Historical information

The first Echuca Steam Rally was held in 1963 and grew in popularity over the following decades, especially after the arrival of the paddlesteamers Adelaide and Pevensey. This souvenir gazette may have been a new idea being published in 1976, which says 'Volume 1. No. 1', and consists of an editorial by Jack Prentice, Steam Rally Director, thanking people for their support, as the Rally had by then grown from a small fundraising event to a major event attracting people from 'all over the Commonwealth'. The Rally (and Rotary Park) allowed facilities and demonstrations for enthusiasts to restore and maintain irreplaceable machinery from the past. It has anecdotes and explanations that steam enthusiasts would love and is a lasting reminder of when steam engines were becomoing a thing of the past.