Please select your home edition
Edition
Sydney Boat Show 2025 - Apply to Exhibit

Boat registrations open for Australian Wooden Boat Festival 2023

by Australian Wooden Boat Festival 28 Apr 2022 14:42 AEST 10-13 February 2023

After the rough seas of 2020 and 2021, the Australian Wooden Boat Festival is going to be back better than ever 10th - 13th February 2023 on Hobart's magnificent waterfront.

The iconic waterfront festival is held over four days on the Hobart Regatta long-weekend in February every two years. With tens of thousands of visitors to the site, the festival celebrates over 450 beautiful wooden vessels both on land and on the water.

With the on-going support of the State Government, Events Tasmania and TasPorts, and our other sponsors the festival has become one of Tasmania's greatest free events. The 2023 Festival theme will be Australian Boat Builders and Designers, focusing on the history and culture of wooden boats around the Australia.

Boat registrations will be opening Thursday, April 28, 2022 at 2pm (AEST) and the AWBF invites wooden boats of all shapes and sizes to enter. Registrations came in hot and fast for the cancelled 2021 Festival, with organisers expecting record entries for the 2023 Festival.

Boat Manager, Roscoe Barnett has already confirmed 10 tall ships from Tasmania and across the country, and he expects to have a representative boat builder from each state and territory. "We usually have a feature nation and in 2021 it was to be Australia, so we thought why not bring it through to 2023 and focus on and celebrate all the great boat builders that we have here in Australia now and from the past." Said Roscoe.

The Australian Wooden Boat Festival hosts over 450 boats afloat, ashore and model boats during the four-day Festival. A significant number of wooden boats travel from interstate to attend the Festival and the AWBF expects a large number of participants from interstate in 2023. The AWBF will also be displaying as many Australian Classic sailing dinghies as possible.

Boats Afloat and Ashore Registrations Opening Thursday, April 28, 2022, 2pm AEST. Model Boats and Boats in Bottle Registrations to be announced.

Related Articles

Historic rivalry reignites at Wooden Boat Festival
A historic rematch between two legendary vessels The Australian Wooden Boat Festival (AWBF) hosted a historic rematch between two legendary vessels, Ngataki and Te Rapunga on Saturday 8 February 2025, as part of the festival's celebration of the Pacific theme. Posted on 14 Feb
The Undine Restoration Project
A testament to the resilience of maritime heritage After nearly seven decades since its construction in 1948, the iconic Derwent Class, Undine has undergone a full restoration, and it is nearly complete. Posted on 1 Feb 2024
Australian Wooden Boat Festival wraps up
There are simply so many people to thank A big thank you to each and everyone of you that came to the Hobart waterfront to celebrate Australian boat builders, designers and wooden boats of all shapes and sizes. This event would simply not be possible with the support of the people. Posted on 17 Feb 2023
Australian Wooden Boat Festival final day
Crowds convene across entire Hobart waterfront The Australian Wooden Boat Festival has come to a close, after a fabulous four days of celebrations. The sun was out for most of the weekend and the sea breezes were perfect for the sailing events out on the River Derwent. Posted on 13 Feb 2023
AWBF: Crowds convene across Hobart waterfront
Australian Wooden Boat Festival has gone off with a bang The Australian Wooden Boat Festival has gone off with a bang, with revelers enjoying the live entertainment in the Ironhouse Waterside Tavern, with crowd pleasing bands Baby Come Tack, Yacht Rock and The Royal Australian Navy Band Posted on 12 Feb 2023
Australian Wooden Boat Festival Day 2
Massive crowds ascend on Hobart's Waterfront The Australian Wooden Boat Festival is well under way, with thousands of people enjoying the sights on Hobart's Waterfront for day two of the four day event. Posted on 11 Feb 2023
Australian Wooden Boat Festival Parade of Sail
A record number of boats gracing the Derwent The Australian Wooden Boat Festival has commenced with the suspected largest number of boats ever, in the Parade of Sail 2023. Posted on 10 Feb 2023
Boat Folk - Trevassa
One of the most iconic Tasmanian Jock Muir boats still in existence! Built in 1971 by Jock Muir, the boat was built out of locally sourced Blue Gum and Huon Pine. At 48ft LOA she has competed in 5 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races and spent much of her life in Sydney. Posted on 1 Dec 2022
AWBF Parade of Sail - Thank you
Now that we have returned our wooden boats to port, we've had a chance to breathe Now that we have returned our wooden boats to port, we've had a chance to breathe and gather our thoughts. What a wonderful day and what a crowd! Posted on 24 Feb 2021
Spectacular Parade of Sail on the River Derwent
Mild weather and favourable breezes provided perfect conditions Mild weather and favourable breezes provided the perfect conditions for the 2021 Parade of Sail on the River Derwent this morning. Posted on 8 Feb 2021
Excess CatamaransSea Sure 2025Boat Books Australia FOOTER