Maritime craft

See something different:

Mariners' art on teeth or bone. >> read more

Australia's only convict-built dinghy. >> Read more

The Pilot Station converted to a maritime museum >> read more

Water, water everywhere!

Tasmania has a strong maritime heritage that is not only linked to its geography but also to its rainforests of boat building timbers, its seas full of fish and its history as a prison, a port, a whaling station and more recently as a tourist destination. You can find examples all over the island of what people have found and made (and continue to make) for a lifestyle dominated by water. See the maritime itinerary for details of places and displays.

Aboriginal people were skilled users of maritime craft like canoes and rafts. The first Europeans to arrive in Tasmania came by ship and many were wrecked off parts of the treacherous coastline. Before air transport became available and affordable, transport to and around the island was primarily by boat. Many visitors to Tasmania still arrive on ferries and high speed catamarans from the mainland. Models of these are on display at the Devonport Maritime Museum.

Whaling was one of the island's main industries until 1893, and commercial fishing continues to be an important industry. Tasmanian salmon and crayfish are exported all over the world. The Maritime Museum of Tasmania has an extensive display of tools and relics from the whaling industry as well as several unusual boats.

Boats are a part of the scenery in Tasmania. Tasmanians own more boats per capita than any other Australians. Wooden boats are particularly popular. Many boat builders continue to use native species such as Huon and Celery-Top Pine because of their strength and flexibility. Traditional boat building techniques are still taught today at the Shipwright's Point School of Boat Building. You can observe these master craftspeople in training from an observation deck built above the school. The capital city Hobart is home to the Australian Wooden Boat Festival every two years that attracts 30,000 visitors.