Frequently Asked Questions - General
1Do I need a ticket to attend?
The Festival is entirely free! No fencing, no entry fee! 95% of the activities are free, with some Special Ticketed Events and Concerts. More information will be provided once the 2025 program is announced.
2Symposium - do I need to buy a ticket or make a booking?
No! It's entirely free, just turn up 10 minutes before your chosen session.
3Can I bring my dog to the Festival?
Yes - outside areas are fine, on lead and in effective control.
No - indoor venues (service dogs are permitted).
4What are we doing about COVID?
At the Australian Wooden Boat Festival (AWBF) we are committed to ensuring the well-being and safety of our visitors and staff.
Our festival is following the current Public Health regulations set by the Tasmanian Government. Please practice social distancing (where possible) and follow guidelines and instructions. Please use the sanitiser provided and follow any directions given by our staff and volunteers. Venues will be cleaned regularly between each sitting/event. Please see the Coronavirus Tasmania website for more information.
5Is there a smoking area on site?
No, the entire site is non-smoking.
6Is the site accessible?
The Festival is held predominantly outdoors along the Hobart Waterfront. Indoor venues such as the Dechaineux Theatre and Peacock Theatre are fully accessible. Some workshop, exhibition and special event venues may have uneven surfaces, stairs and /or varying access. More information will be provided before the AWBF2025.
7Are there any welcome/opening events?
The Parade of Sail will be held on Friday 7th February 2025, with an official welcoming/open of festival to follow.
8Where can I stay during the AWBF?
Many hotels and accommodation providers are located within and around the Festival site, please check directly with providers or the Tasmanian Visitors Centre.
Anywhere within 30kms of site is suitable.
9What's in the program for 2025?
The full festival program will be released towards the end of 2024.
10Where can I find a Festival schedule?
A festival schedule will be available on the AWBF website in January 2025.
11I don’t have a wooden boat but I’ll be in Hobart for the event with my boat, can I berth nearby?
The Sullivan’s Cove area is exclusively for AWBF boats only during the event, no other vessels can come or go.
We recommend calling our friends at Prince of Wales Bay Marina and Margate Marina to see if they have available berths.
Frequently Asked Questions - Boats
1I'd like to bring my boat, what do I need to do?
Great! We'd love to have you.
To display a boat ashore: EOIs will open via our website in April 2024. Complete the form and wait to hear from us.
To display a boat afloat: Expressions of interest registrations for your boat will open via our online Expressions of Interest form (opening April 2024), read the form carefully and complete it with lots of detail. Your EOI is what our assessment panel assess your boat on. You will then be contacted by our team with an offer of a berth, OR a place on the waitlist.
To display a model boat: Register via the online form from May 2024.
2What is required of me and my boat during the event?
Your vessel will be on site/in the berth for the entire four days - you cannot come and go (sorry, it's just too busy for that!).
More details will be sent to you once you have registered.
Frequently Asked Questions - Parking & Transport
1Where can I park?
City of Hobart have several car parks in the area, please check their website for locations.
The Royal Hobart Regatta will also be opening up their carpark, more information will be available in January 2025.
2Is the site accessible?
The Festival is held predominantly outdoors along the Hobart Waterfront. Indoor venues such as the Dechaineux Theatre and Peacock Theatre are fully accessible. Some workshop, exhibition and special event venues may have uneven surfaces, stairs and /or varying access.
3Do you have accessibility parking?
There is accessibility parking along Castray Esplanade, outside PW1. There is also a drop-off and pick-up point outside Brooke Street Pier.
Frequently Asked Questions - Environment
1What are we doing to keep the waterfront clean?
We've teamed up with the Tasmanian Scouts again, marking a decade long relationship to keep the Festival site clean.
The Scouts will regularly be scouting the site to help sort and dispose of rubbish. They'll clear tables and sort recycling to increase public awareness and promote a clean environment across Hobart's beautiful waterfront.
Frequently Asked Questions - Ticketing
1Do I need a ticket to attend?
The Festival is entirely free! No fencing, no entry fee! 95% of the activities are free, with some Special Ticketed Events and Concerts.
2What about the special events?
Once the program is released, we will provide more information on special events.
3I want to go sailing on a Tall Ship, do I need a ticket?
Yes - more information will be provided once the 2025 program is announced.