Image Alya Craig & Susan Rooney-Harding

“I grew up on the river and have been here for 66 yrs now. When I was a young boy it was the end of the paddle steamer era.  In those days the banks of Murray River towns were littered with old Paddle Steamers and

Barges; these vessels were later taken and sunk in the depths of our Murray River.  My family had a couple of old paddle steamers as holiday shacks, we would play on the unused paddle steamers and use them as our diving platforms.” Robert’s great grandfather was the original owner of the Ps. Marion, which was originally a barge.  In 1989 the Ps. Marion was in disrepair sitting in the Dry Docks in Mannum. The community decided to renovate the vessel - it took four years to restore and Robert was in charge of the restoration, the PS. Marion was re-commissioned it in 1994.

Image Alya Craig & Susan Rooney-Harding

Charmane Murphy- is an artistic blacksmith working as a volunteer at the Mannum museum, every week.  “I am a traditional English blacksmith. I do all the scrollwork on the gates. I also work with stainless steel, and barbwire”. Charmane is a member of the South Australian Blacksmiths where nearly half of the members are female.  “It has always been my dream to live along the river, so thirteen years ago I bought a 1920’s stone home in Murray Bridge”. Since Charmane has been working as a Blacksmith in Mannum, she uses her skills to repair parts of the PS. Marion”.

Image - Alya Craig & Susan Rooney-Harding

Debbie Edwards - The Mannum dog-grooming salon is situated in the old barn that the Clydesdales used to take refuge in after carting all the wood down to the river for the paddle steamers. It is also said that the old shed was also used by the old diggers to play two-up. Debbie has been the local dog groomer in Mannum for about nine years. She loves the country life and moved to the river after years of living near the ocean.

Image - Alya Craig & Susan Rooney-Harding

John Chandler

Born in Mannum in 1919, John still lives in the house that his father built back in the 1930’s. “It has been renovated twice in my time.”

His father could do almost anything; he built three boats in the shed that John is standing in. When John left school he went to work with his father, who was the local optometrist. John was training to become an optometrist but when World War 2 broke out he decided to enlist. John was away at war for five years, and when he came back he was in a bad state. His father said to him, “I see you’re not going to make optometry son, but I’ve got something else for you as you have to make a living somehow - I have this idea of starting up a little soft drink factory.”  This was how Chandlers Soft Drink Company was born. Chandlers Soft Drink Company operated in the main street of Mannum for many years.

Image Alya Craig and Susan Rooney-Harding 

John Chandler

Born in Mannum in 1919, John still lives in the house that his father built back in the 1930’s. “It has been renovated twice in my time.”

His father could do almost anything; he built three boats in the shed that John is standing in. When John left school he went to work with his father, who was the local optometrist. John was training to become an optometrist but when World War 2 broke out he decided to enlist. John was away at war for five years, and when he came back he was in a bad state. His father said to him, “I see you’re not going to make optometry son, but I’ve got something else for you as you have to make a living somehow - I have this idea of starting up a little soft drink factory.”  This was how Chandlers Soft Drink Company was born. Chandlers Soft Drink Company operated in the main street of Mannum for many years.

Image: Cathy Clemow

In the early hours of the morning, once a month, Tim volunteers to cook a nourishing breakfast for many of the older river men in Mannum. During the 1956 flood Tim's dad Allen travelled over 70 kilometres to Mannum to help with sandbagging and now, 57 years later, Tim follows in his father’s footsteps by supporting people in this river community

Image: Cathy Clemow

Apparently size does matter! From a very early age, self-confessed tomboy, Kerry Yates sat in a truck while her father made deliveries around the Riverland. Today this wife, mother and Mid Murray Councillor drives not only her earth moving business but most of the equipment she can fit a key into! Kerry loves the leisure activities the river offers after a long dusty day. The calmness the river brings her is reflected in her persona, as she works very much in a ‘man’s world’.

Image: Cathy Clemow

Just as the Murray can be a panacea for many communities along its bank, Mannum pharmacist Fiona is the 'elixir mixer and ailment fixer' for her community. Born near Lake Alexandrina, the river she describes as having personality has been her constant companion. “This old friend with its energy and healing properties will always be in my life”.

Image - Cathy Clemow & Susan Rooney-Harding

Life's canvas is made up of many dimensions, so when wooden boat builder Roger Baker puts down his hammer, moors his hand-made boat and picks up his pastels, worlds collide by the river! This ponytailed artisan’s ability to replicate, on canvas, the very thing he builds and loves, places him in a unique position of fulfilling all his passions.

Image - Cathy Clemow & Susan Rooney-Harding

Riverboat dweller Les has a love affair with the Murray spans decades. One of his many accomplishments was instigating the purchase for restoration, of the historic paddle steamer Oscar W around 1985. In 1988 it steamed proudly into Goolwa to continue its life as a fully restored working exhibit. It is the energy filled nature of this great 'River Road' that keeps their love affair alive.

Image - Cathy Clemow & Susan Rooney-Harding

Determination, stubbornness and being an opportunistic bloke, has stood Mid Murray Mayor, Dave, in good stead to support locals who have a vision to create something special in the district. His respect for the local river community is the same respect he gives to the river itself.

Image Chelsea Hayes & Susan Rooney-Harding

Russ is a Deckhand on the PS Marion has been involved with the vessel for 20 yrs now. “20 years ago the boat was a wreck,

it was getting to the stage that it was now or never. The whole town got together and agreed that it was the town’s boat and so the  Council agreed to purchase the boat from the National Trust. The whole community got behind restoring the vessel to its former glory”. Today the PS. Marion is run by a volunteer crew and is used as a passenger tourist vessel for short cruises up the Murray. “The best thing about working on the Marion is that everyone wants to be here – so it’s a great place to be, always a great atmosphere among the crew”. Russ lives, works and plays on the river – it’s his life.

Image: Chelsea Hayes & Susan Rooney-Harding

Known in Mannum as Dick, Richard is  1st mate on the PS Marion. He has been working on the vessel since it was sitting in the dry docks in the early 1990s. Dick has also worked on many commercial boats along the river like the Proud Mary and skippered the Captain Proud and also had his own workboat called the Amphibian, which was also paddle driven vessel. A few years ago a film was made about her called ‘The River Kings’ . “I first came to the river when I left the military in the 1970’s, and have made my life on the river ever since.” Dick is working on his bucket list boat so he can retire to, guess where…… ‘The River’. His dream is to do the ‘big trip’ – all the way to Yarrawonga and back again.

Image Chelsea Hayes & Susan Rooney-Harding

Graham has been working on the PS Marion for 9 years. “My job on the PS. Marion is as a Purser. I look after the welfare of the passengers. “We came to live in Mannum about 12 years ago, as my wife is a ‘river girl’ and wanted to return. Since I’ve been here I feel the same connection to the river as my wife does. Gets in your blood after a while – I could never move away from it now

Image Chelsea Hayes & Susan Rooney-Harding

Trevor has been volunteering on the PS. Marion for the past 5 years. He is a Deckhand and drives the tender boat. “I get the vessel ready to cruise. I was born and raised in Waikerie. My family goes back 5 generations as  river people. My grandfather came to Mannum with William Randell in the early 1850’s. He then went up river to Waikerie where he was one of the first settlers in the region.  “I just love the serenity and peacefulness that the river offers”.

Image Chelsea Hayes & Susan Rooney-Harding

“My family moved to the river when I was 8 months old, so it all I’ve ever known. I lived out near the lagoon - I have recently returned to the place that I love after finishing my studies in Adelaide. A lot of people my age have had to move away for work or study, as there’s not a lot of work around here. When I was younger I used to be rower and before that I was one of the most successful coxswains - they used to have to add weights to me to get up to the right weight”. Robert is a passionate volunteer blacksmith at the Mannum Dock Museum. 

Image Chelsea Hayes & Susan Rooney-Harding

“My family moved to the river when I was 8 months old, so it all I’ve ever known. I lived out near the lagoon - I have recently returned to the place that I love after finishing my studies in Adelaide. A lot of people my age have had to move away for work or study, as there’s not a lot of work around here. When I was younger I used to be rower and before that I was one of the most successful coxswains - they used to have to add weights to me to get up to the right weight”. Robert is a passionate volunteer blacksmith at the Mannum Dock Museum. 

Image:  Courtnie Roesler  & Susan Rooney-Harding

Phil has been the groundsman at Mannum Community College for over 25 years. He grew up on a farm near Mannum which was right on the Murray. “It was a Lucien farm and we supplied feed for racehorses in Adelaide, however the 56 floods put an end to that.” Phil loves the beauty of the river, “I have no interest in moving anywhere else. When I was young I would spend a lot of time yabbying as there were so many around – but now days there’s not so many”.

Image:  Courtnie Roesler  & Susan Rooney-Harding

Garry grew up on the river and has never been too far away from it. It’s the lifeline of the communities that are situated along the river.

“If there’s no water, there’s no river and there’s no life line for the community. Everyone gets a bit greedy about the water in the river. I think there needs to be modification of the open irrigation systems that happens upstream, as this is the cause of so much waste through evaporation.” Garry loves his cars and has been tinkering with it for much of his life.  “I have had this car for 18 years, it was made the same year that I was born.” I got it when my first son was born for $2000. I’ve painted and fixed it up – and I just love it; I would never part with it - I think of it as a part of my family.”

Image:  Courtnie Roesler  & Susan Rooney-Harding

Geoff is one of the few remaining dairy farmers in the area. He milks up to 300 cows twice a day and crops up to 4000 acres of grain

including wheat, barley, canola, lupines and hay. 200 of these acres are irrigated straight from the Murray, which produces some of the best feed for milk production. “As we only get 8 inch rainfall per year we rely on the Murray for irrigation to grow feed for the cows’. We have a water allocation of

11 megalitres,” (11 million litres per year). Geoff expressed that Dairy Farming has been quite tough for the past seven or eight years because of the drought; a lot of farmers have left the industry. “About a decade ago there was about 200 Dairy Farmers in the region and now we are down to less that 20 in the Murray Swamps area (Wellington through to Mannum)”.

Image:  Courtnie Roesler  & Susan Rooney-Harding

Heather is the wife of Geoff Simons – a dairy farmer. They live with their family on the outskirts of Mannum, on one of the few remaining dairy farms in the area. As a child Heather had a dream of marrying a farmer, however has found life as a farmer’s wife considerably different to her dream. Heather’s front yard is the banks of our Mighty Murray – it is here that she loves to spend time with her family relaxing around a campfire.

Image:  Courtnie Roesler  & Susan Rooney-Harding

Geoff is one of the few remaining dairy farmers in the area. He milks up to 300 cows twice a day and crops up to 4000 acres of grain

including wheat, barley, canola, lupines and hay. 200 of these acres are irrigated straight from the Murray, which produces some of the best feed for milk production. “As we only get 8 inch rainfall per year we rely on the Murray for irrigation to grow feed for the cows’. We have a water allocation of

11 megalitres,” (11 million litres per year). Geoff expressed that Dairy Farming has been quite tough for the past seven or eight years because of the drought; a lot of farmers have left the industry. “About a decade ago there was about 200 Dairy Farmers in the region and now we are down to less that 20 in the Murray Swamps area (Wellington through to Mannum)”.

Image: Rebecca Henry & Susan Rooney-Harding 

Isobelle is the Nunguraku tribe custodian (part of the Ngarrindjeri Nation) and is the manager of the Ngaut Ngaut boardwalk

(traditional cave carving site near Nildottie). Isabella sits on a federation that consists of 35 aboriginal groups. In this group they discuss issues 

concerning the river.  Isobelle was only 22 years old when she was given the role as custodian. As a young girl, she would often travel with her father, Richard; this is how she learnt about the responsibilities of the role. Isobelle has found parts of the role challenging, as not only is she young, but is also a female filling a traditional male role. She is working hard to change this and has amazing support from the community and her nation. “I love what I do - I would be nothing without my connection to the river. It is everything to my people, it’s our lifeline - it keeps our culture alive.” 

Image: Rebecca Henry & Susan Rooney-Harding 

Anita is a volunteer at Ngaut Ngaut board walk (traditional cave carving site near Nildotti). She explains about the cave carvings and what they mean to visiting tourists.  “Before Richard (the custodian) passed away he came to visit me and asked me if I would become a Ngaut Ngauttour guide. Up until then I was taking care of the children and didn’t have much of an interest in the carvings - but now you can’t stop me from talking about this place“

Image: Rebecca Henry & Susan Rooney-Harding 

The sun symbol is a women’s symbol. The cave carvings tell us that men weren’t allowed in here until the sun came up. The cave carvings have been dated and it was determined that there has been eight thousand years of continual use of this site. “It is where we lived, There was about 50 people living under here; it was like our town. It had everything - food, shelter and water. The cave carvings tell of our life and of the rules that governed our community. No matter what age or color you are we all need this river. It brings everybody together it is our blood stream. A good day out is a good day on the river”.

Image: Rebecca Henry & Susan Rooney-Harding 

Sam’s first time to the river was 10 years ago as he originated from near the start of the Murray Darling system in Cherbourg

in Qld . “Ivy and myself met in Qld about 10 years ago – we are now married.  The first time I came to the river I fell in love with it. 

My mother was born in a place where the river starts.  “So I’ve made my journey all the way from the beginning to the end.

The river is like my blood stream. When it dries up. So do I”.

Image: Sharii Blythe & Susan Rooney-Harding 

“The River took my husband on News Years Day in 1958 – He was fishing with our neighbour on a landing not far from

where we lived.  The old landing was flood damaged and gave way. My husband fell through and got tangled in some old

fishing nets - It was too late when they found him. We had 6 children together and after his death I had to make a living for

us all so over the years I worked in the local Mannum Bakery and the Garage. I also grew Orchids for over 40 years and had

about 250 different varieties. In the beginning I grew them for myself but later went into selling them for weddings”. 

Image: Sharii Blythe & Susan Rooney-Harding 

Lyn is a passionate gardener and worked as a florist in Mount Barker for many years. I now spend my days creating and maintaning the gardens at  Aminya. “I designed the love heart garden at the front of Aminya with my grandson. Everyone loves it”. Lyn has been living in the area for 35 years. “The river makes our town, it is a living thing and it calms me  – I just love it. “ 

Image: Sharii Blythe & Susan Rooney-Harding 

Bob loves the river, the fishing and it’s tranquility. Bob lived in Renmark for 35 years, he moved there for work. His job was to

remove all the open irrigation channels that carried water from the River Murray to the many fruit, vegetable and vineyard properties. The channels where replaced by many under ground pipes that carry the river water throughout the region. Bob moved to Mannum in 1978 to work as an engineer on one of the 5 major pipelines that supply water from the River Murray to many of the South Australian cities and towns.

Image: Sharon Briggs & Susan Rooney-Harding 

“I’ve lived most of my life on the river.  During the 1956 flood I was just old enough to carry sandbags. To help with sandbagging,

they would pass sandbags down to us who were in the river, and we’d dive down into the river and plug the holes with the sandbags. I’ve been in the boat industry on the river now for 41 years; building up a Marina, building houseboats and river cruisers, and doing boat maintenance. We got the contract to reposition all the kilometre markers on the river, from Wellington up to NSW border. It took 6 weeks for us to complete the

contract. The best way to say how I feel about the river is what my grandkids say – its Pa’s river. The grandkids have connected with how I feel about the river. We must look after it now, for it to be there for future generations”.

Image: Sharon Briggs & Susan Rooney-Harding 

“I remember cruising across Lake Alexandrina in this boat the ‘Meander’ when I was a child, not a care in the world then.

I’ve lived in Mannum since I was 3. I was married at 18 and my husband Ron and I worked hard to build our home and business on the river. I clearly

remember the 1956 floods; if there was a problem in the night, the fire siren would go and everybody would be out of bed to help sandbagging in the main street.  When we were kids, the town had pictures twice a week in the Institute building. The younger kids would sit in the front seats, and as we got older we were allowed to move to the back.  I have 4 children; my kids love the river as much as I do. I’ve devoted most of my life to doing things for my family and my community on the river. I wouldn’t change any of it; it has brought many friends to me, and given me many happy times”.

Image: Sharon Briggs & Susan Rooney-Harding 

Image: Sharon Briggs & Susan Rooney-Harding 

“I was born in Mannum and have lived all my life on the river. I went to the school here in Mannum. When I was 21, I married Mary, and moved to the farm. That was 50 years ago.There has been good and bad years farming; during the bad years I would go truck driving and do earthmoving to bring in a living. The farm was my wife’s grandfathers, and hopefully, my grandsons who are the fifth generation, will take over the farm in the future. The farm is mixed cropping, also with sheep, sometimes cattle, and always

kangaroos and rabbits. At times, I’m not sure which there is the most of, kangaroos and rabbits or sheep and cattle”.

Image: Sharon Briggs & Susan Rooney-Harding 

“I was born on the farm. I have only spent 3 years off the farm, when my parents and I moved into Mannum. I didn’t have a license then, and at 15, I started work at the Medical Centre. I retired from my job at the Medical Centre 50 years later. I moved back to the farm when I married

Christopher, that was 50 years ago last April. I have two children, a son Paul and daughter Robyn; my son has taken over running the farm.  The River has always been there; when we were younger we would go water skiing, and fishing. It was a cleaner river then, you could see into the water.  The River is here on our doorstep, we should appreciate it”.

Image:  Susan Rooney-Harding 

Greg lives in Sedan and often comes to Mannum to go fishing whilst his partner is working. He returns all of the native fish

that he catches and removes all the carp. Last year Greg removed over 2500 carp from the river. He has pulled some very interesting things out of the river. “You name it I’ve pulled it out - I love the serenity of the river, the fishing and Kayaking on it. I would love to see less jets skis and powerboats on the river as they are destroying the river banks”.

Image: Sharon Briggs & Susan Rooney-Harding 

“This is my dog Jessie, she lives at home with my wife Sandy and I. Jessie is 16 years old now. I’ve been bringing her to visit the Mannum Hospital residents most of the mornings of her life. It’s a pleasure to have Jessie live with us; she is a lovely natured dog, and the Hospital residents love seeing her in the mornings. I am not sure how much longer she will be able to do this though, her age is catching up with her, and there will be a time soon when she will have to retire”. I love my River town of Mannum - it’s my home.

Image:  Susan Lord & Susan Rooney-Harding 

Joan was the first female councillor in Mannum and is on the SA Women’s Honour Roll. She was a drama and elocution teacher to many students in Mannum where students completed studies with an AMEB qualification from London.  Joan is an author and at present is writing her memoirs  ‘Where the Wind Bloweth’. As a councillor she was involved with many river issues and realised that the river is our lifeline and we have to protect it from pollution, disease and overuse.

Image:  Susan Rooney-Harding  

Mitchele has been running Grandmas Attic in Mannum for 7 years. I would say that it is one of the most amazing and colourful

Op-shops I have ever been in. Prior to this Michele had a similar shop at Angaston in the Barossa.  “It has been such a great move as we have the river here – which is a fanastic plus, especially in summer. I love the river. When I’m at work my partner spends all day out on the river in his kayak, he really loves it too, he’s always looking out for the river”.

Image:  Susan Rooney-Harding 

Red Catherine Johns is a Romany Gypsy woman living near Walkers Flat deep in the Mallee. Catherine is a devoted ambassador

for the creatures of the earth, and can’t remember a time when animals haven’t been a part of her life. It was about year ago when Red Catherine woke up to find a huge chunk of flesh ripped from Samio the Clydesdale’s leg. Catherine nursed him back to health and during this time she discovered that he was blind. She wants to teach him to pull her gypsy wagon using sound. Catherine has often said that “There is no life for me without the animals; they are everything to me. They need me and I need them”.

Image: Talia Rigney & Susan Rooney-Harding

Amy Loechel  recalls fond memories of camping as a child at Coolcha catching her first fish and exploring the sun burnt cliffs. The following 10 year chapter on the river at Mannum brought smiles, love and happiness to last a life time. Now working for the Mid Murray Council in Community Development, Amy gets great satisfaction from providing fun-filled programs and events to enhance the learning experience in the region.

Image: Talia Rigney & Susan Rooney-Harding

Barry was born and lived on the River his whole life. When Barry  just 6 he remembers being woken up in the early

hours of the morning to see the 56 flood burst its banks. Raising a family of four beautiful girls with his amazing wife in Mannum he enjoys the time spent with his girls and the grandchildren. The Mannum Rowing Clubs Life Member is planning on extending his beloved shed to make room to build a 16 foot wooden boat . He plans to start at  Wentworth and sail down the Murray taking in the tranquility the Mighty Murray has to offer. This is Barry’s retirement dream.

Image: Talia Rigney & Susan Rooney-Harding

Mardi has the river embedded in her heart. After living on the River a majority of her life she says "I don't want to be   anywhere else." Its obvious to see the Murray is in her blood. Running a tourism business with her father David, Big Bend by Night offers a range of exciting experiences for people to add value to their holidays along the river. She loves having a job that allows her to show travelers around her backyard and share her passion for the River and the wildlife that comes with it. She even takes in rescued animals to hand raise them so tourists get a closer look at what beautiful creatures also call the river home.

Image: Talia Rigney & Susan Rooney-Harding

This inspirational Ngarrindjeri man was born in the back of a FJ Holden on the way to the hospital. Steven Sumner was in a hurry to enter this world and has had a love for life ever since he’s been here. Spending his younger years in Meningie and the Coorong and most of his adult life in Murray Bridge it is quite easy to see that the river and lakes hold a special place in his heart. Steven loves his beautiful wife, talented children and deadly grandchildren and cherishes times spent with them. His poetry and football are also a very important part of his life and this year he has been given the role of coach for the A grade Murray Bridge Imperials.

Image: Talia Rigney & Susan Rooney-Harding

Born in Murray Bridge and being the youngest of 4 children, Terry would spend most of her time down by the river playing. Terry has taught and inspired children to follow their dreams for 17 years at Swan Reach Area School. Terry still teaches year 10,11 and 12

English, History and is now also the school counselor.  She currently lives in Waikerie, which is up river and commutes to Swan Reach for a job she so clearly 

Image:  Susan Lord & Susan Rooney-Harding 

Tony is an Australian native plant authority and former proprietor of Nellie Nursery in Mannum. Tony was born in Mannum and loved the river as a boy for swimming, boating and exploring. As an adult he lived with his family next to the Lagoon where he grew plants on the flats using the river water for irrigation.

Image:  Susan Lord & Susan Rooney-Harding 

Hendrick was born in Holland and love brought him here. He is a carpenter and musician and plays in the Cripple Creek Blue Grass Band. Hendrick lives on the Lagoon with partner Anne O’Dea and enjoys the serenity and fishing with his grandchildren. He hopes for better management of our river system.

Image:  Susan Lord & Susan Rooney-Harding  

John is a musician with a past career on stage, radio and television. John is a ‘boatie’ and over the years he has been involved with the Paddle Steamer Marion. He loves the peace and tranquillity that the river offers but has concerns about the rise of noise pollution on the river produced by jet skis.

Image:  Susan Lord & Susan Rooney-Harding 

From Nurse to Director of Nursing - Eileen clocked up 40 years of service at Mannum District Hospital, caring for the many ill and injured people who live along the river. Eileen lives on the river and loves the moon shining on the water at night, and the croaking of the frogs.