Since time immemorial rivers have been the arteries of Australia's red heart and the river defined not just the landscape but also the people. Colin Whelan travelled to many memorable pubs along the Murray and its branch, the Edward. So many of these hotels are both rich in their own character and filed with other characters. They are a testament to the core values of the bush and to the continuing role pubs have in their communities. The stories of these pubs are inevitably intertwined with the river and with their yesterdays. Savouring the pubs, enjoying them and soaking them in, necessarily involves swimming deeply in their histories and refreshing in their waters. These are their stories, the unforgettable characters of Australia and it's waterways.