Shane Henderson, Steve Shipp and Dean Johns have their boats at the ready for the Southern 80 boat show at Victoria Park boat ramp this Saturday, March 22. Photos: Jordan Townrow.
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
Despite not fielding any races this year, Moama Water Sports Club will be holding a revised version of its annual Southern 80 this Saturday, March 22.
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After multiple incidents in 2024, water ski racing is on hiatus for the 2024-25 season as NSW Maritime are conducting an investigation of the sport across NSW.
With that in mind, the Southern 80 as we have come to know it will not move ahead this year, however the Moama Water Sports Club felt it necessary to celebrate the event as it reaches a major milestone.
The club will hold a boat show at Victoria Park boat ramp to mark 60 years since the first ski race was held on the Murray River in Echuca-Moama.
There has been significant interest from ski racers and enthusiasts to swap stories and share tales of their trips down the river at the Southern 80.
The event will see nearly 100 boats converge on the boat ramp to showcase the teams and the different types of craft that have competed in the landmark event over six decades.
There will be some significant boats on display that have won the Southern 80 on more than one occasion, such as Rolco, Recovery and Island Cooler.
“We have a lot of the boats that were racing in the 70s, 80s and 90s, so everyone there will be able to look at the older boats,” Moama Water Sports Club president Steven Shipp said.
“There will be many people that wouldn’t have seen boats without turbos and the ones with the bigger blowers on them.
“We’ve got just on 100 boats registered for the weekend so that’ll be huge. There will be plenty of boats to get around and have a look at, which will be great.”
Along with a number of boats from different eras, it will be the perfect opportunity for enthusiasts and those interested to see the history behind the iconic event.
Attendees will be able to wander around the boats and discuss their engines and hulls with the teams, with many having been restored to their earlier days, along with age-appropriate tow vehicles.
The event will see 100 boats, old and new on display for attendees to see and experience the history of the Southern 80. Photo: Jordan Townrow
Photo by
JORDAN TOWNROW
“We have got a lot of interest in the boat show, and I think we are going to get swamped a bit more than we thought,” Shipp said.
“We typically get around up to 4000 at the finish line area, and we don’t expect to get that much, but 1500 would be a nice figure.
“People aren’t going to hang around all day, the spectators will be in and out, so if we can get a continuous good crowd, we’d be pleased.
The event will be open to the public from noon to 6pm, with food trucks, a bar, and merchandise available to purchase. As it is a licensed area, no BYO is available.
The cost to enter is $5 and there will be an official Southern 80 Boat Show after-party at the Echuca Hotel.
In the past few months, the club has been looking through archival materials and documenting the history of the event, with some of the findings to be displayed at the boat show.
“It’s our 60th year, so while we couldn’t race, we still wanted to celebrate and keep our name out there until we start back racing again,” Shipp said.
“I don’t want people to forget about us, so we are trying to put ourselves out there while we can’t race.
“The committee are all wrapped about being able to put this on in the interim while we can’t race, it was a lot easier to organise than an actual Southern 80.”
There will be a range of memorabilia available, including VHS tapes and DVDs, posters and old programs to purchase, so supporters can add to their collection of the Southern 80.
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