Boy 9, risks life to save four in river – September 5, 1967

A NINE-year-old boy was the hero of a mass rescue from the Murray River when a rowboat in which he and his family were sight-seeing capsized.

The boy, Graham Willoughby, swam for help while his father stayed to support his two other children and their grandmother as they clung to the upturned boat.

The 10-foot dinghy was swamped in the wash of the paddle steamer Melbourne about half a mile downstream from the Mildura lock.

As Graham clambered up the bank, a passing motorist, Mr Ray Greenwood and his family, of Melbourne, had just stopped their car to photograph a goat.

Mr Greenwood heard Graham call for help.

When he saw what had happened he dived into the river and swam toward the upturned boat.

Another man, who did not give his name, swam out with Mr Greenwood.

Between them they helped the Willoughbys to shore by swimming behind the dinghy and pushing it toward the shallow water.

In the rowboat when it capsized were Mr Donald Willoughby (36), his mother Mrs Elsie Irene Willoughby and the Willoughby children Graham, Peter (4) and Gwendoline (11).

The Melbourne was travelling toward the lock channel entrance when it passed the family in the rowboat.

Mildura police were informed and an ambulance was summoned.

The ambulance and a police car took the five to the Mildura Base Hospital.

They were treated mainly for shock.

All were allowed to leave afterwards except Mrs Willoughby who was admitted for observation.

Mr Greenwood said after the rescue that it had taken him and the other man about 15 minutes to push the boat to shore.

A Melbourne tourist aboard the paddle steamer said that it had just passed the dinghy when it overturned.

He said just before it overturned when the wash hit it the occupants of the boat were waving to the passengers on the Melbourne.

There were 350 passengers on the paddle steamer.

Mrs Willoughby said she thought herself the “luckiest woman in the world” to have her family back safely.