Griffens Marina Houseboats at Blanchetown is owned by Miriam and Don Griffen, and has a fleet of beautifully appointed hire houseboats to suit all River Murray holiday makers needs, including South Australia's award winning Houseboat Ensuite Fleet.
We are a small family business that takes pride in offering our customers a unique houseboat experience, and we have the only hire boats operating exclusively from this area.
Blanchetown on the River Murray is known as 'The Key to the Riverland' and is only 1 1/2 hours drive from Adelaide through the beautiful Barossa Valley, and three hours from Mildura. Blanchetown is a small town situated at the start of the Lock and Weir system and is renowned for having two bridges that span the Murray River - with the old bridge offering excellent views of Lock 1.
The lock system along the River Murray controls the flow of water, and being above Lock 1 means we always have plenty of water for houseboats to travel safely. The magnificent cliffs that line the river, not only provide a haven for nesting birds, and other river life, they also hold many secrets in the form of fossilised shells and ancient sea creatures.
Our private houseboat moorings on the Murray River at Griffens Marina are nestled below limestone cliffs, offering security for your vehicle and flat lawned access to your houseboat, which makes loading and unloading houseboats a breeze.
As soon as you leave the marina after your comprehensive instruction, your houseboat adventure begins. Our experienced team will even point out some extra special mooring spots ideal for houseboats, and are only too happy to answer all your questions.
First timers? Don't worry, we will make sure you are fully familiar with the houseboat before you leave. Our aim is for you to have the most memorable houseboat holiday possible. We can even help you arrange transfers from Adelaide, or if you are travelling with your caravan, we can provide safe, private parking. As an extra service, our family boats and small boats are pet friendly, so please enquire when booking.
Our uncrowded section of the Murray River has an abundance of deep mooring spots, with no overnight river fluctuations. We are the only houseboat holiday operator on this stretch of the river and regard this part of the river as our playground. The only boats you usually see are some of our hire houseboats, or the occasional private houseboat or cruiser, but basically you will have the river to yourself. If you want to get away from it all, this is the spot!
You can travel upstream from Griffens Marina to the historic town of Morgan, approximately 7 hours away, and discover one of Australia's earliest river ports. The town is a delight for anyone interested in museums, antiques and heritage walks, and it even has two hotels close to the river front for those wanting to dine out. You may choose to travel a little further upstream and visit the Cadell wetlands, featuring unique varieties of bottle brush. When water levels are normal below the Lock, you can travel downstream through Lock 1 to Swan Reach and Big Bend, where we can even arrange for you to experience the "Big Bend by Night" nocturnal tour.
Tie up for the afternoon and throw a fishing line off the back of your houseboat, or lounge under the top deck canopy reading a book while sipping a glass of wine! For nature lovers there are a variety of river birds and wild life to view, and wetlands to explore - we can even hire you a kayak. Or just marvel at the majestic river red gums standing like sentinels at the edge of the river and the changing colours of the magnificent cliffs...
You choose how you will enjoy your Murray River Houseboat Holiday with the award winning Griffens Marina Houseboats at Blanchetown, South Australia.