Remarkable:
Stories of Australians and their boats

Exploring Australians love of boats

Australia's history is populated with maritime-related stories. With over 1,000 rivers and a coast that stretches for more than 36,000 kilometres, it is no surprise that Australia abounds with stories of people who have lived and worked on the water.

This exhibition presents some of those stories, exploring the remarkable connections between people and their boats.

About the exhibition

Remarkable is a panel exhibition presented by the museum and the Australian Maritime Museum Council (AMMC) and is the result of a national project with workshops held across the country. Thirty-four stories were nominated by maritime museums and heritage institutions from around Australia, with 12 of the most compelling stories selected to feature in the exhibition.  

Remarkable provides an opportunity for regional audiences to hear national and local stories, with many host venues displaying objects from their own historic collections in conjunction with the panel display.

The banner display is currently on an 18-month national tour across regional Australia.

Story Submissions

The panel, after much deliberation have decided on the following stories:

  • Sea Legs – Albany Whaling Station

  • The Original Sydney Ferryman – Australian National Maritime Museum

  • From Illegal Casino to Legendary Lakes Entrance Fishing Vessel - Lakes Entrance Regional Historical Society

  • One Special Book, a small boy and a boat – Tacoma Preservation Society

  • A Woman of Consummate Skill – Maritime Museum of Tasmania

  • A Sailor’s Premonition and Resourcefulness Saves Shipmates – HMAS Castlemaine

  • Row, Row, Row Her Boat… - Maritime Museum of Tasmania

  • Keeping Culture Alive – Alexandrina Council

  • Floody Legends – Townsville Maritime Museum

  • My Boat, My Survival – Alexandrina Council

  • By Jimminy, she’s a ripper – Millicent National Trust Museum

  • Going Solo– Australian National Maritime Museum

Nipping out to run errands in the car is something that many Australians take for granted. More than 100 years ago, in Cygent, southern Tasmania, Dinah Wilson did most of her family errands in a rowing boat! Image courtesy Maritime Museum of Tasmania