The Kookaburra River Queen Paddlewheelers are true icons of the Brisbane River. Gary Balkin, a Brisbane Hotelier and Entrepreneur had seen the Mississipi Paddlewheelers, visited the Murray River and believed that Brisbane's greatest asset was its river.
He felt that Brisbane was ready for "something nostalgic, old-fashioned and different, consequently the Kookaburra River Queens were born. Balkin commissioned Millkraft Thompson Boatyards to build Kookaburra River Queen I. She was the first wooden paddlewheeler built in Australia in the last century. Launched in 1986 and 1988 respectively, the Queens were crafted mainly from Queensland timbers.
The 100 foot keels from ironbark, the hulls from triple planked oregon and spotted gum and the decks made from white beechHaving been a part of Brisbane�s history for over 20 years, the authentic paddlewheelers played a major role in the popular World Expo in 1988.
Providing guests with a unique insider�s view into the surrounds of the Brisbane River, the Kookaburra River Queens gave both residents and tourists a chance to see what the city was all about.
Constructed from traditional Queensland timbers and weighing a whopping 140 tonnes each, the 30 metre paddlewheelers are powered by two 350 horsepower engines and were designed to come as close as possible to the original steamers.
Both were built using shipwrights� techniques that date back to Noah�s Ark! Each panel has been individually shaped using steam and every nail was hand nailed to ensure quality of craftsmanship.
The vessels were aptly named because the Kookaburra is a native Australian bird that is never seen to drink water � a prophecy that all boat owners would hope to emulate!
