Bill Bachman King Island AG 95, 2009
THE BOATHOUSE, a colourful wooden building nestling
beside the harbour in Currie, King Island’s main town (left ),
was featured in several photos in a story I shot in January- Less than a week aft er I photographed it, it burnt
to the ground. Knowing it had been rebuilt and seeking a
postscript to our 2009 story, I returned to the Tasmanian
island in October 2015 to fi nd a new structure almost
indistinguishable from the original (above). Fortunately, the building was
insured and it rose again from the ashes, thanks to a big community eff ort.
“I was absolutely staggered at the way everyone came together to
rebuild the boathouse,” says local Caroline Kininmonth. “Its loss devastated
the locals – everyone felt the soul of the island had been taken away.”
Now known as “the restaurant with no food”, it’s stocked with all the
tools needed for everything from a picnic to a dinner party. Locals and
visitors alike are welcome to use it any time on a BYO-tucker basis, with
an honesty box for donations for the building’s upkeep.
Sitting on the upturned boat (above, L–R) are commercial fi sherman
Paul Jordan, kitesurfer/fi sherman Ben Hassing, artist Robin Eades and
Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife head ranger Shelley Graham (with baby on
lap). Among others who were featured in the original story are King Island
Dairy’s head cheesemaker Ueli Berger (front centre, at left ) and, standing
next to him, artist Caroline Kininmonth.
January. February 89