WOODEN BOAT FESTIVAL

Mr PEDERICK (Hammond) (16:49): I rise today to talk about the Wooden Boat Festival, which was recently held at Goolwa on the last weekend of February. It was a fantastic weekend of events and I managed to get to quite a few of them. I also want to talk about the relationship that Goolwa has had with the naval 817 Squadron. This involves a squadron of Sea King helicopters and all the support services that go with them.

On the Friday night of the weekend, my family and I went to Goolwa. We were happy to be at a book launch of the history of the 25-year relationship, I think it is, of the squadron and the township of Goolwa. I must say that it was good to have some very insightful conversations with the Navy personnel. My two young lads, who are only nine and six, had a good education as well. The men certainly took their time to talk to the young boys as they had beforehand, during the day, at the Strathalbyn school and a couple of the schools in Goolwa as well.

On Saturday, we had the ceremonial march past through the town. Our leader, Isobel Redmond, was present as well. The Navy were given the keys or basically given access to the town. It is an old practice that goes back many centuries, where they are allowed leave to get into the city or town that they are visiting.

It was a great weekend. It is great to see water back in the river. It has really put the shine back on the town of Goolwa after the last four or five years of drought and the threat of acid sulphate soils and soil blowing around the town and the surrounding areas off Lake Alexandrina. It is certainly a great sight to see. It is dirty water, but nonetheless, it is water and it is there.

There were many, many boats on display. There must have been hundreds of boats on display. There were all sorts of wooden boats: rowing boats, canoes and sailing boats. Many hundreds of people visited Goolwa over the weekend and really enjoyed themselves.

The opening involved the paddle steamer, the Oscar W, which is over 100 years old and has served this state and the river trade very well in its former glory. It is well preserved by a team of volunteers at Goolwa. Then there was the launch of the new boat wharf, just along from the Oscar W wharf, which is more of an extension of a new recreational wharf. All of these events on the Saturday were attended by the Governor, Kevin Scarce, and it was very good to see him down there.

Goolwa has managed to survive the drought and is really moving ahead. It was another great weekend, visited by hundreds of people, and it is certainly really putting life back into the town.

In closing, I would just like to commend the relationship with the 817 Squadron. I believe it is being disbanded. It has had a great relationship with the town, and I hope that in the future there is potential for Goolwa to team up with the naval 808 Squadron. It would be great to have another relationship with another section of the Navy.

At 16:53 the house adjourned until Tuesday 22 March 2011 at 11:00.