Echuca-Moama, the twin towns straddling the Murray River, are renowned as Australia’s “paddle steamer capital” and a hub for recreational boating. From historic paddle steamer journeys to water sports, festivals, and fine dining, the region draws thousands of visitors each year. Now, a new Battery World store has opened on the river’s edge to meet the growing demand for reliable marine power solutions.
The Echuca store, launched on September 15, is strategically located at 108 Northern Highway, described by franchisee Barry Murphy as “the gateway to Echuca”, and is ideally positioned to service both the large boating community and the many tourists who flock to the region for river adventures.
Barry & Prue Murphy
With its historic wharf, paddle steamers, and strong boating culture, Echuca-Moama is built on the water. Local boaters and visiting skippers alike require dependable marine batteries, whether for a leisurely cruise on the Murray, a water-skiing weekend, or a houseboat holiday. Barry Murphy, who co-owns the new store with wife Prue, believes the mighty river will be central to their Echuca operations.
“In Bendigo we don’t sell too many boat batteries, whereas I think in Echuca, we’ll do more marine because of the river and more people up along the river,” Barry says.
Their new store, Battery World’s 115th in its national network, offers a full suite of services tailored to boaters, including marine batteries, professional testing, delivery and installation, and computer resets. For locals and visitors heading out on the water, having a one-stop shop for reliable power provides peace of mind.
Barry and Prue Murphy bring more than a decade of experience to Echuca. They have successfully run the Bendigo Battery World store for the past seven years, earning a reputation for customer service that was recently recognised with the prestigious Tom Spence Service Champion Award at the Battery World national conference in Perth.
“The main thing (that prompted opening the new store) was the growth the Echuca-Moama area is experiencing. We’ve found there’s quite a few tourists who travel through this area,” Barry explains.
A former farmer and livestock nutritionist, Barry brings a unique perspective to the business. His transition from farming to batteries highlights his adaptability, and his deep understanding of regional communities. The Echuca operation will also be a family affair, with son Tommy Waters managing the new store and son Keith assisting with accounting.
The Murphys understand that most people don’t plan for a flat battery, whether it happens to a car en route to the river or a boat at the launch ramp. Barry refers to batteries as a “grudge purchase,” but says the team’s mission is to make the process easy.
“We’ll come out and deliver and install, and we fit the batteries for customers. We reset the car’s computers, we do all that sort of stuff to try and make it as painless as possible,” he says.
“I suppose the key thing we’ve learned over the past seven years is just put the customer in front of mind and everything will work out fine from there.”
That philosophy will be carried across the Murray, where river-goers will benefit from reliable service, even at short notice.
Echuca-Moama is not only a tourism hotspot but also a region experiencing strong population growth. Positioned at the crossroads of Victoria, New South Wales, and South Australia, it attracts visitors from across the southeast to enjoy its boating heritage. For Barry and Prue, this makes it an ideal location to expand.
The new store is fully fitted out in Battery World’s national branding and staffed by locals, ensuring that the business integrates with the community it serves. Alongside marine solutions, it will also supply batteries for cars, caravans, farming equipment, and more, making it a key service provider in the region.
By combining award-winning customer service with a strong marine focus, Battery World Echuca is set to become an essential stop for boaters on the Murray River.
For more information on Battery World, visit batteryworld.com.au or drop into the new Echuca store.
