The Wooden Boat Centre

The Wooden Boat Centre is an operation with a unique business plan and was the original brainchild of John and Ruth Young. It has since changed hands a few times and is now owned by the Franklin Working Waterfront Association — a Not-for-Profit community group. Their aim is to reinvigorate the maritime heritage of this district. The process begins by finding a wealthy sponsor who wishes to have a wooden boat built using traditional boat building methods. The school then sources students who are keen to forge a career in boat building and are willing to make a 2-year commitment to the course. The sponsor pays for the material as well as the student’s course fees. At the end of this time, the students have a qualification that is internationally recognised, and the sponsor has a wonderful boat at half the cost. It’s obvious that the boats have been built with love and the craftsmanship is superb.

The centre is based in the small picturesque village of Franklin and we walk in right as the last tour is commencing. An interested group of travellers have congregated around a wonderful photograph of a pine tree and Greg is sharing information about the Huon Pine…

Tasmania is a unique place for anyone who loves the natural environment and I’ve read that almost 45% of the state has been retained as reserves, national parks and World Heritage Sites. The World Heritage sites here satisfy more criteria than any other World Heritage property on Earth. The Huon Pine tree is an iconic slow growing tree that can grow to be over 2000 years old. The conflict between the loggers and green activists is also a conflict between people’s livelihoods and people’s passion to protect an incredibly extraordinary part of our planet. I am learning there is room for both to survive, if we learn to harvest sustainably.

The Huon Pine is now protected but there is so much forest waste left over from the days when forests were clear felled so boat building in places such as this can still go on. Huon Pine is an incredibly hardy wood and is ideal for both boat building and furniture making because it can survive the onslaught of bugs and extreme weather conditions.

I learn from the website that “since its inception the Centre has had nearly 500 students of all ages, who have produced more than 60 wooden dinghies, repaired clinker and carvel boats and attended recreational classes dealing with related subjects. Nearly 80 of these were full-time Diploma or Certificate students who have also been responsible for producing nine sea-going cruising boats, which have established an enviable reputation for the Centre’s product.” One of the sailing boats that ply the waters now was once rescued from the bottom of the ocean near Europe.

It’s always great to meet people who are passionate about what they do and are keen to pass on their skills to the next generation. It’s an amazing education and training model that we haven’t come across before. Connecting the person who wants a product with someone who wants to learn a trade, using quality materials that would otherwise have been wasted.

First published by www.polisplan.com.au 2 Feburary 2016