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Created for: The Sims 3 Creator Terms of Use
Capt. William Sturt McDonnel Snr had a dream . . . . . .
It has been said, and I quote ' the Murray River is to Australia what the Nile River is to Egypt: a great and ancient river system that has shaped the past and the present and will continue into the future .'
The first steam-powered paddle-driven boats appeared on the Murray River in around 1853, and many inland regions depended on these paddle-steamers to transport wool to market as well as general supplies to the populations along the river and inland of it. In its heyday,1872 or thereabouts, the river was a veritable highway, with 240 paddle-steamers operating along its course. Less than a handful are left - to operate as pleasure cruise craft today.
William Sturt McDonnel Jnr, a second-generation river man, was a leader in the small band of sidepaddle cargo steamer captains who stayed the distance. He eventually retired in 1941, took himself off to the United States with his wife and sons and settled down to a life of relative ease, somewhere on the coast of New England.
The youngest of his sons, Lyell Sturt McDonnel decided to return to Australia when he, in his turn, took early retirement in the late 1980's and, while there, spent a number of years researching his family history and the deeds of his father and grandfather on the mighty Murray River.
One of the treasures he uncovered was a handdrawn plan William McDonnel Snr had made, of a house he dreamed of building for his family, reminescent of a Mississippi Riverboat. During McDonnel Snr's lifetime, it remained just that . . a dream . . . but when Lyell McDonnel saw the faded old blueprint, he fell in love with the concept and decided he would do his utmost to bring his grandfather's dream to fruition.
He found the perfect location, almost without looking! In Simmer Downs, at the very end of Sunnyside Boulevarde overlooking Sunnyside Strand, Lyell McDonnel set about translating the old plans into solid building materials. It was no easy task. The plan was radical for it's time, so there was local opposition and endless red tape to cope with, but McDonnel's do not intimidate easily, so, one fine day, the last of the tradesmen were paid off and an old man's Riverboat Dream finally came to be.
It may not be apparent to the casual observer, this resemblence to an old sidepaddler - but take another look at a different angle - can you still not see it? The broad beam, the blunt nose - the deck rails on upper and lower decks, the wheelhouse rising over all, the wide decks for passenger and cargo alike? Oh well. . . so be it. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so too is a dream. If we must be prosaic, then here are the finer points :
Riverboat Dream is a 2 bedroom/1 bathroom summer house for all-year-round living. The wide front decks are sheltered from the prevailing ocean winds by the bulk of the house, while the entire second level is one large sunroom, glassed in and having panoramic views of the township and the sea. Ground floor comprises the master bedroom, a double guestroom and shared bath; kitchen/dining and a lounge/sittingroom complete the room count - all surround the central feature - a sunken splash pool with rest area, open all the way up to the glass roof above. A mariner's telescope is located on the timber deck above the lounge/sittingroom - this area also has a glass roof. It is probably worth mentioning that all glass has been treated to withstand the occasional gale that can be experienced in such an exposed location.
Down a side path to the back of the block, a glass gazebo fronts the ocean, and here will be found a gas BBQ, a place for casual meals and seating for balmy evenings in the ocean air, but protected from any sudden showers that might pass overhead. . . . be they natural or bird-made!
Oh . . and there's one important thing you need to know. Lyell Sturt McDonnel had been a cat lover of the highest order, so you will need to be willing to have his feline friends as part of your life too, as they are one part of Riverboat Dream that is non-negotiable.
So there you have it. One man's interpretation of another man's dream - ready to become your Sim realty.
Special Note: You will see a handful of items in the previews that do not appear in the thumbnail credits as they were sourced outside of TSR. If you would like them to appear in your game, the following are free downloads from MTS from
the various artists concerned. Hairdryer: BabaYaga. Porch fence - and rail used separately: Flabaliki. Table hosta plant: lemoncandy. SimCity Midbiscus plant: TheJim07. Paintings - Moon at Noon, Fonamaha, Divine Beauty: Rudrakali. Simple kitchen counter&overhead: Plasticbox. Thanks and credit is given here.
Short URL: https://www.thesimsresource.com/downloads/998335
ItemID: 998335
Filesize: 13 MB
The TSR Creations below were used in this Creation.
Credits: TSR and the TSRAA artists whose work appear here/ www.modthesims.info/ as detailed above
- Price Unfurnished: 76647
- Price Furnished: 155662
- Furnished: Fully
- Decorated: Throughout
- Bedrooms: 2
- Bathrooms: 1
- Stories: 2
- Lot Size (z): 30
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