Description

On the eve of the 2023 My State Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart, I trawled my AWBF 2017 & 2019 reference photo collection and found a pair of hands holding a rigged ship model aloft, but whose hands were they?

I loved the hands holding the model, and this ‘portrait’ is an appreciation of the modeller’s craftsmanship, as well as the craftsman’s appreciation of the vessel & it’s history.

I emailed emeritus professor, Michael Stoddart, the man in charge of the wonderful AWBF model boat display venue, for clues as to whose model it might be.

He replied, “guilty as charged!”

‘…Over the years I’ve concentrated on building models of ships built in Tasmania.

MARIA ORR was one of a handful of whale ships designed and built in Tasmania (1830-40). It was the first square-rigged ship to be built in Tas. William Orr was a success businessman who named the ship for his wife- Maria, and in honour of his contribution to the colony the Govt gave Orr a a full set of sails for his ship!  Wouldn’t happen nowadays!