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The Punt, Echuca, on the Murray River. Antique Print Australia c1874.

The Punt, Echuca, on the Murray River. Antique Print Australia c1874.

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by Booth, Edwin Carton

Antique print of the important Punt at Echuca on the Murray River, north of Melbourne.

In 1845 James Maiden set up the first punt to carry squatters' livestock across the river. A couple of kilometres upstream, in 1853, Henry Hopwood set up another punt service, in competition. In 12 months in 1856-1857, 150,000 head of cattle crossed the river on these punts. Hopwood convinced the Victorian Government to set up port facilities next to his punt, and the town of Echuca came into being. Both these men were ex-convicts, convicted the same day in the same Lancashire prison, and coincidentally both died on 1st January 1859. Their secret past died with them.

In the late 1870s over 400 paddle steamers and barges serviced the rural industry and took advantage of the port facilities at Echuca, the closest port to Melbourne on the mighty Murray River.

Fine original steel engraving from a sketch by James Charles Armytage (1802-1897) for Edwin Carton Booth's "Australia, Illustrated, with Drawings by Skinner Prout, Chevalier, Armytage and others", published in England circa 1874 by Virtue & Co.

This antique print has fine later hand-colour, and is in good condition, with ample borders as published, outside the image area shown.

The size of this image is 15cm x 20cm (6” x 8”).

Stock Number: apav14Price: $180.00