Thread: Goolwa vs Hobart WB festivals

Goolwa is obviously the better event ... it's an hour from home whereas it'd take me longer than that to get on the plane to Tassie

Goolwa might be fun this year. Thanks to the water shortage, the river level is really low. We might have to use the Yarra River option - carry a shovel in case we get bogged

Richard

Always wanted to go to the Hobart one, and I have really enjoyed the Goolwa Festival. The Hobart one I understand is focused more on the sea and sailing whereas the Goolwa 'do' was more "river-centric."
I am leaving to live and work interstate this coming weekend BUT well before any of that reared its' head I had decided that there was no way I was going to waste my money on the Goolwa MUSIC and wooden boat festival. The Festerval has become part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival and has apparently been overwhelmed by the "Arts Community", or so it seems to me. Mind you, by the time the atry farty quiche sucking types have seen a PDR in full cry they may toss their flutes, Kaftans and bongs in the Murray and go abuildin'!

Originally Posted by Christopha

Always wanted to go to the Hobart one, and I have really enjoyed the Goolwa Festival. The Hobart one I understand is focused more on the sea and sailing whereas the Goolwa 'do' was more "river-centric."
I am leaving to live and work interstate this coming weekend BUT well before any of that reared its' head I had decided that there was no way I was going to waste my money on the Goolwa MUSIC and wooden boat festival. The Festerval has become part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival and has apparently been overwhelmed by the "Arts Community", or so it seems to me. Mind you, by the time the atry farty quiche sucking types have seen a PDR in full cry they may toss their flutes, Kaftans and bongs in the Murray and go abuildin'!

aahh so the hippy yippee yaya set have found it have they... thought that sooner or later they would

They really tend to stuff up places when they turn up take over with their nothing whatever to do with the original theme bullshyte!

Seems a lot of places and do's start out great with the right blend of stuff for their targets but somehow the fringe element get wind of it and start taking over... all it does is make people walk away... I wonder what these galahs would do if all the boats and people like flatducks and others stopped coming along setting up their stalls and boats and stuff and left them too it?... seems a bloody shame cause all its gonna do is shut down yet another fine event.

ITS A WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL people!! damn the face paintin teepee dreadlocked arty pharty buggars!... if its nothing to do with wooden boats and the surrounding genre (ie: plans tools wood and such) then them off! THeres enough hippy yippee yaya so called "festivals" already we dont need to loose yet another woodenboat one!

If were on our way through when its on we hope to call in on Goolwa .. otherwise theres OOODLES of woodenboat stuff in Tazzy!! oooh right yes dear were lookin at properties thats right forgot for a tck possum But see Im already cultivatin "the work around" I need to get to see everything I can thats important to me that is!!

My take:

It's a FESTIVAL for heaven's sake, festivals have wierd stuff that you don't always "get". Goolwa has SPEED boats for starters, ones with ENGINES!

That alone is enough to make a bloke choke on his quiche!

Goolwa has Paddlewheelers, canoes and PDRacers, and is the SOUTH AUSTRALIAN Wooden Boat Festival.

Hobart is the self-styled NATIONAL one, with more of an emphasis on sea-going craft but see what Christopha says, it's all true!

I like Goolwa, I like the adventure of getting there (more on that later) I like the fact that I can visit Adelaide, drive home along the great ocean road, talk to a nice bunch of boat people, have a hot dog (or nasi goreng).

Next time I'll be in Tas. I love being there too, but until I retire it's unlikely I'll ever get to two in the one year, frequent flyer points or not!

By the way, the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup are two horse races, but no one ever asks are they different enough to go to both!

Cheers,

P

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

I like the fact that I can visit Adelaide,

If you don't manage a visit with me mate, I'll be busy thinking up all sorts of rude things to say

Richard

Howdy,

I've been to Goolwa quite a few times - usually in some sort of work capacity so my view is a little coloured.

I've also been to Hobart once.

And Sydney several times.

Like them all. They are all different. Goolwa seems way more lively as there is reasonably good access to the water for small and smaller boats - so lots of the type of activity small boats are good at - a sort of buzzy busyness.

As far as the time of year ... the problem in Adelaide is that there isn't much choice of season.

Summer is really hot - best to be indoors for those three to four months.

Spring and Autumn are wonderful but the problem is that Spring tends to be a bit rainy in normal years. So really only a narrow band of opportunity.

As a supplier it is not too bad with them grouped together - I can just get my diplay and literature ready and move from one to the other on the years I have enough budget to do more than one.

And seeing people twice at different shows does sales no harm at all.

MIK

the Hobart Wooden boat Festival is timed to coincide with the Royal Hobart regatta and the $400,000 Hobart Cup. And as the Monday is a public Holiday (for the regatta) the croeds are great and they have a good choice of events all within 20 mins and a few kilometres AND all within site of or on the fantastic Derwent River.

Hi,

Thanks for the info and opinions. My initial question just came form a discussion with a friend who is visiting Hobart, and wondered if suppliers would get value form being at two 'sales events' so close together (I know that's not their purpose, but it's one reason the sellers go!).

Both sound good. I may try to convince the GLW that we need to go to Goolwa as well...I do neet to put some more km's on the work car before 31st March (for FBT reasons ) and Goolwa and back would be a good run. Any thoughts on good but cheap accommodation for those who've been?

And as there's more chance I'll be building a trailerable runabout in the future - as opposed to a tall ship - it sounds worth a look.

Plus I don't mind the hippies....the female ones certainly have a habit of wandering around in bikinis at these sorts of things

Thnaks,
Darren

Originally Posted by bitingmidge

By the way, the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup are two horse races, but no one ever asks are they different enough to go to both!

Is there a difference? lots of wallies lose heaps on every flamin' horse race.... is'nt that the sole purpose of the things??

When I received my last newsletter from the Goolwa organisers I was very disappointed at what I saw as a lousy attempt to make more money.... I was going to try to organise a wee get together down this way on the Glenelg river but now I am heading westward that is no longer an option.
I hope those of you who do go to Goolwa have an absolute ball and manage to ignore the mangy dreadlocked quiche eaters as they bop their drug crazed heads off.

PDR! PDR! PDR! OI! OI! OI!

Originally Posted by Christopha

Is there a difference? lots of wallies lose heaps on every flamin' horse race.... is'nt that the sole purpose of the things??

When I received my last newsletter from the Goolwa organisers I was very disappointed at what I saw as a lousy attempt to make more money.... I was going to try to organise a wee get together down this way on the Glenelg river but now I am heading westward that is no longer an option.
I hope those of you who do go to Goolwa have an absolute ball and manage to ignore the mangy dreadlocked quiche eaters as they bop their drug crazed heads off.

PDR! PDR! PDR! OI! OI! OI!

So, you don't like mung beans and vegie burgers then?

Originally Posted by ModelShipwright

Any thoughts on good but cheap accommodation for those who've been?

The Goolwa Caravan Park is about a 15 minutes walk from the show.

Other types of accomodation should be booked ASAP.

MIK

Jeez, You sound like a bunch of Grumpy Old Men. I can't see any mention of pan pipes, flutes, nose whistles or cymbals anywhere, just some great blues, R&B and Celtic. Plus the kids concerts which will keep my kids happy while I'm at the wharfside brewery.

If anything annoys me it's the old farts who put high gloss yacht finishes on ancient put puts. I've even seen stern quarter flagstaffs!! A tad pretentious for boats that were built for just being used. Sure, my boats getting some new paint (Mitre 10 enamel on the exterior and matt finish acrylic ceiling paint inside) but I'm hoping there's a "Boat That Looks Like It Gets Used" award this year.

Ooh, that's sounds a bit harsh, might have to change my name to Rabid Dog, as long as I'm not confused with Mr Warrigal.

Well the Hobart one is popular - almost impossible to get accommodation anywhere.

Hobart's popular because they'll always have enough water to float a keel boat.
Goolwa could be renamed the Mudskippers' Festival the way the drought's going. And if Mike Rann builds a weir at Wellington the Festival will have to move upstream.
At least the beach area will be bigger this year and my boat only has a 1' draught.