Page 2 – Queenscliffe Herald, March 2016 Queenscliff Maritime Weekend - 18, 19, 20 March Once again Andrew Watson has Fairy, Australia's oldest built boat and with his third episode on history of until now. Presented by Sheree Marris, tours, Pirate Cave kids' craft, nautical created a poster to match the theme Port Fairy's rowing lifeboat, which still flags, the history of yacht club ensigns author and photographer of Melb- knots and rope displays and the new of this year's Maritime Weekend sails on special occasions. "We oughta and burgees. ourne Down Under: The Jewels of Lifeboats of Victoria exhibition. hence lifeboats will be one of the burn it" is the title of his talk reflecting Bookings are essential for Fishy Port Phillip Bay. The weekend is a fundraiser for the weekend's features. the attitude they met with their project! Tales on 5258 3440. Please book 5258 3440. Queenscliffe Maritime Weekend and The image on the cover is taken It appears that the Queenscliff and Sunday 20th 2.30pm - As part of our focus on is generously supported by the Port of from an Illustrated Certificate issued Port Fairy communities went through 1.30pm at the museum - Melbourne lifeboats and thirty years of the Melbourne Corporation, Queenscliff to lifeboat men. It is 30 years since the the demise of the lifeboats and the Down Under Maritime Museum, the men who served Harbour, Borough of Queenscliffe, last lifeboat Queenscliffe was pushed question 'what do we do now?' with This is stunning imagery of Port with the Queenscliff Lifeboat service Couta Boat Association, Sorrento through the front windows of the new the boats, and each has come up with a Phillip's best kept secret - the marine will chat about their time on the lifeboat. Sailing Couta Boat Club, Searoad maritime centre building - just squeez- solution to preserve this heritage of the world under its surface. "Meet Along with the couta boat rafting Ferries, Queenscliff Lonsdale Yacht ing through with centimetres to spare important lifeboat services. charismatic marine mammals and up, Blessing of the Fleet and Couta Club and Queenscliff Cruising Yacht at the top, and the centre opened its And the question of 'why would deadly jet powered jewels - and witness Boat Regatta, Saturday's family activ- Club. doors in November 1986. So the you?' is also the challenge in Jim one of the world's most spectacular ities include the Port of Melbourne Full program details and entry museum is celebrating 30 years growth Woods' restoration of the MV Mar- marine migrations. Over 80% of the Corporation's survey vessel MV John costs on www.maritimequeens- of the museum and its collection. garet Pearl, a boat restoration project marine life found here is found Norgate open for viewing (subject to cliffe.org.au Friday 18th underway in the yard at the museum. nowhere else on earth. Port operations) and Queenscliff Sailing regatta registration through Fishy Tales - Marten Syme is one Jim has taken an old crayfish boat From birds whose wings turn into Coastguard. Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club of the Fishy Tales speakers and is from Portland and is transforming it fins, and fathers that give birth, to Benito's Treasure Hunt makes its www.sscbc.com.au author of the book, Lifeboats of into a family cruising vessel, just one colour blind chameleons and enchan- debut from Queenscliff Harbour. Enquiries Meryl Hodgson 5258 Victoria. He was part of the recon- of several boat restoration projects he ting dragons that sparkle like jewels. Discovery Day at the Queenscliffe 3440 or info@maritimequeens- struction project for the lifeboat Port has been part of. Steve Murphy returns It's a surprising secret that few know, Maritime Museum offers guided cliffe.org.au A Sunday sail along Hobart’s Derwent River with wine and lunch Queenscliffe Lifeboat aboard the Rhona H feeling the wind in your face, listening to the SV Rhona H rhythmic creaking of the rigging as launched 1926 the boat ran with the wind, and all fJulie and Charles' tall ship-based The new lifeboat was christened The vessel was 45 feet long six sails gather and fill while training for mental health patients is Queenscliffe at a special ceremony (13.7m) and the beam 12 feet 6 inches enjoying the sights was a pleasure. the only program of its kind in on the pier at Queenscliff. This new (3.9m) and weighed 20 tons. It was Okay for tourists like me but it was Australia. vessel would see 50 years in service powered by an 80 BHP Wayburn obvious Rhona H is a working ketch Originally from Upper Hutt, NZ, as a lifeboat before being preserved petrol engine and fitted with a mast, as her busy crew darted over the Julie trained as a nurse at Christ- in the Queenscliff Maritime Mus- dipping lugsail and jib and had had decks to check sails and ropes, church Polytechnic, has degrees in eum. an open cockpit. The boat was later emergency gear and calling 'duck' Management, Mental Health, Trop- The christening ceremony for the fitted with a steel canopy to provide when raising or lowering the sails. ical Medicine, Adult Education and new lifeboat recently arrived from the better protection and comfort. Rhona H has a fascinating history Training and is now working towards shipbuilders in Adelaide took place in The crew consisted of a superin- and connections to Queenscliff. She a PhD combining her interests of front of a large crowd at the tendent, two coxswains, one engineer was built in 1942 by Ned Jack of mental health, education, and rural Queenscliff Pier on Friday 9 April and eight seamen all provided with Laun-ceston for Frier Youl of health. 1926. Mrs G Kermode, wife of one rubber knee-high boots, lightweight Symmons Plains. She is one of the Julie calls her seagoing mental of the lifeboat crewmen, broke a waterproof plastic trousers and last traditional Bass Strait traders built health work the Rhona H Headwaves bottle of champagne over the bow of jackets. Crewmen wore a balsa and her classical 52-foot lines and program. "Sailing is great for develop- the new lifeboat naming it Queens- lifejacket fitted with a whistle. complex gaff rigging give the ing relaxation skills," enthuses the cliffe. The lifeboat was used for rescue impression of a much older vessel. Julie. "Once they're on board it's The Queenscliffe, towing the old work in southern Port Phillip Bay, the In 1950 she was sold to Max amazing the change that comes over lifeboat with the RAGA Band Rip and out into Bass Strait. The Hardy, a Stanley fisherman, who people." Julie said the structure and aboard, headed out into Port Phillip crew responded in an emergency by borrowed about 4,000 pounds to buy routine of tall ship life helps keep Bay followed by the military work the ringing of the wreck bell located the ketch renaming her Rhona H after them focused. "The program encour- boats Flinders, Mars and Peewit. The in Lower Princess Park. his then girlfriend. Max once stated: many Bass Strait crossings under ages people to work towards gaining flotilla steamed in a triangular course This, the fourth Queenscliff "It seemed to be all the money in the skipper and owner Bruce Potter nautical qualifications. One of our for half an hour before returning to lifeboat, was taken out of service in world then. It was a battle, but we including twice competing in the graduates had been homeless and Queenscliff Pier. 1976 by the Marine Board of worked away at our goal fishing for Three Peaks Race, Vintage Division, after his time on board he found Among the special guests at the Victoria. The Public Works Depart- crayfish, couta and shark in Bass and regular trips to the Australian accommodation and a job. Another christening ceremony were the ment offered the vessel to the Strait and on the West coast for 26 Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart. crew member aged 18 has attention Mayor of the Borough of Queens- Borough of Queenscliffe for care and years." New lease of life deficit disorder and has since worked cliffe Cr Lewis Klug, Howard display in the Maritime Museum. Rhona H was put to use hauling Julie Porter, a mental health nurse on other tall ships." Hitchcock MLC, Mr E Morley The lifeboat is listed on the National crayfish on the continental shelf, a is a self-confessed tall ship tragic. Her It seems Julie is never idle. In MLA, Major G Manchester and Mr Maritime Museum's Register of fishery Hardy pioneered. During English-born partner Charles Burns, between sailing, making a tasty lunch G Kermode who had played a vital Historic Vessels. these years the Rhona H had only one known as a 'ketch man', has Master despite rough seas, restoring the part in securing a new lifeboat for Some of the vessels and calls for mast, and the hold amidships was 24m (Master 5) and Marine Engine ropework, and writing a book about Queenscliff. help the lifeboat attended were: used as a wet well to store fish. In one Driver 3 certificates. He's sailed in the the vessels history she's focused on Later in the evening a special 1931 Hygeia 24 hour trip, Hardy managed to boat UK and almost circumnavigated health promotion including links to 4.5 tonnes of couta by hand. Australia by tall ship. Charles is pass- dinner was held at the Ozone Hotel. 1932 Casino Beyond Blue. "We're trying to break In the 1970s she was sold again ionate about sailing having crewed on down the barriers between a tourist During his address at the dinner Mr 1940 HMAS Goorangai Hitchcock spoke of the new bridge and put to use in abalone fishing tall ships The Lady Nelson, Duyfken, experience of a tall ship and a mental 1940 Orungal being built at Barwon Heads and how making countless crossings of Bass Windeward Bound, as their marine health experience on board over it would be of benefit to Queenscliff.