Wooden Boat Festival at Goolwa: In the Fleurieu Peninsula region South Australia
The crowds at the Wooden Boat Festival at Goolwa next month are certain to gather for a peek at the quaint little oddities that make up an armada of steam boats that will invade the heritage port.
The beautiful replicas, with lots of polished brass and lacquered wood make a perfect chorus as they puff and hoot across the waters of the Murray. All are a credit to the resourcefulness of the people who tend to them with love and pride.
I climbed aboard the SL Penelope with Rod and Jill Muller who were enjoying an afternoon’s boating in much the same way the more well off classes did in England back in the nineteenth century.
“They would take the train from London,” explained Rod, “and then they would have their servants bring the steam launch over and pick them up and run them back to their house on the lake.”
No servants on board Penelope today, as Jill steers the tiller and Rod stoke the firebox. And out here you even have make your own cup of tea.
“We've got an immersion heater - a jug and an element. This device screws onto a fitting on the front of the boiler and you put water in there and turn steam on and that heats your water in about thirty seconds. You can have cappuccino as well.”
Alongside was another boat called Mz Piggy. So-named because she was a pig of a boat when David Walton and his partners first set about converting it fifteen years ago. She's come a long way but still has a few teething problems - the automatic pump broke down on our journey. Mz Piggy's humble origins fit nicely with the very early history of steamboats like these..
“Originally steam boats were work-horses of the water,” said David. “They were used for ferrying supplies to larger boats in the harbours. But by the middle of the nineteenth century they'd become a statement of style and opulence - a boaties personal folly if you like.”
David's a piano tuner by profession hence the beautiful inlaid woodwork from an old piano on board. For him this a living, breathing beast…
“The timber has been a living creature. And it's a fully recyclable material. Even the water we run through the system is recycled - we are sending it up the stack and turning it into clouds which one day will rain back onto the lake.” laughed David.
It's the organic nature of wooden boats that gets these enthusiasts in - young and old. At Goolwa Wooden Boats, kids from Goolwa Primary and Investigator College are learning tricks of the trade from boat builder Jesse Wagner.
“The technology of wooden boats has come a long way in recent years. And they're now a more viable alternative to the mainstream.” said Jesse.
Last year's Festival raised ten thousand dollars for kids to learn boat building skills and when they have finished building their boat they’ll take it out for sail training lessons.
Jesse also builds boats to order and he sells kits for the firebug dinghy and the jig needed to cut the plywood to the exact lengths. Contact Jesse on 0438 360 066. He'll also be at the Wooden Boats Festival.
Wooden Boat Festival
March 11-13 2005
River Port of GoolwaGoolwa Wooden Boats
Jesse Wagner 0438 360 066If you have any further questions please email info@postcards-sa.com.au
