Board member since 2021
Mark is one of Australia’s pre-eminent Documentary and Editorial Photographers. His work centres around documenting the work of aid agencies, not-for-profits and charities in East Africa, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. When at home in Australia he works with indigenous communities, educational institutions, and publishing houses to tell their stories and promote their activities.
Refer to www.markchew.com.au for more details.
As a teenager Mark competed regularly as crew in all the Australian Blue Water Classics and first became a member of the wooden boat community 30 years ago with the purchase of the 1964 Sparkman and Stephens designed COTTON BLOSSOM.
But it was the purchase of his second boat, the 1956 Philip Rhodes designed FAIR WINDS in Auckland that provided him with a vessel ready for both adventure and racing. During his custodianship, FAIR WINDS crossed the Tasman four times, cruised the South Pacific, explored the Eastern seaboard of Australia and circumnavigated Tasmania twice with a stop at the 2019 and 2023 Australian Wooden Boat Festivals. She raced in Classic Yacht events in four Australian States and three different countries. And during all this, she underwent a gradual but full restoration.
In 2002, Mark became President of the Classic Yacht Association of Australia, and only resigned in 2013 to spend more time sailing. During his Presidency the membership of the Association tripled, and the number of boats on the register doubled. Mark also co-founded Australia’s most popular multi day Classic Yacht racing event “The Cup Regatta”. It was established as a reciprocal event to New Zealand’s “Anniversary Day Regatta”. 2025 will be the 19th consecutive year of the event, involving a fleet of over 30 wooden boats.
In 2024 Mark and his partner Sal passed FAIR WINDS on to a new custodian and are currently in search of a new boat to spend long periods of time aboard.