Spring Bay Maritime & Discovery Centre

The Studio and Gallery’s 2021 exhibition ‘Scape’ opened on 7 January and continued every day throughout the month. It featured large charcoal works on paper, part of a class project, as well as small paintings of interpretive landscape. These works were done in a short time as, like so many, we closed for much of 2020 due to COVID. 

700 local and interstate visitors enjoyed ‘Scape’, down from over 1,100 visitors the previous year as international visitors were of course absent, but in these strange times an amazing response! 

Now that the exhibition has completed, the Studio is back to classwork on Monday mornings 9.30am-1.00pm. All the requisite COVID requirements remain in place, so if you visit you can feel safe to enjoy the works.

Focusing on the historical aspects of the shore-based whaling industry in Spring Bay, the contemporary situation with whale visitations to our region, and the story of local boatbuilder Neil Drake.

Our Summer Evening Cruise took place on Saturday 8 February aboard the Maria Island Ferry (run by Navigator) and was very successful. Whilst the number of guests was a little down on last year, everyone who attended had an excellent night. This yearly event helps the Maritime Museum raise much needed funds to allow us to continue to open and develop our exhibitions, so thanks to all who attended.

Our Shed boat building team Bernard and Chris are working on a beautiful old boat which we are hoping to enter in next years Wooden Boat Festival. If we manage to pull it off, what a wonderful achievement for our Shed as well a great asset.