![Three sea kayaks on display at the QMM commemorating historic journeys. Orange one was used by Earl de Bonville [Bloomfield] who circumnavigated Tasmania in 1979. Yellow one used by Paul Caffyn in his 1981/2 first circumnavigation of Australia in a sea kayak. White one belonged to Freya Hoffmeister who solo circumnavigated Australia in 2009.](/media/collectors/4f729f7e97f83e03086018d1/items/5fae1faf0557592050ca91e5/item-media/5fae20230557592050ca9478/VictorianCollections-large.jpg)
Historical information
Australia’s first modern sea kayak expedition: “The journey they said couldn’t be done”
Members: Earle de Blonville & John Brewster
First kayak expedition to circumnavigate Tasmania’s 1,600 km coastline
Route: The 1798-99 route of Bass and Flinders in the ‘Norfolk’
Start and finish Georgetown: anticlockwise via the west coast and Hobart.
Media covers the Tasmania expedition itself, plus the pre-Tasmania training voyages in Scotland and the Hebrides, plus resulting articles.
Significance
Kayak used in 1979 circumnavigation of Tasmania by Earl Bloomfield, accompanied by journal of expedition and photographs
Physical description
Sea Kayak, Nordkapp design
References
- Australia’s first modern sea kayak expedition: “The journey they said couldn’t be done” Members: Earle de Blonville & John Brewster First kayak expedition to circumnavigate Tasmania’s 1,600 km coastline Route: The 1798-99 route of Bass and Flinders in the ‘Norfolk’ Start and finish Georgetown: anticlockwise via the west coast and Hobart. Media covers the Tasmania expedition itself, plus the pre-Tasmania training voyages in Scotland and the Hebrides, plus resulting articles.
