This short paper highlights some of the difficulties faced in providing safe navigation on the river, as the three colonial governments bickered over how much each should assume responsibility for and pay for their section of the river. Snags were a great hazard to paddle-steamers and their removal an ongoing task to make the river safe.

Snags are the remains of trees in the river, trees that have either been flushed downstream during floods and become stranded, or trees that have toppled into the river from the adjacent bank. With their branches and roots largely underwater they create an enormous hazard in the water. The first snag boat on the River Murray was the Grappler in 1858.

Parsons, Ronald Ships of the inland rivers: an outline history and details of all known paddle ships, barges and other vessels trading on the Murray-Darling system Ridgehaven, S. Aust.: Gould Books, 1990

Christopher, Peter Paddlesteamers and riverboats of the River Murray [Stepney, S.Aust.]: Axiom , 2000

Kenderdine, Sarah Historic shipping on the River Murray Adelaide: State Heritage Branch, Dept. of Environment and Land Management, 1995

Australian Dictionary of Biography online: Francis Cadell (1822-1879)

Renmark-Paringa Council: Paddle steamer Industry

P.S.Grappler removing snags