All the Rivers Run

- Season 1

(1983)

In a storm off the Victorian coast in 1892, a young English girl is shipwrecked and orphaned. She is rescued heroically by the only other survivor of the wreck.

Tom Critchley, the seaman who rescued Delie, arrives in Echuca on a paddle steamer he bought with his reward. It is the beginning for Delie of a remarkable ten years in her life.

Delie quickly attracts the attention of the town gossips, living alone in a ladies boarding house. She is trying hard to ignore riverboat labourer Brenton Edwards who is working even harder to draw her attention.

Tom finalises the deal which puts Delie and Teddy into partnership as the new owners of the Philadelphia before departing for a new ship sailing the high seas.

Delie and Brenton are to wed, and Delie pays a visit to see her Uncle Charles. Ben is gone and both Charles and the property are looking run down but Delie lifts his spirits.

Stranded for three month by low water levels in the Darling River in the midst of a drought, the Philadelphia and her crew make the best of their situation in the hope that rains will wash down from QLD and allow their escape.

Two years have passed since the destruction of the Philadephia. Brenton is working at the redgum mill dreaming of rebuilding the Philadelphia while Delie resumes her old job of colouring postcards.

Brenton's accident and subsequent paralysis inspires Delie to turn her talents towards being a riverboat captain. Alastair resurfaces in Echuca but his enthusiasm for Delie and her art is matched by her desire to stay in Echuca.