It will be like a vision from another century when the world’s biggest wooden ship sails into Williamstown this month.
Tenacious arrived in Sydney last week after a nine-month, 29,000 kilometre voyage from the UK.
It will dock at Williamstown’s Seaworks on August 14 and host open days and day sails and voyages until next April.
Tenacious is one of two tall ships operated by the Jubilee Sailing Trust, the United Nations-accredited charity formed in the UK in 1978.
About half the crew of 40 have a disability and the ship is made for people of all abilities.
It has wheelchair-accessible rigging and masts, Braille signs and speaking compasses for the visually impaired.
Hobsons Bay mayor and Seaworks board member Peter Hemphill said he was proud Williamstown would be the ship’s official home port in Melbourne.
“Its arrival will encourage people to visit Williamstown in what is traditionally an off peak period,” he said.
“And will provide visitors with other opportunities, such as access to both Seaworks and the Sea Shepherd’s Steve Irwin, which is frequently in port.
“Williamstown would have had hundreds of these tall ships arriving and leaving port, it’s… a great throwback to our maritime heritage.”
The public is invited to watch the Tenacious dock at Seaworks at 2pm on August 14, with its first open day on August 17.
Details: jst.org.au, info@jst.org.au or 0429 186 625.
