McConnell Dowell is the lead contractor for the construction of the New Bridgewater Bridge, Tasmania’s largest ever transport project. Known as the Creative Construction company, they build iconic, landmark assets and deliver major infrastructure projects across Australia, New Zealand and Asia.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
- Skip the car and take a fast, frequent Metro Tasmania bus straight to the event, connecting to the Eastern Shore, northern suburbs, Taroona, and Kingston all weekend.
- Take a Derwent River Ferry from Bellerive Pier to Brooke Street Pier.
- Thanks to McConnell Dowell, free ferry rides will be available on Sunday, 9th February! Hop on a chartered Derwent River Ferry and enjoy complimentary trips throughout the day.
PARKING
Secure parking is available at Queen’sDomain, courtesy of the Royal Hobart Regatta, just a 10-minute walk from the Festival for a
small fee. Additional public and private parking can be found in the Hobart CBD, but Sunday parking isn’t free. Check Hobart City Council’s parking info and mobility map.
ACCESSIBLE PARKING
- Limited accessible parking will be available along Castray Esplanade and Hunter Street.
- For convenient access, there will be a pick-up and drop-off zone at the front of Brooke Street Pier, with access via Elizabeth Street.
- Check Hobart City Council’s parking info and mobility map.
SITE ACCESSIBILITY
The Festival takes place primarily outdoors along the Hobart Waterfront. While all permanent indoor venues are fully accessible, some temporary workshops, exhibitions, and event spaces may feature uneven surfaces, stairs, or limited access.
Please refer below for detailed accessibility information for each venue.
GUIDE, HEARING & ASSISTANCE DOGS
The AWBF welcomes guests accompanied by guide, hearing or assistance dogs.
ALL ACCESS TOILETS
All access toilets are available at the following locations:
ACCESSIBILE ON-WATER & SAILING ACTIVITIES
- Sailability Tasmania are offering ticketed accessible sailing events over the festival weekend from Sandy Bay Marina. Please click here for more information.
- Sailability Tasmania will also offer Virtual Sailing on dry land inside the Maritime Marketplace at Princes Wharf No. 1. No tickets are necessary and all festival-goers are welcome to give it a go!
- TasPorts are offering ticketed guided and AUSLAN interpreted cruises on Saturday 8 February from Brooke St Pier. Please click here for more information.
PERMANENT VENUES
Please click the “Venue Information” buttons below for accessibility and venue details.
HOBART CITY VENUES
- Spirit of Tasmania Classic Dinghy Display
- Boats Ashore
- Timed street parking
- Wheelchair accessible
- All access toilets
- Exhibition: Model boats
- No parking
- Wheelchair accessible
- All access toilets
- International Guild of Knot Tyers
- 2 x accessible parking spaces
- Drop-off in carpark with turning circle
- Lift from carpark to Town Hall Ballroom venue
- Wheelchair accessible
- All access toilets
SALAMANCA ARTS CENTRE
77 Salamanca Place, Hobart
- Peacock Theatre
- The Founders Room
- Long Gallery
- Sidespace Gallery
- Social Gallery
77 Salamanca Place, Hobart
- Theatre: In the Belly of the Whale
- Pacific Film Festival
- Assisted hearing system
- Accessible seating options
- Wheelchair accessible
- Level access via theatre side doors in Courtyard
- All access toilets in Courtyard
- AWBF volunteers available to assist
- Talk: 30 years of Women on Water
- Wheelchair accessible
- Lift access from Courtyard
- Ramps required for entry into Founders Room
- All access toilets in Courtyard
- AWBF volunteers available to assist
- Exhibition: Water Ways 2025
- Wheelchair accessible
- Lift access from Courtyard
- All access toilets in Courtyard
- AWBF volunteers available to assist
- Exhibition: Sailing into the Future: The Amazing Wooden Boats of Madagascar
- Wheelchair accessible
- Lift access from Courtyard
- All access toilets in Courtyard
- AWBF volunteers available to assist
- Exhibition: Thallasophile & Lagarostrobos Exhibition
- Wheelchair accessible
- All access toilets in Courtyard
- AWBF volunteers available to assist
- Exhibition: Maritime Heritage and Model Boat Making
- Wheelchair accessible
- Ramp access to ground floor
- Lift access to first floor
- All access toilets
- Museum volunteers available to assist
- Forum: We are the Ocean: Voyaging and the Pacific
- Assisted hearing system
- Wheelchair accessible
- Accessible seating options
- All access toilets
- Companion card
- Dechaineux Theatre: Wooden Boat Symposium
- Sunroom Gallery: Toiles de Mer Exhibition
- Wheelchair accessible
- Lift access to Dechaineux Theatre
- Accessible seating options
- All access toilets
- Maritime Marketplace
- Wheelchair accessible
- All access toilets
- Exhibition: Rex Greeno: Memories Through Sea Stories
- Wheelchair accessible
- All access toilets
- Exhibition: “drift” by Alice G
- Wheelchair accessible via ramp (assistance available from Hadley’s staff)
- All access toilets
TEMPORARY VENUES
- Welcome Ceremony
- Quick & Dirty Boat Race
- On-water Activities
- Outdoors
- Wheelchair accessible around perimetre
- Concrete ground surface
- Bench seating
- Shade sails (outside Waterside Pavilion)
- All access toilets adjacent at Waterside Pavilion
- Live Entertainment
- Food & Beverage Stalls
- Large hoecker marquee
- Outdoor Area
- Wheelchair Accessible
- Long table & bench seating
- Ambient lighting
- Temporary toilets
- Cooking and interactive displays
- Cray pot making display
- Temporary marquee
- Wheelchair accessible
- Chairs
- No toilets (all access toilets located 150m at Waterside Pavilion)
- Ticketed workshops
- Temporary marquee
- Wheelchair accessible
- Tight spaces
- Concrete ground surface
- No toilets (closest toilet is 80m at Princes Wharf 1)
- Demonstrations & Displays
- Outdoors
- Wheelchair accessible
- Concrete ground surface
- No seating
- No toilets (all access toilets located 150m at Waterside Pavilion)
- The Old Woolstore “Little Sailors Village” children’s program
- Quiet space at The Book Barge marquee
- Outdoors with several temporary marquee spaces
- Wheelchair accessible
- Uneven surfaces
- Concrete and grass
- Temporary toilets (nearest all access toilet is 150m opposite at Princes Wharf 1)
- Live entertainment
- Food & Beverage Stalls
- Outdoors
- Wheelchair accessible
- Concrete ground surface
- Long table & bench seating
- Sun umbrellas
- No toilets (closest toilet is 20m at Princes Wharf 1)
- Demonstrations, wooden boat craft
- Temporary marquee
- Wheelchair accessible
- Tight spaces
- Concrete ground surface
- No toilets (closest toilet is 80m at Princes Wharf 1)
