Looking Back at the 2025 Festival
Crowds at the 2025 South Australian Wooden Boat Festival
As we count down to the South Australian Wooden Boat Festival in April 2027, we take a look back at the 2025 Festival, a landmark event that brought thousands of people to Goolwa and celebrated the region's rich maritime heritage.
A Return to the Waterfront
The 2025 Festival marked a special homecoming, returning to the historic Goolwa Wharf Precinct for the first time in six years.
Against the backdrop of the newly revitalised waterfront, more than 150 wooden boats gathered on the River Murray, transforming Goolwa into a living showcase of boatbuilding craftsmanship, river history and community spirit. Throughout the weekend, around 18,000 visitors explored the wharf, enjoyed the atmosphere and experienced one of South Australia's most unique heritage festivals.
Boats, Steam and Spectacle
The Festival delivered a packed program on both land and water.
Crowds lined the riverbank to watch the Grand Parade of Boats, led by Goolwa's beloved paddle steamer PS Oscar W and joined by visiting paddle steamers PS Marion and PW Mayflower.
Another highlight was the Steam Salute, where paddle steamers and the SteamRanger heritage train exchanged whistles in a celebration of Goolwa's unique place where steam trains and paddle steamers continue to meet.
As day turned to night, the riverfront came alive with spectacular fireworks, watched from the wharf, riverbank and aboard sold-out twilight cruises on the PS Oscar W.
Celebrating Traditional Skills
At the heart of the Festival was a celebration of the people and skills that keep wooden boat heritage alive.
Visitors watched traditional boatbuilding demonstrations at the historic Armfield Slipway and Boatshed, while rope weaving, woodturning and other heritage crafts showcased skills passed down through generations.
The ever-popular Rough'n'Ready Boatbuilding Competition attracted enthusiastic crowds as teams raced the clock to build and launch a boat over the course of the weekend.
More Than a Festival
The 2025 Festival also marked the official launch of the revitalised Goolwa Wharf Precinct.
The restored wharf, Wharf Shed, Armfield Slipway and Signal Point Experience Centre provided a stunning setting for the event and highlighted Goolwa's growing reputation as a premier heritage and tourism destination.
Looking Ahead to 2027
As planning continues for the 20th South Australian Wooden Boat Festival, we are building on the success of 2025 and looking forward to welcoming wooden boat enthusiasts, families and visitors back to Goolwa for another unforgettable weekend.
Join us on 24-25 April 2027 as we celebrate wooden boats, river heritage and community spirit.