- River cruising is growing and now a mainstream holiday option.
- But most travel all the way to Europe or Asia for a holiday.
- Now Australia is planning to offer its own river cruise – down the mighty Murray River.
When PS Australian Star slips her moorings from Echuca on February 23, she will be carrying far more than 38 passengers and their luggage.
Riding on her success is the boldest attempt yet to create a genuine Australian river cruising sector – one that could finally place the Murray River alongside the Rhine, Danube and Seine as a premium cruise destination.
Ok, maybe that is a stretch. But there are big plans for this fledgling ship and its location.
Backed by two state governments, a $2.25 million Victorian tourism grant and chartered in part by APT, one of Australia’s most powerful travel brands, Australian Star is being positioned as the vessel that can transform heritage paddlesteaming into a five-star experience.
If she succeeds, the Murray may finally move beyond day cruises and nostalgia to become a viable, multi-night cruise market.
A landmark launch
Murray River Paddlesteamers has confirmed February 23 as the date of Australian Star’s first commercial sailing, a seven-night cruise operated by APT Luxury Travel. The vessel will offer year-round itineraries of three to seven nights from Echuca, Victoria, travelling through some of the Murray’s most historic stretches.
The official christening will take place three days earlier on February 20 at Perricoota Station, using local wine in a nod to regional producers and riverboat tradition. Former Echuca tourism chief Kathryn Mackenzie OAM has been named godmother, a symbolic choice for a project deeply tied to regional tourism ambition.
For Mackenzie, who helped shape Echuca’s visitor economy for years, the moment is long overdue.
“Europe has luxury river cruises and now we do on the Murray,” she said. “This beautiful new vessel will change the face of Echuca and make it an international cruise destination.”
Australia’s first five-star river ship
At $11 million, PS Australian Star is not simply another paddlesteamer – she is a statement. Carrying just 38 guests in 19 staterooms, the 220-ton vessel is being promoted as Australia’s first five-star, overnight river cruise ship, and the largest paddlesteamer in the Southern Hemisphere.
We’re not sure there are many paddlesteamers in the Southern Hemisphere, but that’s by the by. She is also claimed to be the world’s only five-star, wood-fired paddlesteamer offering overnight accommodation.
While her silhouette may recall the grand steamers of the 19th century, the interiors are unapologetically contemporary. Guests can expect a gourmet restaurant, a deluxe panoramic lounge, expansive outdoor decks, lift access to all levels and staterooms opening directly onto the deck – all with ensuite bathrooms, air-conditioning, luxury linen and Wi-Fi.
Power comes from a hybrid diesel-steam system incorporating a restored 1907 wood-fired steam engine, blending heritage theatre with modern efficiency.
For Cruise Passenger readers used to European river ships, the product is clearly designed to feel familiar – but unmistakably Australian.
APT’s vote of confidence
Perhaps the most significant endorsement comes from APT, which has chartered close to half of Australian Star’s sailings in 2026 and 2027.
APT’s involvement signals confidence not just in the vessel, but in the broader concept of Australian river cruising as a sellable premium product. Fares for a seven-night cruise in 2027 start from $6,450 per person twin-share, including rail transfers from Melbourne, all meals, shore excursions, drinks with dinner and gratuities – pricing squarely aimed at the high-end domestic cruise market.
Early booking incentives, including hotel stays in Echuca or Melbourne and fare savings, underline the push to build early momentum and lock in demand.
According to Murray River Paddlesteamers director Craig Burgess, the response has already been encouraging.
“We’ve seen incredibly strong demand for 2026, with 2027 already filling fast,” he said. “Australians love cruising and they love the Murray River. What’s been missing is a world-class product that matches Europe’s great waterways.”
Government backing – and expectations
The Victorian Government has contributed $2.25 million through its Regional Tourism Investment Fund, viewing Australian Star as an economic catalyst rather than just a cruise ship.
Tourism Minister Steve Dimopoulos described the vessel as a unique drawcard that would drive spending across Echuca and the wider region, from accommodation and dining to local tours and retail.
For regional towns that have long relied on seasonal and domestic tourism, the promise of year-round, high-yield cruise guests is compelling – but it also raises expectations.
A successful river cruise sector would require consistent water levels, infrastructure support, shore-side experiences and ongoing collaboration between operators and governments in both Victoria and New South Wales.
A make-or-break moment for the Murray
Australia has flirted with overnight river cruising before, but never at this scale, level of luxury or financial commitment.
Australian Star represents a calculated gamble that today’s cruisers – particularly experienced ocean and European river cruise guests – are ready to rediscover the Murray in comfort and style.
If it works, it could open the door to fleet expansion, new itineraries and a long-awaited repositioning of the Murray as one of Australia’s great cruise experiences.
For now, all eyes are on February 2026 – when Australian Star will finally test whether the Murray River can shine on the world cruising stage.
For more and bookings, go here.
Yes — in all the claims made in the many stories about The Australian Star in the past few years, The Murray River Princess seems curiously absent.
Sounds marvellous. Just thinking about the falling waterline in drought times.
The Murray Princess is a stern-wheeler that has sailed from Mannum in SA for a number of years. It has operates overnight cruises.