Arch Conner 'The Old Man of the Murray'

• Born: January 20th, 1886
• Died: December 26th, 1980
• Aged: 93 years

Arch Conner spent a large part of his life fishing on the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers. But is was not untill his later years that he became a fully qualified paddle steamer 'Master'.

Arch owned 'Etona' 1912-13. In September 1956, 'Etona' and its 70 year old skipper Captain A. H. Connor made many mercy missions along the flooded Murrumbidgee in the Balranald area.

Despite living the hard life of a paddle steamer captain, Arch always tried to be a good family man and reserve his Sundays for family and Church.

Arch Conner, 'The Old Man of the Murray', stands as a symbol for all those who worked and strived to build river communties like Boundary Bend.

Captain Arch Conner steered The PS Gem to Swan Hill for preservation and in his latter years unveiled the plaque adjasent to the old Swan Hill Wharf.

Photo: Captain Arch. Connor in his later years, studying 'P.S. Pyap's river chart.

Source above: Sign at Boundary Bend.
Photo : National Library of Australia

Enjoy the Murray's paddle steamers and paddle boats

Related:

• Captain John Egge
• Building of the Mary Ann
• First Murray River paddle steamers
• The accidental paddle steamer race
• Ride on an original paddle steamer