Maritime treat for all to sea
ONE of Tasmania’s most anticipated maritime events launches today at the biennial MyState Australian Wooden Boat Festival on Hobart’s waterfront, bringing together the largest and most notable collection of wooden boats in the southern hemisphere.
About 200,000 visitors are expected to celebrate the nation’s rich maritime culture, with the iconic Parade of Sail under way from 12.30pm today.
“The Parade of Sail is always the most dramatic event, and this year it’s the largest fleet we’ve seen in years,” festival manager Paul Cullen said.
He said the best views would be from Wrest Point, CSIRO Rotunda and the Alexandra Battery park in Sandy Bay.
This year’s feature nation is the US, with special guests from the North West School of Wooden Boat Building who have built a Haven 12 and a Half in Franklin in the past couple of months, which will be showcased and auctioned at the weekend.
“Theirs is a highly respected school of traditional boat building and we’re delighted to have them here, building with Tasmanian timber,” Mr Cullen said.
This year for the first time there will be an Adventure Stage, where experts such as world circumnavigator Lin Pardey and Windeward Bound captain Sarah Parry will talk of their most exciting voyages and discoveries.
The Wooden Boat Film Festival is another new feature, showcasing all things maritime. See the program or visit the information centre at Mawson Place for times and details.
Boats will be stationed all around the site, which stretches across Hobart’s waterfront from Salamanca Place through to Hunter Street. The Young Endeavour, Britain’s bicentennial gift to Australia which now operates as a sail training ship, will be at the far end near Hunter Street, while the tall ships will be in Sullivans Cove alongside Princes Wharf No. 1. The ticket office for the tall ships is next to Elizabeth Street Pier.
For a detailed directory of boats, exhibitors, food stalls and community groups visit the festival website. www.australianwoodenboatfestival.com.au