“It will be a historic event,” Mr Iannacone said.
“In the 1930s when the Sydney Harbour Bridge formed, there was hundreds of boats going under with bells and whistles and streamers, and that’s where I got the idea.
“This bridge has taken so long to build, so when it opens, we’re going to try and put together the biggest assembly of paddleboats ever assembled in Echuca — we’re trying to get them from Swan Hill and everywhere for this occasion.
“It’s a historical moment, and it will be big for tourism.
“We’re hoping to get some of the ministers on board, and we’re working with the Campaspe and Murray River councils to try and organise this and make it a big day.”
Mr Iannacone asks that paddleboat owners interested in being part of the event reach out to him directly.
“We want to make it a special occasion and so we want paddleboat owners to reach out and get in touch so we know how many boats we can have,” he said.
“We know it’s going to take three months to organise people for this, so the sooner we know how many boats we have, the sooner we can start.”
Echuca Moama Tourism chief executive Kathryn McKenzie celebrated the plans as a return to the romanticism of the Murray.
“It would be amazing if (Lou) could pull together an array of river craft, because it celebrates the heritage of this region, and tells the river story,” Ms McKenzie said.
“It shows the whole story: the river, the river activity and the romanticism of the paddlesteamers and the love that our community still have for that.
“It would be amazing if that would be assembled. It would be great for tourism and our local community to see the heritage in action.”
Interested boat owners can reach out to Lou Iannacone on 0409 570 989.
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