Maritime Archaeologist Kurt Bennett reflects on why recognising, valuing, and actively celebrating our maritime heritage remains essential to understanding who we are and where we are going. 

Nick Atkinson is a New Zealand musician, sailor, and adventurer known for combining a life of music performance with long-distance voyaging and outdoor exploration. Based in New Zealand, he has built a reputation as a versatile performer whose work spans live music, touring collaborations, and creative maritime storytelling.

Kate Farrant has spent the last 16 months tirelessly restoring Bay Belle, a retired Fullers Bay of Islands ferry. She will speak about her experience as a young woman with no boat building experience and a limited budget in this excellent restoration.

Join us for a special session with Lin Pardey (born 1944), who sailed with her husband, Larry Pardey (1939-2020) for over 40 years covering more than 200,000nm together. As writers, known for their small boat engine-free sailing, they coined the phrase, "Go Small, Go Simple, but Go Now!

The resurrection of the last Auckland steam ferry Toroa; and operating New Zealand’s historic steamships, the William C Daldy.

Three generations of one family have now been part of the Katrina story. And the fourth is about to write its chapter.

A cinematic portrait of Sir Hekenukumai Busby, an honoured icon who went above and beyond to help reclaim the lost art of traditional Māori voyaging.

For more than half a century, Pacific navigators, cultural leaders, and voyaging communities have worked together to reclaim the ancient knowledge that once guided their ancestors across Moananuiākea—the vast Pacific Ocean.

There are about a dozen communities left on earth where people in traditional craft still rely on their sails to carry out meaningful work. They don’t do this for romantic reasons, but because they can’t afford a cheap diesel engine or the fuel to drive it. These working sailing fleets, that were originally responsible for binding humanity into a single ecological and historical system, have, almost by accident,  become the last bastion of a disappearing tradition that globalised the human story.

Join Australian Wooden Boat Festival Director Paul Stephanus for a whirlwind history of the Australian Wooden Boat Festival: its humble beginnings 1994, the people and places that shaped it, key turning points, and how programming, partnerships, and audiences have evolved over time. A look at growth, challenges, and what the next cycle might hold.

New Zealand boat designer John Welsford shares the philosophy and experience behind his internationally known small-craft designs.

The scow was once the workhorse on the New Zealand coast. This presentation is taken from a voyage undertaken by Cliff Hawkins (Bob’s late father ), on the scow, “Rangi” in 1934.

A special presentation by Larry Paul on the Daring, the vessel originally recovered, with the consent of Heritage New Zealand, by the Daring Rescue Group, a group which included members of the Classic Yacht Charitable Trust.

Panel discussion, hosted by Classic Yacht Association deputy chair, Russell Brook as he discusses the sustainable future of classic boats with a group of specialist panellists.

Join us for a panel discussion with Mike Birdsall - Training Advisor, MAST and three apprentices who recently built a classic boat which is on display at this year’s Festival.

Join us for a special session with Lin Pardey (born 1944), who sailed with her husband, Larry Pardey (1939-2020) for over 40 years covering more than 200,000nm together. As writers, known for their small boat engine-free sailing, they coined the phrase, "Go Small, Go Simple, but Go Now., and have been called the "Enablers" as their example encouraged many others to set sail despite limited incomes.

Hear from people who have undertaken substantial rebuilds, restorations and maintenance on their own classic boats.

Gerry Clark was an amateur ornithologist, explorer, ship’s captain and boat builder. His opening words in his book of the Totorore Expedition describe him well: “I love the sea, I love birds, I love adventure. In what better way could I indulge myself, in these latter years of my life, than to undertake an expedition in the great Southern Ocean?” 

Join us for a special presentation on the vessel Ngataki, feature of the South Sea Vagabonds book by Johnny Wray.

Be inspired by stories of Nalanyi Davis as sailor, star gazer and advocate of dark skies.

Join us for a special session with Te Toki Waka Hourua, a team from Te Toki Voyaging Trust dedicated to the perpetuation of both ancestral and contemporary skills and knowledge of Pacific Voyaging and Navigating Waka Hourua.

Opening the festival with inspirational sister and brother, Penny and Tony Whiting. They will share stories of their offshore adventures spanning more than 55 years, most continents and well-over over 200,000nm between them.