The Captain's Table

Make a Big Splash!

Our Value

Did you know biennially, the AWBF injects roughly $4 million directly into the pockets of maritime and community organisations, local businesses, educational programs, boat builders, craftspeople, artists, technicians, suppliers and venues? The ripple effect sees a further $25 million impact on tourism and the local economy. Yet the true value of the Festival is unquantifiable — it's seen on the faces and held in the hearts and minds of those who share in its joy.

Our Challenge

We're focused on spreading that joy through reconnecting our community, fostering and inspiring new generations of wooden boat and maritime lovers, and keeping the Festival sustainable, inclusive and free. With the social and economic outcomes of the pandemic, this has never been more important. As a not-for-profit, we receive funding from government grants — for which we are extremely grateful — but this doesn't cover all our needs. It is only with the help of people like you that we can grow and survive.

Donate & Make a Difference

Help us continue to present a Festival that plays a vital role in supporting our maritime and wooden boat community and the place it calls home. You can help by giving a little on a regular basis and becoming a Festival First Mate — a group of passionate boaties who support the day-to-day of the Festival and help to keep us afloat. Or, perhaps you'd like to join The Captain's Table collective — a group of like-minded private donors who support our vision and enjoy a range of exclusive acknowledgment activities?

''We are building this boat, but there are lots of people that have contributed in different ways. Other boat builders drop by to check up. People give us their advice and their experience. It’s just the way the community runs.''

— Matt Morris, Boat Builder