Public Talks

The museum hosts a regular series of FREE public lunchtime talks. The talks are held in the Royal Society Rooms at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery on the FIRST Tuesday of each month (except January) from 12.00 midday until 1.00pm.

The May talk was entitled S.Y. ALVINA: Facts & Fables and was presented by Tony Lee.  In 1887, at Woolston in the United Kingdom, a steam yacht was built that would encounter fame and fable until its final days in 1961 on the Tamar River in Tasmania. Alvina would start as a luxury yacht, serve as a pilot boat in some of the world’s most dangerous waters, participate in one of the first actions by Australia in World War One, escort a future king, become a much loved ferry, a gambling casino managed by the Melbourne underworld, then to be a salvage ship, fishing boat, Bass Strait trader, and finally the harbourside training vessel for naval cadets. In so doing she would sail under three ensigns, and be claimed as being owned by royalty and a famous lady.

Tony Lee joined Alvina in Launceston as a Sea Cadet in 1954. He continued his interest in the Corps until 1999, finishing as a Lieutenant Commander. Over the years he has researched the career of Alvina.