PS Canally formally returns to service after years of restoration

PS Canally at the Morgan Living River Festival, 30 May 2026.

At a public ceremony on the banks of the River Murray, the historic paddle steamer Canally was formally recommissioned and returned to service after more than a decade of sustained effort towards its restoration.

Crowds at the recommissioning ceremony for PS Canally.

At the Morgan Living River Festival on 30 May 2026, the vessel was recommissioned by Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia. This was a testament to the enduring significance of Canally to the industrial, social and economic history of the region. Built in 1907, PS Canally worked extensively along the River Murray before it was laid up during the 1950s and eventually sank at its moorings. After an extended period of submersion, the vessel was raised in 1998, beginning a long journey back to operation. Thanks to the ongoing efforts of volunteers, supported by Mid Murray Council and other funding partners, the vessel was restored to meet operational requirements and can once again carry passengers.

The commemorative plate for PS Canally.

Mid Murray Councillor and AMMC Board member Kevin Myers spoke at the recommissioning of PS Canally, reflecting on the vessel’s storied history and the perseverance of those involved in bringing it back to service. Members of the AMMC Board attended the ceremony and were delighted to be present for this significant event, which highlighted the ongoing importance of Canally and similar vessels to Australia’s riverine histories.

PS Canally at the Morgan Living River Festival. Image courtesy Chamber of Inland Rivers.

More information about this occasion is available in an article published by the ABC, and you can read more about PS Canally on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels.