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.