David Murphy Memorial Award

The late David Murphy

Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmanian Inc. David Murphy Memorial Awards 2019

Words of the late David Murphy 8/10/2002, member of the Guild and Journalist.

“Terra Linna has an exceptional place in our maritime history. She should be restored to take her place with other Tasmanian maritime icons such as the May Queen and would be a thrilling sight under full sail in a stiff Hobart sea breeze. Let’s make sure it happens!”

David was a founding member and supportive officer of the WBGT Inc. for many years. He was a journalist by profession and as such wrote extensively about the value of maritime heritage and the objects of the WBGT Inc. He also fully supported the restoration of Terra Linna and had her initially surveyed by his good friend and boat builder, John Philp of Gravelly Beach, Tasmania.

Award Criteria

The Wooden Boat Guild Tasmania Inc (WBGT) David Murphy Memorial Award can be awarded by the Committee to a member or past member of the WBGT who has over a prolonged period of more than 5 years sought to and achieved the Objects of the Guild based on one or more of the following criteria:

    1. Successfully convened or supported forums and festivals that meet with the objects of the Guild.
    2. Successfully researched and documented or demonstrated a significant part of Australia’s and/or Tasmania’s maritime heritage, hand crafts and marine craft to benefit the Guild, its members and affiliated bodies through an educational forum/program.
    3. Successfully worked with youth to ensure that the youth can demonstrate knowledge and skills in regard to Tasmania’s maritime heritage, hand crafts and marine craft.
    4. Successfully researched and documented a wooden boat that has helped form part of Australia’s and/or Tasmania’s maritime heritage and as such maintained the heritage and integrity of the craft.
    5. Successfully constructed or reconstructed a wooden boat that has helped form part of Australia’s and/or Tasmania’s maritime heritage and as such maintained the heritage and integrity of the craft.
    6. Documentation can include but not exclusively
      • Historical documentation
      • Oral documentation
      • Pictorial documentation
      • Model making
      • Historical wooden boat design
      • Lifting of lines
      • Identifying proving provenance and significance then where possible labeling heritage artefacts aligned to the objectives of the Guild

The award is to be announced at the AGM and the award will be given at the Presidents Dinner. The recipient will be invited to the dinner as guests of the Guild.

Recipients to date;

Andy Gamlin 2011 for founding the AWBF to meet the criteria re maritime Heritage and wooden boat building and design.

Cathy Hawkins 2011 for founding the AWBF to meet the criteria re maritime Heritage and wooden boat building and design.

Ian Johnston 2011 for founding the AWBF to meet the criteria re maritime Heritage and wooden boat building and design.

Bill Foster 2011 for his knowledge and skill sharing as a shipwright with Guild members particularly re Terra Linna’s restoration. His Maritime heritage walks and talks around Battery Point and the restoration work he supervised on the May Queen.

Noel and Noelene Hall 2011 for the knowledge and skill sharing during the restoration of Terra Linna.

Peter Higgs 2019 for project managing the restoration of Terra Linna, various forums, articles and blogs re maritime heritage and Australia’s Historic Vessels Register promotion and Tasmanian historic vessels nominations. St Virgils sailing youth coaching and support and promotion of the WBGT generally.

Graeme Hunt 2020 Convened forums and festivals from a Guild perspective, more than once, that meet with the objects of the Guild. Successfully researched and documented Australia’s and Tasmania’s maritime heritage through numerous contributions to the Skeg and Rudder publications of the WBGT. Successfully assisted with then researched and in some instances constructed and re-constructed within Guild groups or working bees and providing leadership.

    • Lifting of boat lines particularly a Muddy Creek Piner Punt (self)
    • Teepookana and many other Piner Punts including Gordon
    • Terra Linna
    • Tamar dinghy’s
    • Various canoes including two ex WW II folding canoes
    • Assisted building the St Ayles Skiff, Chiton in 2014.

Ainesley Smith 2020 Convened forums and festivals from a Guild perspective, more than once, that meet with the objects of the Guild. Successfully documented Australia’s and Tasmania’s maritime heritage through numerous contributions to the Skeg and Rudder publications of the WBGT. Successfully assisted with then researched and in some instances constructed and re-constructed within Guild groups or working bees and providing leadership.

Brian Marriott 2020 Brian, through a Hobart City Council grant constructed our present web site which is far more interactive including forums, blogs knowledge base, not in our first web site. However, both websites have documented the life and activity of the Guild for over 15 years through Brian’s commitment to ensuring Guild documentation and records are kept. Once the more recent website was completed Brian has continued development to;

    • Accommodate forums and blogs aligned to our objectives and the criteria of the David Murphy Memorial Award.
    • Hold Guild records and photographs since its beginnings
    • Enables communications with our Tasmanian regional members and those from Interstate.
    • Since 2018 worked at reducing the bar in regard to technology and just recently has introduced Buddy Press to our website simplifying forums for members.
  • During 2019 Brian has installed and managed Microsoft Office NFP for the Guild which includes;
    • Records management.
    • Historical administrative records
    • Provision of Video Conferencing which allowed Business continuity for the Guild during 2020 and the Covid-2019 pandemic.
  • Brian convened and attended forums and festivals, more than once, that meet with the objects of the Guild including;
  • Successfully researched and documented Australia’s and Tasmania’s maritime heritage through numerous contributions to the Skeg and Rudder publications and the Wooden Boat Guild Web Sites including articles on;
  • Successfully assisted, researched then constructed, re-constructed in Guild groups or working bees
    • Piner Punts generally including data collection using the Total Station methodology, for our research and publication
    • Terra Linna
    • Various canoes including his own Cat’s Cradle a beautiful strip planked Canadian canoe.