layfield Lane, enjoy a gourmet Australian BBQ under the stars, before a live music performance.

Breakfast is served on the deck of the PS Emmylou as the paddle steamer makes a leisurely course for your next stop: Perricoota Station. Watch as scenes along the Murray unfold as you cruise – the majestic river red gums, the sunlight bouncing off the river’s surface, and the hopeful glimpse of a kangaroo hopping beyond the tree line. Listen out for the laugh of a kookaburra over the rhythmic splashing of the paddle steamer. At Perricoota Station, join your skipper for a guided tour of the historic farm and homestead and its pristine gardens. Later, return to PS Emmylou to enjoy a gourmet dinner with your fellow travellers, prepared by your onboard chef. Cap off your day with a documentary screening of the Murray River’s local communities and its famous paddle steamers throughout history. Before retiring to your cabin for the night, admire the starry night sky and the calming quiet of the Australian bush.

By this point in your journey, you will have well and truly adjusted to the unhurried, relaxed pace of life along the Murray River. Your paddle steamer spends the day travelling back upriver towards Echuca. Sit out on deck enjoying the views while swapping tales with your fellow cruisers, reading a book, or sipping a barista-made coffee and settling into one of the many cosy nooks hidden throughout the vessel. Dinner is a celebration of local flavours and produce, served on board this evening before the PS Emmylou. Continue to Deep Creek Marina, where your vessel will moor overnight.

This morning, wake to the sound of native bird song as your paddle steamer gently rumbles to life. Enjoy breakfast on board before a half-day exploration of Echuca, a charming rural town. After, enjoy a cruise aboard the 110-year-old PS Canberra, where you’ll savour morning tea on board. Back aboard the PS Emmylou, keep on the lookout for emus or wallabies as your vessel cruises past the Port of Echuca Wharf, once home to over 100 paddle steamers.

Following breakfast, set off for the natural wonders of World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park. Spend time exploring this lunar-like landscape, from the unique formations of the Walls of China trail to the Mungo Woman and Mungo Man, some of the most important human remains ever found in Australia. The national park’s namesakes are the Mungo Woman and Mungo Man. Their 42,000-year-old ritual burial sites contained the oldest human remains outside of Africa and are a tribute to the resilience of the Paakantyi, Ngiyampaa and Muthi Muthi people, descendants of the Mungo people.

This afternoon, enjoy lunch at the national park before time at leisure to explore at your own pace, or learn more about the park at the visitor’s centre. Check in to your accommodation for the night, Mungo Lodge. This evening, take part in an Insider Experience before dinner back at your lodge.

Insider Experience - Sunset Tour

Partake in a Mungo Lodge Sunset Tour and follow your guide to the Walls of China during golden hour to capture the perfect sunset photo. While you’re chasing sunsets, look out for local kangaroos, emus and other birdlife.

After breakfast, set off on a Sorbet, Gelati and Chocolate tasting at Barossa Valley Chocolate Company. Here, chocolatiers have matched their white, ruby, milk and dark chocolates with four house-made sorbets and gelati, resulting in a decadent dessert combination. Afterwards, farewell the Barossa Valley’s stunning network of patchwork vineyards as you are transferred to Adelaide, where your tour comes to an end.

Arrive in South Australia today, stopping in the rural town of Renmark for lunch at leisure. This charming town is another Murray River gem, located along a sweeping section of the river and surrounded by ochre-coloured cliffs, wetlands abundant with birdlife and a fantastic brewery and distillery scene. After time to peruse the town, continue to the world-renowned Barossa Valley, stopping en route at Waikerie for chance to stretch your legs and admire the Murray River cliffs and Silo Art.

At Barossa Valley, check in to your deluxe, eco-friendly safari tent before setting off for an afternoon of culinary delights. What better way to immerse yourself in the Barossa Valley than by taking a vineyard tour of renowned Jacob’s Creek winery. Explore the 14 different grapes varieties and learn more about how wine is made, followed by a tasting at the cellar door. The gourmet delights continue this evening at a Farewell Dinner at Vino Lokal, a bistro-style restaurant celebrating good food and great wine.