The historic paddle steamer town of Echuca is about to get a power boost. A new Battery World franchise store has opened on September 15 in the fast-growing Victorian river port, bringing specialised battery services to both sides of Australia's most important waterway.

Behind the expansion are Barry and Prue Murphy, the experienced franchise partners who have been successfully running the Bendigo Battery World store for the past seven years. Their decision to expand 92 kms north to Echuca isn't just about geography – it's about recognising opportunity where the Murray River meets modern Australia.

"The main thing was the growth that this area is experiencing – Echuca-Moama is growing a lot, and we found there's a lot of tourists who travel through this area,” Barry explains.

It's a compelling business case. Echuca-Moama sits at the crossroads of three states, drawing visitors from across south-eastern Australia to experience paddle steamer cruises, river activities, and the region's rich history. That steady stream of tourists, combined with rapid local population growth, creates demand that the Murphys are perfectly positioned to meet.

But Barry, a former livestock nutritionist who made the career switch to battery retail seven years ago, sees another opportunity flowing past Echuca's historic wharf – the Murray River itself.

"In Bendigo we don't do a lot of marine sales, whereas I think in Echuca, we'll do more in that category with the abundance of activity along the river.

It's a smart differentiation strategy. The Echuca location can tap into the boating, fishing, and water sports communities that call the Murray River home. From weekend warriors launching their boats at the ramp to commercial operators running river cruises, marine batteries represent a specialised market that perfectly complement their existing expertise.

The Murphy operation is genuinely a family affair. Sons Tommy and Keith contribute to the business – one handling store operations while the other manages accounting and books. This family approach extends to their customer service philosophy, built around a simple understanding: everybody needs batteries, and especially reliable car batteries.

Battery World Echuca will offer full delivery and installation services, fitting batteries on-site, resetting vehicle computers when necessary, and generally turning a frustrating experience into a painless one.

“We'll come out and deliver and install, and we fit the batteries for customers. We reset if we have to – we do all of that sort of stuff to try and make it as painless as possible," Barry explains.

The new store at 108 Northern Highway couldn't be better positioned. Barry describes it as "the gateway to Echuca" – the perfect spot to catch both local traffic and the steady flow of visitors heading into town. It's the kind of location that works whether you're serving a local tradie whose ute won't start or a Melbourne family whose caravan needs a new deep-cycle battery before they continue their Murray River adventure.

"I suppose the key thing we've learnt over the past seven years is just put the customer in front of mind, and everything will work out fine from there," Barry reflects.

While automotive and marine batteries will be the core business, Battery World Echuca will offer professional battery testing and fitting, plus the full range of services that have made their Bendigo operation successful. The store will also create local employment opportunities, with new staff being recruited to serve the Echuca-Moama community.

For Battery World, the Echuca store represents more than just geographic expansion – it’s about adapting their proven business model to capture new opportunities while staying true to their customer-first philosophy. As the 115th store in its national network, Echuca will offer a comprehensive range of automotive and marine batteries, professional testing, delivery and installation services, and battery recycling, while also employing local staff. Customers can also take advantage of Battery World’s nationwide warranties and expert advice, consistent with the trusted service offered across all its stores in Australia.

The Echuca store is now open at 108 Northern Highway.