Press Release

Wednesday 28 November 2007

NEW GORDON RIVER CRUISE CATAMARAN CHRISTENED
The Minister for Tourism, Arts and the Environment, Paula Wriedt, has officially christened the largest passenger vessel ever to operate on the Gordon River in Tasmania.

The $5 million three level catamaran called Eagle is capable of carrying 222 people.

“The vessel is the latest to be built for World Heritage Cruises, which has been operating in Tasmania’s World Heritage Area for more than 15 years,” Ms Wriedt said.

“This is another significant boost for the Tasmanian tourism industry and the West Coast in particular.”
“Tasmania’s west cost is an important holiday destination and the introduction of this vessel will help with the ongoing growth and sustainability of our tourism industry,” Ms Wriedt said.

The 35 metre ship, which will begin service early next month, is the first vessel to be completed at Richardson Devine Marine’s new shipbuilding facilities at Prince of Wales Bay.

The company’s new ship building facility was partly funded by the Department of Economic Development.
Prior to the move to Prince of Wales Bay earlier this year, the company worked out of cramped premises on Hobart’s waterfront.

The new, state of the art facility now allows Richardson Devine Marine to build more than one vessel at a time, and establishes the Prince of Wales Bay area as one of Tasmania’s major shipbuilding precincts.

In addition to the two levels of seating, the new vessel has a reference library and separate children’s play area.
The Eagle will replace World Heritage Cruises’ existing catamarans Adventurer and Wanderer II, which have both been sold to a New Zealand ferry company.

“The Eagle was named after the first vessel built and launched in Strahan by the Grining Brothers in 1897,” Ms Wriedt said.

“The first Eagle used to ferry cargo and passengers to various outposts on Macquarie Harbour and the King and Gordon Rivers.”

“Now, more than a century later, the new Eagle will be the largest vessel operating on the Gordon River and one of the largest day cruise vessels operating in Australia.”

For further information contact Tourism Tasmania's Communications Unit

(03) 6230 8244
email mediainfo@tourism.tas.gov.au