18 May 2006 - Thousands
of people will have a rare opportunity to experience
a working 16th century vessel with the arrival
today into Port Adelaide of a replica of the Dutch
‘jacht’ Duyfken.
The Duyfken is undertaking a
12,000km voyage to commemorate the 400th anniversary
of the first documented European contact with
Australia. She will be moored at Queens Wharf,
near the Port Adelaide Lighthouse until 29 May.
Australian Minister for the
Environment and Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell,
said this important journey - which will see Duyfken
stop at 25 ports around the country - will highlight
our early maritime history.
“In 1606, Captain Willem Janszoon
and his crew onboard Duyfken sailed from the Indonesian
island of Banda in search of gold and trade opportunities
on the fabled island of Nova Guinea. They did
not find gold – but they did find the northern
coast of a huge continent: Australia,” Senator
Campbell said.
“Willem Janszoon mapped the
first 350km of Australia’s coastline, along the
western shore of Cape York to Cape Keerweer. It
was the beginning of the charting of Australia’s
25,000km coastline; a coastline that today is
rich in natural, historical and Indigenous heritage
treasures.”
Federal Member for Kingston,
Kym Richardson MP , welcomed Duyfken to Port Adelaide,
and said over the next 11 days the almost forgotten
story of our early European visitors will be brought
to life.
“The Duyfken visit will enable
school children and the public to learn more about
a defining period in our heritage that saw the
‘Little Dove’ sail into our history and put Australia
on the map,” he said.
Duyfken will be open for school
tours between 9am and midday weekdays. Public
can visit the vessel between midday and 5pm weekdays
and 9am to 5pm weekends.
The Australian Government has
provided major sponsorship of $495,000 for the
journey, which is the centrepiece of the Government’s
2006 focus on coastal and maritime heritage. The
voyage is a partnership between the Australian
Government, the Duyfken 1606 Replica Foundation,
and volunteer group Australia on the Map 1606-2006.
Shipwrecks funding to explore
SA’s maritime heritage
Speaking just as Duyfken moored
at Queens Wharf, Mr Richardson said he was pleased
to also announced over $60,000 in funding through
the Australian Government’s Historic Shipwreck
Programme (HSP) to help two South Australian projects
explore our maritime heritage.
“More than $20,000 will aid
a search of the South Australian coast to locate
and protect the anchor of Le Casuarina, an exploration
vessel that was purchased in Sydney at the beginning
of the 19th century by the French explorer Nicholas
Baudin. The ship was originally built in Sydney
in the late 18th century.
“An additional $20,200 will
fund a survey of the maritime heritage of St Peter
Island,” Mr Richardson said.
Funding will also assist the administration of
the Historic Shipwrecks Act in South Australia,
to help ensure our nation’s maritime heritage
is protected and conserved for future generations.
“Australia’s coast is scattered with thousands
of wrecks. They are an invaluable and irreplaceable
resource. The Historic Shipwreck Programme enables
those wrecks to be preserved and most importantly
studied to provide greater insight into Australia’s
history,” he said.
For more information about the
Historic Shipwrecks Programme and funded projects
visit www.deh.gov.au/heritage/shipwrecks/index.html
For further information on Duyfken, or to read
the Captain’s log, visiw www.duyfken.com
