Swan Hill - Murray River Bollards
If you're driving in the Swan Hill region and see some very tall old-style people staring out at the Murray River, you're probably looking at a part of the Bollards Project. In September 2003, the 150th anniversary of paddle steamers on the Murray was celebrated. A flotilla of boats, including replicas of the first two, retraced the first paddle steamer journey from Goolwa (SA) to Swan Hill.
To commemorate the event, the Pioneer Settlement commissioned a series of bollards to be painted and placed at various points between Swan Hill and Robinvale. These large posts are painted up to represent character from our colourful riverboat past. The original bollards were posts used by riverboats to tie up when in port. You can start your bollard tour at any point, but outside the Pioneer Settlement you'll find Captain Hugh King beside his favourite boat, the magnificent Gem. Inside is a carved Aboriginal hunter, his weapons at the ready.
Just downstream in Riverside Park, Swan Hill, Captains Randell and Cadell stand side by side at the spot they both reached on the same momentous day in 1853, when the first paddle steamer race was run. Nyah and Robinvale also have characters of their own and are well worth a visit.
The bollards were all decorated by local artists.
Location
Monash Drive, Swan Hill 3585 Map
