The Lock was designed and built in the 1920s and 1930s to provide pools for irrigation and allow for boats to move along the Murray River year-round regardless of water levels. Today the locks allow paddleboats, houseboats, cruise and recreational craft to move up and down the river.
(There is a strange looking handle bar like device in the middle of the grass there..do you see it? This was the device that was made redundant that would have been seen in operation up until the 1970's which used to operate the Lock.)Mildura Weir and Lock 11 are separated by an island, and are popular places for pelicans and locals who fish for carp, perch, cod and bream. Walking from one side of the river, just over the little metal walk bridge and stepping onto the other side takes you from Victoria to New South Wales. Actually, if you were to step one foot in the water you would have one foot in NSW and the other in Victoria.
Once an important trading route, the Murray River was busy with boats carrying supplies to and carting wool from the region's stations and homesteads. Today visitors can board an historic paddle steamer or paddleboat in the river towns of Mildura and Wentworth to experience this traditional form of travel and find out more about riverboat history. It truly is spectacular and romanic!!
To see the Lock in opertation just clink on my photobucket link HERE. It sure is amazing!!!
17 comments:
Cazzie, thanks for giving me some wonderful flashbacks. My early years were spent in Mildura (before we moved to Werribee) and many happy times were spent at Apex Park with all the extended family. My grandfather used to tell us stories about Lock 11. He was around when it was built.
No worries Fiona, I am so glad the memories have come back. I have some more pics to upload from the park there, and I will do it soon... it was very relaxing :)
What fun - what a great experience for y'all and the kids!
There are a series of locks and dams along the Arkansas river built to make it navigable. It's pretty cool how they work.
I have never been to your part of the world, but one day I will land my feet firmly and run with it...smiles.
So I must thank you for giving me my first lesson about some of the things in your country, in this case the locks and the park. Keep teaching me and by the time I get there, I am will feel like it is my home.
Now that is lovely.
In Michigan here in the States, we have the Sault St. Marie locks (Sault pronounced 'Sue'), between Lake Huron and Lake Superior.
Then there are the huge locks at Niagara Fall, that take ships up and down a tremendous distance, making the Great Lakes basin one of the largest navigable waterways on the planet.
As always, I love the pictures.
Just posted my ode to Friday night dancing! I'm sure you'd love it, Cazzie!!!
Thanks for the lesson.
Peace out.
I have never seen anything like that before first hand. I've read about them and have always thought it would be cool to be able to actually experience it.
Have a great wknd ;o)
I'm thinking 2009 might be the year to visit Australia!!!
Even more amazing in your photobucket are those beautiful children. And that amazing superior fisherwoman!
You know? I'd love to go to Austrailia. I'd do anything. I'd even work on a sheep farm! Or rabit detail--I heard you have lots of problems with invasive species there. I once saw a photgraph and it was all rabbits and hares bunched up together as far as the eye can see.
We have problems here to, due to international shipping. Russian ships brought the zebra mussle all the way from the land-locked Caspian Sea--they have canals and locks, too. The lamprey is a parasite which is destroying the Lake Trout, which is a beautiful--aa well as tasty--fish that can be up to a meter in length. And the gobi is a fish from cetral asia that eats eggs of native fish. And others. No need to give you a lesson.
Have a blessed weekend, Cazzie!!!
Hey Cazzie, did they catch any fish?
I love to fish for carp, perch and cod too. Am I bird?
EC, it sure was fun.
Jay, it sure was amaing, we had a great time watching it in action Jay.
Inside, welcome, and "No worries", I am sure you will not be disapointed when you get here.
Eric, I would imagine it is a site to see anywhere in the World. Those locks you speak of must be HUGE!!!
Jillie, way cool, and I hope your weekend has been great too.
Rosemary, yayyy, I will put the jug on ..tea or coffee?
Annie, why ty maam, I do love to take the photos..and I don't usualy end up IN them!! LOL
Eric, it certainly is a great experience when you do get to have a go at working on a farm. A good friend of mine runs a Dairy Farm and I love going there to watch what they do..even giving a cow a hand to have her calf delivered safely.
We have a massive problem here with star fishes coming in on the bows of boats..they are killing off our coral in the Great Barrier Reef. Worse too is the invasion of Cane Toad sweping the country. They say it will only be a matter of 15 yrs or so and they will have entered Victoria all the way from QLD. An ecological disaster!!!
GB, nope, but we had a great time and everyone was tired and we had a fair way to go to get home you know :)
Captain..a pelican :)
Cazzie, hope you're keeping fine.
It must be fun to have such a nice experience with your family.
Lucky you. I've always wanted to go on a paddle steamer.
BTW, I love the cattle ear tag on the tree in the pictures.
this sounds like an awesome trip.
Pink, thanks and yes it was very very relaxing.
Phish, LOL, I know, I thought the same thing. It marks the spots for campers at that particular camping park.
M, is sure was!
Post a Comment