Wooden Boat Festival Setting Sail

The Liberal Government is proud to support the MyState Australian Wooden Boat Festival, which celebrates and showcases our island state’s rich nautical heritage.

Through Events Tasmania we are providing $650,000 funding for our country’s premier maritime festival.

The Australian Wooden Boat Festival is the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere and attracts around 200,000 people to Hobart’s waterfront over the four day event.

The festival attracts about 40 per cent of its visitors from interstate or overseas, generating more than $30 million in business revenue for our local economy.

More than 550 wooden boats are expected to take part in next year’s festival, creating a spectacle on the River Derwent when the flotilla takes to the river for the opening Parade of Sail.

While ashore, more than 60-stall holders will stock hard-to-find maritime wares and experts from the UK and US will impart their knowledge at the Australian Wooden Boat Symposium.

The Liberal Government is committed to building on our competitive strengths, especially tourism.

We have a target of attracting 1.5 million visitors to our state by 2020, which the industry says will create 8,000 new jobs.

Events like the 11th MyState Australian Wooden Boat Festival will help us to reach this target.

This year’s festival will bring Hobart’s waterfront to life from February 6 to 9 and is free for all.
Will Hodgman, Premier, Minister for Tourism, Hospitality and Events