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Jervis Tilly and his Etchells Bushfire climaxed a remarkably successful summer sailing season with the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron when he won the prestigious Varuna Trophy on the Harbour.
The Varuna Trophy is a handicap race between the winners of the Main Series and Short Inshore Series pointscore in each division and class over the past season.
The Varuna Trophy with the RSYS and the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club’s similar Kelly Cup Club Championship marked the end of the summer sailing season.
In light winds Bushfire outsailed the opposition to take line honours and first place on corrected time by two minutes from Division 4 Main Series winner Esquisse 2, Richard Staines’ Hood 23.
Division 3 Short Inshore Series winner Half Hour, skippered by Paul Hendrey, took third place.
Bushfire led the fleet around the course, crossing the finish line nearly six and a half minutes ahead of Double Trouble (Steve Wyatt), with Half Hour third to finish. Esquisse 2, the smallest boat in the fleet, sailed exceptionally well to finish sixth in the fleet.
Over the 2007-2008 summer season, Bushfire has won the Etchells Main, Spring and Summer Series pointscores, along with the Etchells Club Championship, the Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club Series, the Mini Regatta pointscore and was the top qualifier in the Sydney Fleet for the 2008 World Championships.
The Varuna Trophy was presented to the RSYS by the crew of the classic yacht Varuna in honour of their skipper Dr John Musgrove, who has sailed the yacht on Sydney Harbour since 1946.
Varuna, built more than 70 years ago and her skipper, now in his eighties, have raced this past season in the Classic Division of the Sydney Amateur Sailing Club. Varuna today contested the Amateur’s Club Championship, placing a creditable 12th on handicap in a fleet of 22 starters, which saw the three boats from the Super 30 division take the top placings.
Buck, Shaun Trumbull’s Lyons 30 won the Kelly Cup for first place on corrected time, Zippier (Andrew Waugh) took out the Tara-Ipo Cup for second place and Merlin (John Lehmann) collected the Brooker Trophy for third overall.
Peter Campbell
 Etchells Port Jackson Championship to No Excuse
Rupert Henry, a relative newcomer to Etchells one-design racing, became the eighth different skipper in eight years to win the Port Jackson Championship, sailed on Sydney Harbour last month.
Helming No Excuse, the former Sydney 38 and ocean racing skipper, won the historic Eaton Cup with a consistent series of 3-1-3-4-5-3 for 14 points after one drop race. Henry won from Steven Tracy & Bob Weir’s Ganesh, winner of the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadon’s Summer Series for the Etchells.
Two past Port Jackson Champions finished equal third on 21 points. Defending champion and prominent ocean racing yachtsman Roger Hickman (Sun Tzu) won the final race to level with Peter Alexander (Tonic) who won the Championship eight seasons ago.
 Nick Kingsmill, who donated the Eaton Cup, a trophy won in 1909 by his great grandfather, a Light Horseman and Gallipoli hero, won heat five of the Championship to finish seventh overall at the helm of Vincero.
Among the fleet was Alice Springs-based Jeff Rose, who sailed his boat Second Wind into a creditable fifth place overall on 26 points.
The J24 class also sailed a six-race Autumn Championship Regatta over the weekend, with John Crawford’s Innamincka winning the series from Bob Ross in Stamped Urgent. Third place went to Brushetta (Alister Morison).
Peter Campbell
Sanctuary Cove Show expands display area
The 20th anniversary Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show this month has an extended footprint to offer even more display space.
Currently more than 410 exhibitors are placed for the Gold Coast event from Thursday May 22 to Sunday May 25.
“As usual, there will be expansive on-water display space with more than 4km of on-water linked walkways from A to H marina arms,” said Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show general manager Barry Jenkins.
As in past years, there will be pavilion displays at the entrance to the Marine Village plus the Super Yacht pavilion and hardstand displays.
“This year visitors can view a series of pagoda exhibits in the Rotunda Garden next to the Super Yacht pavilion.
There will also be a Mustang Marine display at the Hyatt Regency Sanctuary Cove lagoon pool,” said Mr Jenkins.
In other developments, Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show now has an accommodation booking service on the Boat Show’s website. Exhibitors or visitors can search more than 100,000 accommodation options worldwide via the Global Accommodation Search system.
In April, Mr Jenkins attended the China International Boat Show to promote the Sanctuary Cove event.
“We are delighted by the high quality of exhibitors and product releases planned for 2008, on this our historically significant show,” said Mr Jenkins.
Some of the 60-plus world and Australian marine launches include: The world release of the Aquabay 70, a stylish sports yacht;
A $A13 million display from Johnson Motor Yachts with the Australian release of a 75ft motor yacht – only the third manufactured in the world to date. The exhibitor is also showcasing the 58 Advantage Series and a 90ft demonstrator; Riviera R Marine’s display of seven Princess models and five Grand Banks, the largest display of these iconic international brands ever seen in Australia. It includes the world release of the Grand Banks 65 Aleutian RP model; And the latest sail models from Bavaria Yachts, Beneteau, Buizen, Dragonfly, Dufour Yachts, Fountaine Pajot, Hanse, Hunter, Jeanneau and Nautitech Catamarans.
In some exciting releases, Riviera is offering world releases at the Show including the Riviera 61 Enclosed Flybridge, the 38 Open Flybridge and the Australian debut of the sport utility 48 Offshore Express.
Honda is releasing in Australia the completely redesigned BF40 and BF50 four-stroke outboard engines; Mercury Marine is launching the new Axius sterndrive control system while McIntyre Equipment is releasing the new generation Steyr Motors MO286 (280hp) marine diesel and the new Vetus M4.55 (52hp) marine diesel engine.
There is no onsite parking at Sanctuary Cove during the event. Instead streamlined transport options include Park ‘n’ Ride; taxi, limousine and helicopter drop offs; water taxi and ferry transport.
For details:
www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au
 Leroy wins the Harken Women’s International
The world’s number one women’s match-racer, Claire Leroy from France, has become the first overseas competitor to win the Harken Women’s International Match Racing Regatta, which wrapped up on Sydney Harbour last month.
With two races apiece in the best of five finals, Leroy and Australia’s Nicky Souter went into the starting sequence for the sudden death final race and immediately following the start gun, a second signal was sounded and Souter was recalled for being OCS (On Course Side).
After their costly error Souter and her Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club team threw everything they had at Leroy but the current ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year wasn’t about to give up the early advantage and ran away with the win by 10 boat lengths in the shifty ESE breeze.
Following on board celebrations, Leroy and her crew of Elodie Bertrand, Marie Riou and Claire Pruvot abandoned their Elliott 6 for a dip in Sydney Harbour – until the foreigners suddenly remembered Australia’s reputation for somewhat unsociable marine life and quickly clambered back aboard.
A delighted Leroy commended Souter on the standard of competition she provided.
“She is a great opponent and a very good chance for the Worlds,” said Leroy dockside at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
“She gave us very close matches. She didn’t give us many opportunities and I had to think very differently sailing against her.”
While Leroy believes she pushed the two-time winner and defending champion over at the start in the final race, the RPAYC skipper judged it her error.
“We got our line wrong,” Souter acknowledged. “I’m a little disappointed because it was so close at the end.”
The final podium place went to Katie Spithill and her RPAYC crew who beat Lotte Melgaard Pedersen (DEN) 2-0 in the petite final to finish third.
“We made some mistakes yesterday. We can’t change that, we’ve just got to learn from our mistakes and use that knowledge for the Worlds,” Spithill said.
 Race three of the finals provided some interesting challenges for Leroy and Souter when the Middle Harbour Yacht Club and Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club’s afternoon race fleets suddenly converged on the Harken Women’s course off Shark Island.
PRO Denis Thompson monitored the situation closely and was ready to abandon the race if the large keel boats looked like they might affect the final outcome but the two skippers managed to weave their Elliotts up to the Rose Bay top mark without interference.
The majority of the teams contesting this grade 2 regatta will head across the Tasman to Auckland for the ISAF World Women’s Match Racing Championship to be hosted by the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.
Having won the New Zealand Women’s Match Racing Championship and now the Harken Women’s International, Leroy is aiming for a hat trick at the Worlds before returning to Europe for the summer.
Lisa Ratcliff
Brett Hobson and Alex Johnson sailing Garde have won the 73rd Australian 12ft Skiff Championship sponsored by Winning Appliances. The Norman Booth Trophy was handed to the Sydney Flying Squadron crew after four days of close racing at Lane Cove 12ft Skiff Sailing Club.
The series was sailed on upper Sydney Harbour, with courses stretching from Goat Island to Drummoyne. The tight courses lead to crowded mark roundings and run legs and plenty of action for the spectators who following the racing from the ferry.
The series offered the 34 competitors from around Australia a variety of conditions with the breeze coming from a new direction every day. Garde won four of the six heats, including the vital last race.
Early wins to Hobson in Garde and Jonathan Temple in O set the scene for the regatta. The two boats had finished on even points in the NSW State Championships before eventually being handed to O on countback.
This series would again be decided in the last heat, with Garde making the most of a beautiful nor’east breeze to take the series from clubmate Temple in O and Lane Cove’s own Murray Press in Gemmell Sails.
“I am extremely happy to have won the Championship,” said Brett Hobson. “It’s something we have really worked hard for. Alex and I have finished second and third in the past so to finally win feels fantastic.
“There is so much history with 12ft skiffs and the Lane Cove club,” noted Brett. “It’s a club that is run by volunteers so we would really like to thank those who helped out and sponsors like Winning Appliances for making the event possible.”
The first three places in the Colin Clarke Memorial handicap trophy went to Lane Cove boats. Andrew Stevenson and Brad Greenrod in At Call Powered by Bainbridge managed to hold out Lane Cove institution Jack Winning in Vantage Real Estate.
 Small sloop triumphs in Club Marine Range Series
The small Sandringham sloop Intrusion sailed back in to contention for this summer’s Club Marine Range Series Division Three title after a stirring win in Heat 6 on Port Phillip.
Skippered by Luke Reinehr, Intrusion which is an S80 design from the Sandringham Yacht Club sailed well above its performance handicap rating in the 20 knot fading north westerly breeze and choppy seas, to score a convincing 61 second victory over Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron’s Sublime owned by Chris Coghlan.
“We picked up a lot of places towards the end of the race when we saw a black cloud to the west that we sailed under that gave us a nice 10 degrees lift,” said Luke Reinehr.
In Division O for the new hot shot grand prix racers, Michael Hiatt’s Cookson 50 Living Doll from Royal Yacht Club of Victoria scored a solid win on handicap over second placed Cougar II a TP 52 from SYC owned by Alan Whitley.
In the other Club Marine Range Series IRC divisions, the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria’s top performing Division One Adams 10 Executive Decision owned by Grant Bottica finished seventh behind SYC’s Phil Simpfendorfer on Veloce to break its four straight wins in a row.
But Executive Decision (4pts) appears to have a stranglehold on the Division 1 title despite opening the door a fraction to Veloce (7pts).
In IRC Division Two, David Ellis’s Surprize from RYCV broke its four straight winning streak to finish second to Young Lion to go to an almost insurmountable lead on four points over Max Peter’s SYC-based Top Gun on 9pts.
Mike Sabey
Save the Tuna
Greenpeace made a bold stand against excessive tuna fishing operations in the Pacific Ocean last month, confiscating a device used by foreign fleets to gather and net huge amounts of marine life.
Greenpeace Oceans campaigner Jason Collins wrote that the radio transmitter-fitted fish-aggregation devices (humorously mistyped fish-aggrevation devices in the press release) – or FADS – simulate floating debris which naturally lure schools of skipjack tuna and other marine life under them, but juvenile bigeye and yellowfin tuna as well as other fish including sharks are killed as bycatch when caught in the nets.
The Greenpeace ship Esperanza was in the Pacific Ocean to gather evidence of illegal and excessive fishing practices that are plundering the region’s tuna stocks. According to scientists, two of the Pacific’s key tuna species, bigeye and yellowfin, are in danger of being overfished. Approximately 60 per cent of the world’s tuna comes from the Pacific.
Greenpeace is also calling for a 50 per cent cut to the fishing effort in the Pacific to ensure that there is tuna left to catch in the future. And it says retailers must also ensure that any remaining tuna products that they do sell are not sourced from pirates, or stolen from the waters of developing Pacific Island countries under unfair access agreements.
Until stocks recover, concerned Australians should avoid eating all yellowfin and bigeye tuna, says Greenpeace.
David Lockwood
 To colour the celebrations of the last race of the 2007- 08 sailing season at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, heads and beards were bared, and locks were dyed producing over four thousand dollars in donations for the fight against Leukaemia.
The first on the ‘chopping’ block or ‘shavers’ chair were club members Rochelle Lynch (who sails on Bundaberg) and ‘Hairy’ Bill Newman of Maatsuyker.
 Member John Garner went for a mohawk, coloured in Cat colours of blue and white, and many followed, some to be ‘de-haired’ others to colour their life and locks as all present donated to this worthy cause.
A fun night complete with a full house, great meal and a most entertaining floor show by Mo-Tunes, four guys and four gals!
Bob Appleton
CQR your seat for anchor information night
The CYCA will hold an information evening on Tuesday 27th May focusing on the topic of anchoring. Ask any sailor “What is the best anchor?” and you will receive many and varied replies. So what is the best anchor?
Going back in time it was easy, there were virtually only three types of anchors found on yachts:
The Standard Admiralty Pattern: effective but not very popular among yachtsmen;
The CQR (Coastal Quick Release) or Plough: still reasonably popular even today and some still swear by them, whilst others swear at them;
The Danforth Style: mainly used in sand and mud but still used by many as the all-purpose anchor.
These days there are dozens of various brands, types and configurations to choose from BUT do they work and if so how well?
The aim of the evening is to provide practical information on the various types of anchors and how they work in both the real world and test situations. We will be looking at the newer lighter weight anchors, developed over the last decade, that have achieved either Super High Holding Power (SHHP) or High Holding Power (HHP) ratings at Lloyds, including the Rocna, Manson Supreme, Delta, Fortress and others.
Starting 7pm, the evening is free. Please register at CYCA Reception, reception@cyca.com.au or 8292 7800.
John Keelty
 Tallest aluminium rig in the world
The largest aluminium rig in the world, at 75m, has been stepped in Viareggio, Italy, with Ocean Yacht Systems’ Project Manager, Ben Porteous, in attendance.
The 56m cutter, S/Y Salute, is about to start sea trials with her new rig, which incorporates Ocean Yacht Systems Nitronic custom rigging and a complete hydraulics package for rig and sail control.
 OYS’s design office in Bournemouth, worked closely with the Perini Navi in-house design team to produce the exact specification required for the boat. In addition, OYS provided, among other custom parts, a unique solution for a flush deck to rig interface.
“We have been working closely with the builder in Italy on this prestigious 56m project. The installation went extremely smoothly and we are now looking forward to the sea trials,” said Ben Porteous.
 Mark Barwell of OYS said the project further strengthens the partnership between OYS, the world’s largest superyacht rigger and Perini Navi, the world’s largest superyacht producer.
“The two design teams have worked very effectively alongside each other with a great result.”
Web Cameras at Coastal Bars
NSW Maritime has invested in a $170,000 three year trial of web cameras at bar crossings along the NSW coast.
“Coastal bars are dynamic environments which have tragically claimed a number of lives over the years when boats are swamped or capsized,” Ports and Waterways Minister Joe Tripodi said.
“In too many cases, lives have been put at risk or lost when people have taken boats across bar crossings in adverse conditions.
“Being able to view live online vision of bar conditions and weather forecasts will help people make more informed decisions when planning a trip. If in doubt, don’t go out.”
Five of the 15 web cameras will be delivering online vision via www.maritime.nsw.gov.au;
• Coffs Harbour • Narooma
• Port Macquarie • Shoal Bay, Port Stephens
• Tweed Heads
Other web cameras are located at: Manning River, Harrington; Swansea; Sussex Inlet; Moruya Heads; Merimbula Lake; Bermagui; Brunswick River; Richmond River, Ballina; Clarence River, Yamba; and Nobby’s Beach, Newcastle and will be online over the coming months.
The Narooma camera, tested in the second half of 2007, proved a success and attracted positive feedback from the boating community.
“It demonstrated that an extended trial was worth the investment,” Mr Tripodi said.
“NSW Maritime has already introduced the compulsory wearing of lifejackets when crossing bars, improved signage, revised safety publications, reinforced bar safety messages within the new compulsory Boating Safety Course and stepped up on-water patrols.”
Since 1992, there have been 276 vessel incidents and 16 fatalities during attempted bar crossings. No bar crossing fatalities have been reported since 2005.
Northbridge Sailing Club Winter Series
For the past three winters Northbridge Sailing Club has held a Winter series of casual ‘no extras’ races for yachts (and dinghies) every third Sunday in the upper Middle Harbour area to the west of the Spit Bridge.
Last year there were between 12-15 boats, and participants had an enjoyable time both on the water and at the post race BBQs at the Club afterwards.
The races are scheduled for: Sunday 18th May, 8th June, 29th June, 20th July, 10th August, 31st August.
An arbitrary handicap start system will be used – first boats to start around 12noon.
The yachts will compete for the Marine Watch Middle Harbour Trophy – and for the fun of sailing! A prize will be awarded to dinghy sailors, subject to numbers.
Further details <www.nsc.asn.au> or ringJohn Smidmore on 9967 2275 or 0417 325 072 (race days).
Spray regatta
Spray owners and others interested in the Spray design are gathering at the Moreton Bay Boat Club, Scarborough, Queensland over the June long weekend (7-9th June 2008) for the AGM of the Slocum Spray Society of Australia and of course the colourful and spectacular annual regatta.
Talk with the skippers and view these grand ladies of the sea on the Saturday 7. The following day see Sprays in action and possibly become a part of a crew.
Contact the Society’s Secretary, Barry Moore, on (07) 3880 0444 or 0407 130 862 for further details.
Mike McLean
A record number of entries and magnificent pre-Autumn weather ensured the second annual Hanse Owners Regatta on Pittwater was a resounding success.
Entries were up 40 per cent on 2007 and attracted 30 Hanses ranging from 32ft up to 54ft, from Port Hacking, Sydney, Pittwater – and even a Queensland boat.
Two of the entries were made at the 11th hour, with Hanse’s Australian importer Windcraft Australia delivering the boats to their new owners only the night before the regatta.
 The regatta was held in a two-race format, with lunch in between, followed by a gala dinner and award presentation at the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Newport.
Race One started in light breeze, drifting the fleet down Pittwater. The lack of wind necessitated a shortening of the race, but no one complained as they squeezed into anchor at Portuguese Beach for lunch, German beer, champagne and swimming.
The wind picked up to a 10-15 knot nor’easter by the start of Race Two which saw all 30 boats cross the start line at the same time – a spectacular sight!
The start was tightly fought but luckily there was no damage and the field moved out in two divisions – yachts with standard self-tacking sails and those with extra spinnakers.
About 10 of the boats were drawn into a more serious race, extending their turning mark near Lion Island before heading back towards the Royal Motor Yacht Club with their spinnakers flying.
After a well-earned rest, the 140 participants turned out at the club for the dinner, at which the perpetual Hanse Downunder Trophy was awarded to regatta winner Chris Kimber from Merry Admiral.
The Hanse Downunder Owners Club was launched at the inaugural regatta last year and in 12 months has become well supported by the growing number of Hanse owners in Australia.
“We set this club up because we wanted to foster the fantastic feeling of family that our owners share, and we have been overwhelmed by the response,” said Windcraft Principal Peter Hrones.
“It cements my view that this special boat attracts a very like-minded group of boaties, who relish the opportunity to get together for a bit of friendly racing and an opportunity to talk about their boats.”
 Olympic Legacy Marina to be shared
An agreement to share the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Legacy Marina will give access to recreational water facilities and make greater use of an important harbour site according to Minister for Ports and Waterways Joe Tripodi.
Under the agreement the NSW Maritime-owned marina in Rushcutters Bay will be shared by Sailability NSW and the Royal Australian Naval Sailing Association (RANSA) to advance community access to the sport of sailing, particularly among the disabled.
Sailability NSW promotes on-water activity for the disabled and RANSA promotes sailing and the art of seamanship in the Royal Australian Navy.
“NSW Maritime has also given a commitment to undertake $60,000 in repair works on the marina, which will take place over the next couple of months to ensure the two groups have the best access to the facility,” Mr Tripodi said.
The Legacy Marina was built in 1998 and named by the NSW Government as a legacy to the sport of sailing following the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
It comprises 10 floating pontoon berths and a hardstand capable of storing 22 boats. The hardstand is serviced by two of the largest cranes of their type on Sydney Harbour.
Both RANSA and Sailability welcomed the commitment of NSW Maritime to restore the marina and hardstand.
“We look forward to establishing a world-class facility for disabled sailors at the site,” Sailability NSW President Grahame Rayner said.
“The facility was specifically designed for sailors with disabilities; it will be good to see the site used more fully – for the benefit of both RANSA and Sailability.”
“Guaranteed access to the marina enables RANSA to plan for the future,” RANSA Commodore Adrian Gruzman said.
Island superyacht series postponed due to regulations and ‘the big wet’
The inaugural edition of Australia’s, and the southern hemisphere’s, first annual superyacht regatta, the Hamilton Island Superyacht Series, has been postponed for 12 months as a result of government regulations that would impact some of the competing vessels, and to a lesser degree, due to the severity of the wet season that was experienced in Queensland’s tropical north this past summer.
Superyacht Series organisers say that the major problem was with existing Federal Government legislation, and although considerable effort had recently been made by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority towards minimising the impact this legislation would have on the series, time had run out for the world class contest to be presented as desired in November this year.
The legislation, which was originally introduced to control the access of large tourist vessels to the Whitsunday Islands and Great Barrier Reef, unfortunately gave little consideration at the time to the incredible growth of the superyacht industry, and the massive economic benefits these vessels could bring to the region.
“The problem is pretty simple,” said Hamilton Island CEO, Glenn Bourke. “Under this legislation superyachts over 35 metres in length, especially if they are under charter, cannot put down an anchor within 1.5 kilometres from beaches like Whitehaven and other beautiful locations in the Whitsundays.
“The anomaly is that same legislation currently permits large tourist vessels, with hundreds of guests on board, to anchor close to these very locations. It’s not hard to understand why the superyacht skippers feel left out. “Our Superyacht Series will bring a direct benefit to the local superyacht industry as there is no doubt the owners of many of the yachts we will attract will consider spending millions of dollars on refitting their vessels while in Queensland waters.”
Hamilton Island Superyacht Series organiser, Rob Mundle, said the event pays careful consideration to protecting the unique natural beauty of the Whitsunday region and the Great Barrier Reef.
“But we can’t present a competition where guests aboard vessels over 35 metres are at a disadvantage, just because that vessel is under charter,” Mundle said. “We have had two of the world’s pre-eminent authorities on superyachts visit Hamilton Island in recent months, and even they expressed concern about the impact this legislation will have, especially when charter plays such a significant role in the international superyacht industry.
“It must be realised that superyachts, in private operation or under charter, rarely carry more than 10 guests, and they represent low impact and exceptionally high yield for a region.”
Glenn Bourke said he was looking forward to working with the government authorities to overcome the remaining hurdles.
“I’m pleased to say we remain optimistic,” Bourke said.
 The River – life on the Murray-Darling
A new exhibition coming to the Australian National Maritime Museum introduces the very diverse communities of the great Murray-Darling river basin and shows how they have contributed to the Australia’s wealth and national identity.
This vast inland region – 1200km wide and 1400km long – extends across 14 percent of the Australian continent. It yields more than 40 per cent of the nation’s agricultural product.
The exhibition The River – life of the Murray-Darling has been developed by the Maritime Museum in partnership with the South Australian Maritime Museum and in co-operation with regional museums and communities across the river basin.
 The people who shaped the Murray-Darling’s history have included its Indigenous communities, European explorers, squatters, farmers, graziers, riverboat crews, irrigators, soldier settlers, immigrants and tourists.
Opening displays explore the origins of ‘the river’. According to the Ngarrindjeri people of South Australia, the great fish Pondi (Murray Cod) was there at the beginning and helped to shape Australia’s longest rivers and their tributaries.
The Murray Cod may be seen as a symbol of the waterways. Its fortunes have followed the flow. When the rivers ran free, cod were abundant … now the over-worked waterways are distressed and cod numbers are greatly diminished.
Other displays show how Europeans colonised the Murray Valley and it became a hub of promise and opportunity for people eager to begin a new life away from established towns.
 Then further waves of people moved into the Murray Darling. Original photographs and scale models recall the paddle steamers that developed trade along the rivers and there are hand-drawn maps that the riverboat captains used to navigate the waterways, early examples of timber irrigation pipes, farming tools, items of the pioneer settlers’ robust apparel and simple household items portraying life in the ‘outback’.
And the exhibition concludes that the region’s rivers – its lifeblood – have been worked to the brink of destruction. The huge challenge confronting all Australians is to ensure their survival.
The River – life on the Murray-Darling will remain on show at the museum until 25 May 2008, admission free. The Australian National Maritime Museum, in Darling Harbour, is open daily from 9.30 am to 5 pm. Inquiries, (02) 9298 3777 or www.anmm.gov.au.
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