Wooden Boats in Australia
As the largest island in
the world, with a land area of about
7.7 million square kilometres, Australia qualifies as a continent in its own right. It is also
the worlds largest island nation.
Surrounded by
water, Australians naturaly have a strong connection
wth the sea, and with boats. The vast majority of Australians
live within 50km of the coast in cities or towns,
mostly river or harbour ports, the gateways to our early
settlement and subsequent economic development.
As a relatively young nation
Australians are not too far removed from our pioneering past
and this instils a practical hands-on approach to how we do
things.
Given this
background it is not surprising that many Australians gained
early youthful experience with boats, often building and
sailing their own boats from a young age. Nor is it surprising
that boating in one form or another is a very popular
recreational pursuit for many Australians of all
ages.
For some, this means
high performance vessels using the latest technologies, for
others it is more about the beauty, the skills, the materials
and the hands-on involvement associated with wooden boats.
Wooden Boat Associations around Australia have formed from
enthusiasts dedicated to encouraging and supporting these interests.
These associations often work cooperatively with Maritime
Museums, providing skilled, dedicated volunteer manpower to
help with construction or restoration of wooden vessels with
some historical significance.
At a national level a number of important
historical replicas have been constructed with the combined
resources of government, commerce, maritime museums and
enthusiastic volunteers.
| 
