Maritime Museum Tasmania

08/10/2026

04/10/2026

Hobart’s sailing season officially got underway over the weekend, with yachts and vessels gathering on the Derwent for the traditional opening sail past.

Westward was among them, taking part with our volunteer crew aboard. The annual event brings together Hobart’s sailing community to mark the start of another season on the water, and it’s always a good sight to see the river filled with boats.

Built in 1947, Westward has been part of Tasmania’s sailing history for almost 80 years, and loves an opportunity to get out and get some wind in the sails! ⛵️

02/10/2026

School holidays start tomorrow! The Maritime Museum is open every day and is a fantastic place to while away an hour while exploring the galleries.

We're still showing David Neilson's 'Antarctica is Melting', a photographic display of the landscapes of the deep south. Spot penguins, seals and seabirds in the vast icy spaces of Antarctica and see how the area is evolving over time.

01/10/2026

The Lake Illawarra Tasman Bridge disaster: how it happened.

After visiting the Museum earlier this year, video animator Rod Clifton felt the story of the 1975 collision of Lake Illawarra with the Tasman Bridge could be told more clearly through an animated simulation.

Using official reports on the disaster, Rod created and generously donated a video reconstruction showing how Lake Illawarra approached and struck the bridge on the night of 5 January 1975.

The collision claimed 12 lives and led to changes in the management of large vessels on the River Derwent.

The animation is now showing in our ground floor gallery beside the model of the Tasman Bridge, helping visitors understand how the collision unfolded and how lessons from maritime disasters can shape the practices that follow.

Can't get to the Museum? You can now watch Rod’s animation in full online here:

On 5 January 1975, the bulk carrier Lake Illawarra struck the Tasma...

30/09/2026

How did Europeans begin to piece together the shape of Australia?

Join author Ian Burnet next Tuesday for a Lunchtime Talk exploring the early Dutch voyages of discovery and the creation of the remarkable Tasman Map.

Between 1606 and 1644, Dutch navigators charted large sections of Australia’s northern, western and southern coasts. Ian will trace these voyages through the Indonesian archipelago and the Dutch East India Company, culminating in Abel Tasman’s expeditions of 1642 and 1644.

Ian has spent more than 30 years living, working and travelling throughout Indonesia and is the author of several books exploring the maritime connections between Australia, Indonesia and the wider region.

Tuesday 6 October
12:00pm
Royal Society Room, Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery
Free, but bookings are essential

Places are still available, so book now and join us next week: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/lunchtime-talks-series-ian-burnet-the-tasman-map-tickets-2000907541319?aff=oddtdtcreator

Our Lunchtime Talks are supported by Arts Tasmania.

29/09/2026

Semaphore Cottage is open today from 11am to 12 noon, and entry is free.

Come along for a look inside this small but fascinating part of Tasmania’s maritime history and explore the displays, objects and stories connected with the cottage.

No booking required. Just drop in between 11 and 12.

28/09/2026

Cultural advisory: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this post contains the name of a person who has died.

The maritime story of this place began long before Hobart became a port city.

Camille is pictured installing 'Bark Canoe Builders' (2025) by Pakana Elder Uncle Rex Greeno (1942–2025), a new addition to our developing exhibition Hobart: Port City.

The work is one of three drawings by Uncle Rex recently acquired by the Maritime Museum. His mixed media works depict the daily lives of his forefathers, with particular attention to their relationship with the sea.

Born on Flinders Island, Uncle Rex drew deeply on his own upbringing in an island family. His experience fishing with his father, and the cultural knowledge passed down through his grandfather Silas, shaped an artistic practice grounded in family, community and life by the sea.

'Bark Canoe Builders' also complements a group of kelp water carriers by Aunty Lola Greeno, Uncle Rex’s wife, which the Museum has recently acquired. Together, the works bring different expressions of cultural knowledge and maritime traditions into the exhibition.

Uncle Rex was also widely respected for his research into traditional Tasmanian Aboriginal bark and reed canoes. A model canoe he constructed is already held in the Museum’s collection.

These works help us tell a broader story in Hobart: Port City, placing Aboriginal maritime culture and knowledge alongside the later development of Hobart’s working port.

23/09/2026

Today is , and this year’s theme, “From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence,” looks at how maritime knowledge and experience are turned into safer practice.

Our new Lake Illawarra animation brings that idea to life through one of Tasmania’s most significant maritime disasters.

After visiting the Museum earlier this year, video animator Rod Clifton felt the story of the 1975 collision with the Tasman Bridge could be told more effectively through a short reconstruction. Using official reports on the disaster, Rod created and generously donated an animation showing how Lake Illawarra approached and struck the bridge.

The collision claimed 12 lives and led to changes in the management of large vessels on the River Derwent.

Now showing in the Museum's ground floor gallery beside the very recognisable model of the Tasman Bridge, the animation helps visitors understand not just what happened that night, but how lessons from maritime disasters can influence the practices that follow.

21/09/2026

We’re taking the gallery outside, with a new projection in the laneway beside the Museum.

The new installation features images and stories from our collection, with the first projection exploring the history of Tasmanian ferries. It was developed by digital artist Matt Daniels in collaboration with a group of Maritime Museum volunteers.

Pictured here is our curator, Camille Reynes, with Museum volunteer and artist Louis Rodway, whose work appears in the projection.

The permanent system gives us a new way to share the collection, combining local history, art and technology in a space that anyone can visit for free. We’re already planning the next projection for the 2027 Australian Wooden Boat Festival.

You can see the current projection from 9am to 5pm daily in the laneway between the Hobart Town Hall car park and the Maritime Museum.

This new project was made possible with support from the City of Hobart through a Creative Hobart grant.