Yes! All you need is an unrestricted driver’s license, and be a responsible person over 21 years of age. With expert tuition from our staff, you’ll be confidently cruising and berthing your houseboat in about an hour from stepping on board.
We can arrange a pilot assistant to transport you from place to place during your holiday, at an additional cost. However you may be more restricted in your mooring locations, as we will need to access them by road for pickup and drop off.
We always have friendly, helpful staff on call, so you can contact us at any time on your mobile phone. If the answers to your questions are not in the “Good Book” on board, we are only a phone call away.
From our moorings there is about 100km of navigable river at your disposal. Cruise upstream past the Gol Gol Hotel, Riverside Golf Club and Trentham Estate Winery to the Lindeman’s Winery at Nangiloc (closed to the public, approximately 40km), or downstream through Lock 11 past Apex River beach Park, Coomealla Golf Club to Wentworth and the junction of the Murray and Darling Rivers (approx 60km).
As well as several supermarkets in Mildura, less than 5 minutes from our moorings, there are several convenience stores along the way, some of which deliver to the river. The IGA supermarket at Dareton can deliver groceries and beverages to the Coomealla Golf Club moorings.
There is ample parking for cars, caravans and trailers at our mooring site, or if you prefer we can arrange for secure storage on site. A limited number of caravans can be plugged into power for $10 per night per van. Please pre-book if required.
Our customers tell us we have the most well equipped houseboats on the river. You will find everything on board from sharp knives, bottle openers and binoculars to games, books, magazines and DVDs. Just bring your toothbrush and a smile…When you have made your final payment we will send you a detailed list of what’s on board the houseboat and suggested purchases for your holiday. Any queries, please ask us!
The decks on our houseboats are fenced all around, and the larger boats have gates at the top of the staircase. Naturally, whenever children are near water they should be supervised. We supply lifejackets for children and non-swimmers on request, and advise that they be worn whenever children are on deck or in the water.
If you cancel more than 2 months before your booking, you will receive a full refund less a $100 administration fee. If you cancel within 2 months of your booking, we will refund the full amount less $100 administration fee provided we are able to rebook those dates. If we are unable to rebook those dates, you will lose your money that has been paid. For this reason we recommend you take out travel insurance (many credit cards have this option) for unforeseen circumstances.
As an alternative, we invite you to rebook your holiday at a later date, in which case there is no financial penalty.
The security bond is between $1000 and $1500 depending on which houseboat you hire. It is payable on boarding by cash or credit card. The bond is double for all male or all female crews. The bond is refunded generally within 5 working days after the houseboat is returned clean, undamaged and on time to our moorings. Fuel costs are usually taken out of the bond.
We have a few pet friendly houseboats in the Silver and Gold range, we can take up to 2 small dogs on board. A fee of $50 per pet will be charged at the time of booking. If you are holidaying on one of our other houseboats, we suggest you leave your friend at the Cabarita Lodge B & B for a holiday, while you enjoy your houseboat escape. We also ask you to leave your firearms and motorbikes at home, so that you can enjoy the tranquility of the river and its wildlife.
On boarding, you will normally be offered the insurance waiver option. If you are not offered the option, please feel free to ask for it. This is a fee of $90 per night, which can help you in the case of an insurable incident. The insurance waiver reduces your liability from $2500 to $500, however you will still be liable for minor damage that is not an insurance claim. But don’t worry; accidents on our houseboats are few and far between.
We have tinnies with outboard motors, canoes and pedal boats for hire. However we are unable to hire out ski boats or jet skis due to NSW Maritime restrictions. You are welcome to bring your own small boats and big boys toys! (Don’t forget to bring the appropriate licenses).
No, The Murray River is too far south to have crocodiles and too far inland to have sharks. In fact there are no “nasties” in the river, so it’s safe to swim in. We do recommend you wear a lifejacket while swimming, we can provide these for you on boarding.