Welcome to Boatfest

UPDATE - Easter 2012 has been a great success. Our President Mr Knowles stated that "he hoped next years show will be even bigger and better than this years".

We will be switching over the remainder of this site for next years Easter 2013 event after our AGM later in the year. Thank you for visiting and sharing our passion for classic boats both old, reconstructed and newly built to a classic design.

Can you help us run next years event? Then please contact our Event Co-ordinator or any member that you may know on our CONTACT page. We urgently need more boaties to help with our many ropes.

OLD 2012 EVENT INFORMATION - TO BE UPDATED

Lake Macquarie Classic Boatfest invites the participation and exhibition of traditional and classic boats – steam, sail, motor and oared craft of all sizes from all over Australia. Boats must be of a design prior to 1975 but may have been built at anytime from any material. Please go to our REGISTRATION PAGE for boat entry information.

Everyone is welcome to this free waterfront event Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 April, 2012 at Regatta Park, Toronto, on Lake Macquarie. We expect to have some 80 boats on display on the water and foreshore for the event.

A special thank you to Westpac Bank for displaying the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, which will be on duty for the Hunter region during the event. Thank you to our many sponsors, especially our platinum sponsors Marmong Cove Marina, Lake Coal, Lake Macquarie City Council and Jim Knowles Group. Our sponsors pay for the expenses for this free event. Information download for prospective sponsors

Visiting boats are offered free marina berthing before and after the event by our platinum sponsor Marmong Point Marina. This generous offer is subject to availability. Please contact marina directly.

The festival utilises the Toronto foreshore, the parklands, launching  ramps and the waterfront enclosure and jetties for a wide range of marine related activities. 

Over the two days of the event, you will be treated to model boat demonstrations and races, displays relating to classic boat activities, kids games, entertainment and of course the “Quick and Dirty” boat building competition held on the Sunday of the festival.  The event culminates in a Grand Parade and Blessing of the Fleet at 3.00 p.m. on the Sunday afternoon.  The festival provides a wonderful experience for people of all ages.

The superb eateries of Toronto located close to the foreshore will cater for all tastes whilst enjoying the spectacle of the boats and activities through out the weekend. Food stalls will also be located along foreshore.

We welcome your tax deductible donation of $15 for individual membership and $250 corporate membership to make this free event possible. Please download your Membership form

HELP - We urgently need new members to run the following years event. Consider assisting this year and learning the ropes from our aging boatie members?

Web News Articles about Boatfest

Trade A Boat - excellent article about a selection of boats from our 2011 Easter event website

The STAR 29th February 2012 - Lake Macquarie calls for Quick 'n' Dirty boat builders website

The STAR 7th March 2012 - Tokelau is a Townes 1948 Butcher Boat at 16foot 6inches website

The STAR 28th March 2012 - MV Fisher is a put-put launched in 1931 by Bill Fisher on the Parramatta River website

You Tube - Easter 2009 Event - previously named Heritage Afloat website

City of Lake Macquarie is a wonderful place to Holiday

Lake Macquarie has mountains, beaches, and a spectacular lake.

• Our centrepiece, the lake, has 174 kilometres of foreshore providing little sandy lake beaches, hidden coves, and secluded bays.
• Lake Macquarie is four and a half times the area and volume of Sydney Harbour.
• On the western side of Lake Macquarie, the Watagan Mountains incorporate 13 forests and numerous lookouts, picnic spots, camping areas, and magnificent waterfalls.
• On the east side of Lake Macquarie, the coastal beaches of Catherine Hill Bay, Swansea/Caves Beach, Belmont/Blacksmiths, Nine Mile, and Redhead beaches give fabulous coastal choices for ocean activities.

Being the largest coastal saltwater lake in Australia, it is blessed by having the Swansea Channel linking it to the ocean, giving access to vessels cruising the NSW coast.

Lake Macquarie is an ideal venue for this type of maritime festival due to its static tide – no rise and fall of water level – therefore no need to adjust mooring lines during the event!

Easter is second only after the Christmas period as being the most popular time of the year for the influx of such cruising vessels.

Event Partners

Lake Macquarie and District Historical Society website