Darwin Beer Can Regatta

Darwin Beer Can Regatta
Watercraft at 2009 Darwin Beer Can Regatta

The Darwin Beer Can Regatta is an event which has been held annually since 1974 in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia at Mindil Beach. Participants create boats using empty beer cans, soft drink (soda) cans, soft drink bottle and milk cartons. The vessels are not tested for seaworthiness, prior to water events, and those that fall apart are part of the day's entertainment. A great many sundry events go along with the regatta, including concerts, a thong-throwing contest and the "Henley-on-Mindil" competition (named after the Henley-on-Todd Regatta), where participants run their "boats" around like Flintstones cars.

Typical more or less floating construction used in the regatta, now a piece of the collection at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Sydney.

The first Beer Can Regatta was held in June 1974. This is contrary to popular belief that the regatta started in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy which hit Darwin on Christmas Eve, 1974.

The 1st Beer Can Regatta was the brainchild of Lutz Frankenfeld and Paul Rice-Chapman, both of whom were members of the Darwin Regional Tourism Promotion Aassociation. At the time, Paul (working at local newspaper "the NT News") had a deal with Swan Breweries to stage a water festival of somesort, and was developing the idea of building rafts out of empty beer cans. Lutz took this idea a step further and added an outboard motor to the vessel, and things grew from there.[1]

The Beer Can Regatta is now managed by the Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta Association Inc, which is essentially a partnership of the three Lions Clubs of the Darwin region, to 1/ promote tourism in the Northern Territory, 2/ raise funds for charitable purposes, and 3/ promote Lionism.

The Beer Can Regatta is also known as the Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta.

The Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta has in recent years taken place on Mindil Beach on Sundays 8 August 2010, 19 July 2009 and on 13 July 2008. The date changes every year, but will generally take place on a Sunday with favourably timed high water.[2]

The 2011 Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta will be held on Sunday 10 July 2011, and the 2012 Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta will be held on Sunday 15th July 2012.

References

  1. ^ Lutz Frankenfeld interviewed by Des Gellert (President Darwin Lions Beer Can Regatta Assoc) on 29 October 2009
  2. ^ Event Programs for 2008, 2009 and 2010

External links

Media related to Darwin Beer Can Regatta at Wikimedia Commons



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Darwin beer-can regatta — The Darwin Beer Can Regatta is an event which has been held annually since 1975 in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia at Mindil Beach. Participants create boats using empty beer cans. They then are tested for seaworthiness. There are a great… …   Wikipedia

  • The Beer Can Regatta — crazy boat race held in Darwin every year …   Dictionary of Australian slang

  • the beer can regatta — Australian Slang crazy boat race held in Darwin every year …   English dialects glossary

  • Darwin (Australien) — Darwin Staat …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Darwin (Northern Territory) — Darwin …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Darwin, Northern Territory — Port Darwin redirects here. For the old name of Falkland Islands, see Darwin, Falkland Islands. Darwin Northern Territory …   Wikipedia

  • Mindil Beach — Markets Mindil Beach is a beach located near the Darwin s central business district. Mindil Beach holds the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets which runs during the Dry season (from May until October) of every year.[1] …   Wikipedia

  • Mindil Beach, Northern Territory — Mindil Beach is a beach located near the Darwin s central business district. Mindil Beach holds the Mindil Beach Sunset Markets which runs during the Dry season (from May until October) of every year.cite web | title = Mindil Beach Sunset Markets …   Wikipedia

  • Northern Territory — a territory in N Australia. 123,324; 523,620 sq. mi. (1,356,175 sq. km). Cap.: Darwin. * * * Territory (pop., 2001 prelim.: 200,019), northern Australia. It covers an area of 520,900 sq mi (1,349,130 sq km). Its capital is Darwin; the only other… …   Universalium

  • United Kingdom — a kingdom in NW Europe, consisting of Great Britain and Northern Ireland: formerly comprising Great Britain and Ireland 1801 1922. 58,610,182; 94,242 sq. mi. (244,100 sq. km). Cap.: London. Abbr.: U.K. Official name, United Kingdom of Great… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”