This film's DVD sleeve notes state: "The historic River Port of Goolwa is located near the mouth of the Murray River in South Australia. Goolwa saw the birth of the Murray River trade and it was the only port on the Murray Darling River system where entire riverboats where constructed. Between 1853 and 1913 sixty one vessels, including thirty seven paddle steamers were built at Goolwa. This documentary explores the emergence of the Murray River trade and the lost history of shipbuilding at Goolwa and the craft of these early shipwrights".
Roly Bartlett OAM, of the Friends of the P.S. Oscar-W, has said of the production of this film: "We were impressed by the thorough and persistent way in which Ash [Ash Starkey] pursued many avenues of historical information , photographs, etchings and the like to create a remarkable and interesting documentary, 'Paddle Steamer & Barge Building at Goolwa 1853 - 1914'. Indeed, he unites the information, anecdotes , history and appropriate music so skilfully that the interest of the viewer is maintained and we have a valuable historical record."