PS Marion

PS Marion is a heritage paddle steamer built in 1897 at Milang, South Australia, now preserved and moored at Mannum Wharf on the Murray River in the Mid Murray region. One of the last original steam-powered, wood-fired paddle steamers on the Murray, it operated as a cargo and passenger vessel for decades. Restored and operated as a floating museum, it offers heritage cruises and illustrates the river trade history central to South Australia's development.

Visitors can expect a restored 1897 wood-fired paddle steamer moored at Mannum Wharf alongside the Mannum Dock Museum. You can explore the vessel's decks, engine room, boiler and wheelhouse on guided tours, see original steam machinery in operation during cruises, and experience a short heritage cruise on the Murray River. The setting is the historic riverfront at Mary Ann Reserve with museum displays, wharf structures and river views.

Built in 1897 at Milang, South Australia by Philip Dowling for the Marion Steamship Company, PS Marion worked as a cargo and passenger steamer on the Murray-Darling river system for over 60 years, carrying wool, wheat and passengers. Laid up in the 1960s, later restored by volunteers and the National Trust of South Australia, it is now preserved as an operational heritage vessel representing the paddle-steamer era that was vital to inland trade and settlement.

PS Marion is an icon of Murray River heritage and South Australia's riverboat culture. Operated in association with the Mannum Dock Museum of River History, it preserves traditional steam navigation skills, wood-fired engineering and river trade traditions, and serves as a community heritage attraction for the Mid Murray region.