Held on Hobart’s historic waterfront every two years during February, the Australian Wooden Boat Festival celebrates maritime craft, art and heritage through four unforgettable days of colour, action, music, theatre, flavours and fun.
The setting is brilliant – the festivities are centred on the docks of historic Sullivans Cove, the harbour of the Derwent and the city’s scenic dockside precinct, with the convict-built sandstone pubs and warehouses of Salamanca as the perfect backdrop. Senses are aroused by the strains of acoustic music over the water intermingling with a wood carver’s mallet or the rippling of sea water against a clinker hull.
From the inaugural event in 1994, when 180 wooden boats graced Hobart’s docks, The Australian Wooden Boat Festival has grown to become one of the nation’s most exciting and spectacular celebrations. It’s a festival of authenticity and intimacy – both qualities are enhanced by the superb location in and around Hobart’s historic docks precinct.
In 2005, more than 40,000 visitors admired 450 superb wooden craft of all shapes and sizes, including international exhibits like the two replica Viking boats from Denmark. The presence of remarkable wooden boats like this has made the festival the biggest event of its kind in Australia and given it international recognition as a maritime festival of the highest quality.
The Australian Wooden Boat Festival is an iconic event on Tasmania’s biennial calendar. It is strongly supported by the Government of Tasmania, TasPorts, and a range of business, community groups and valued volunteers.
For more information on how you can be
involved with one of the world’s leading maritime
festivals
– as an exhibitor, commercial participant, sponsor
or volunteer– please contact the Festival office:
Office: office@australianwoodenboatfestival.com.au
Postal address: GPO Box 713, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia
