Proud Mary cruise, South Australia: Murray River lunch tour

The lunchtime Proud Mary cruise from Mannum, South Australia, combines commentary on the Murray River’s history and wildlife, with a two course lunch. These Mannum lunch cruises cost $182 as part of a day tour from Adelaide.

The Proud Mary is a riverboat operating on the Murray River in South Australia. It operates a mixture of multi-day liveaboard cruises and short lunch cruises.

To book a Murray day tour from Adelaide, including the Proud Mary lunch cruise, click here.

Proud Mary Murray River cruises from Murray Bridge

The two and five day cruises depart from Murray Bridge, and include all meals plus on-board cabin accommodation. There are also excursions off the boat thrown in.

Realistically, though, most people getting aboard the Proud Mary will be doing so on the lunch cruise.

Proud Mary cruise from Mannum, South Australia

The Proud Mary Murray River lunch cruise departs from Mannum rather than Murray Bridge. The Proud Mary cruise makes its leisurely way along the river. The on-board commentary goes into how the river is South Australia’s lifeblood, and delves into its ecological significance.

There’s also talk of the human history along the Murray, both Aboriginal and settler.

The Proud Mary cruise starts off with freshly-baked scones, topped with jam and cream, and a two course lunch follows.

These Proud Mary lunch cruises depart at 10.45 on Mondays every week, although passengers are encouraged to get there at least ten minutes before departure. For pricing information, visit the operator website.

Murray River tour from Adelaide

However, if you’re staying in Adelaide, there’s another option. A day tour from Adelaide, including the Proud Mary cruise, plus cheese and chocolate sampling in the Adelaide Hills, costs $182. These tours can be booked online.

Other things to do in Mannum include bird-spotting in the Mary Ann Reserve, hiring a houseboat and learning about the history of the river at the Mannum Dock Museum.

Mannum accommodation options include the Mannum caravan park and the three star Mannum Motel.

Book your Mannum accommodation

The best places to stay in Mannum are:

For a decent, inexpensive, riverbank motel: Mannum Motel.
For romantic villas: Riverview Rise Retreats.
For a good quality holiday park with lots of facilities for children: Big4 Breeze Holiday Parks – Mannum.