The D26 barge is undergoing maintenance.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Over the past month, the Port of Echuca’s D26 barge has been on the Moama slip for repairs and maintenance.
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While it has been on the slip for the past month, several planks have been replaced with red gum planks before being caulked and sealed with tar and pitch, done in the traditional method.
The D26 outrigger barge is a significant piece of Australia's riverboat history, especially in the context of the Murray River's timber trade.
The historical outrigger logging barge was first built in 1926 and was one of four towed by the PS Adelaide over its 80-year working life, to transport red gum logs down the Murray River.
This was done by carrying large logs on outriggers, the long beams extending from either side of the barge, since red gum logs cannot float naturally.
The D26 barge was one of several built by the sawmill company, which used a letter-and-number system to indicate each barge’s construction sequence and year of completion.
The D26 barge is a significant part of Echuca's river trade history. Photo: Supplied.
The other three barges built alongside the D26 include the A11, B22 and C24 barges.
After its working days were over, the D26 barge was purchased by the Echuca Council from the Deakin Shire, South Australia for $15,000.
The restoration of the barge began in 1988 using local red gum and in 1990, it was relaunched in Echuca East on Australia Day.
Today, the D26 remains moored at the Port of Echuca and on special occasions, visitors to the port can catch the barge being towed by the PS Adelaide for demonstrations.
Visitors to the Port of Echuca can view the D26 barge as part of the Port's collection, which includes a fleet of barges, original river paddle-steamers, railway carriages, locomotives and a selection of allied steam machinery.
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