Popeye and Paddle Boats on the Torrens River

Popeye and Paddle Boats on the Torrens River Sit back and see Adelaide from the best seat in the house, by cruising along The Torrens River in the heart of the city in a heritage icon.
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Special events, private charters and regular sightseeing cruises are available from Elder Park, Adelaide. There’s really only a few ways to see Adelaide from the River Torrens and we have two of them. On board the Popeye and paddling along in one of our new paddle boats. Our boats have been enjoyed for generations because the Popeye first started in 1935. The “Popeye” boats are privately owned recreational ferries that operate on the lake between Elder Park and the Adelaide Zoo. The first boat was launched on the Torrens Lake by Gordon Watts in 1935. It was a 25-foot (7.6 m) boat, built on the banks of the River Torrens to hold up to 20 passengers and named Popeye 1.

We're hiring! If you love the outdoors we may have the perfect role for you🙂
14/09/2026

We're hiring!
If you love the outdoors we may have the perfect role for you🙂

03/09/2026
It means the world to hear such warm words from our community! 😊..
09/07/2026

It means the world to hear such warm words from our community! 😊
..

Beautiful sunshine for our High Tea season finale. We look forward to welcoming you back in spring with a beautifully re...
21/06/2026

Beautiful sunshine for our High Tea season finale. We look forward to welcoming you back in spring with a beautifully refreshed menu. 💐

And it’s a wrap. We did get one sunny day in this weekend 🙂
14/06/2026

And it’s a wrap. We did get one sunny day in this weekend 🙂

06/06/2026

Ian Keith Kershaw‎ sent a photo; “One old Popeye full and heading towards the Zoo and another docked to take on passengers. They were very popular! I wonder if the new ones have the same attraction?”
Thanks Ian, one of those ageless charms of Adelaide. Back in 1958 the Women’s Weekly wrote “Adelaide wouldn’t swap this miniature waterway and fleet for the Grand Canal and all the gondolas of Venice” The article goes on to give a little bit of history….”The Popeyes are 38 foot long and have been plying the Torrens Lake for 21 years (which is now 83 years).
Why Popeye? Captain G S Watts, skipper of the fleet explained, “Well, we had to call them something and back in 1937 ‘Popeye the Sailor was all the rage. You couldn’t open a newspaper without seeing comic-strip drawings of him eating his spinach”.

Chocolate & banana cake ready. Lemon’s next😊
16/05/2026

Chocolate & banana cake ready. Lemon’s next😊

Happy 90th Birthday!
27/04/2026

Happy 90th Birthday!

16/04/2026

Back at the High Teas again today!

Don’t forget to book for Mothers Day, a regal treat she’ll never forget!

Sit back and see Adelaide from the best seat in the house, by cruising along The Torrens River in the heart of the city in a heritage icon. Special events, private charters and regular sightseeing cruises are available from Elder Park, Adelaide.

Address

River Torrens, Elder Park
Adelaide, SA
5000

Telephone

+61882327994

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