Brisbane Festival floating attraction is a hit

Brisbane Festival’s ingenious river-going exhibit really floated Phil Brown’s boat. But it wasn’t without its awkward moments.

I don’t normally discuss my on-water operations, but in this instance I will make an exception to sing the praises of Brisbane’s Art Boat.

I can’t step aboard a boat though without thinking of Gilligan’s Island. It was one of my favourite shows as a teenager. Remember how the folks went aboard the S.S. Minnow thinking they were going on a three-hour cruise but they ended up shipwrecked on a tropical island?

Frankly I’m not good on boats, but Brisbane’s Art Boat is a barge and it is stable and comfy and besides, it’s only the Brisbane River so the water is calm. Thank God for that.

Brisbane’s Art Boat was Brisbane Festival artistic director Louise Bezzina’s brilliant idea, and its inaugural cruises last year were hugely popular.

Louise Bezzina on last year’s Art Boat. Picture: Steve Pohlner

And now it is back for much of every week until Brisbane Festival finishes at the end of September.

The barge is big, with plenty of room to wander about and take in the arty installations on board.

This year it is a celestial floating art experience entitled The Spheres featuring the work of internationally renowned visual artist Lindy lee, a Brisbane girl originally who happens to be one of the hottest artists in the country right now.

Her ethereal offering is positively cosmic and light plays across with attendant atmospheric sounds as kids run in and out and around it.

At one point smoke pours from the floor. That’s when I made a rather inappropriate joke about somebody below decks smoking a bong.

A celestial scene on Brisbane’s Art Boat at Brisbane Festival. Picture: Atmosphere Photography

I was channelling my teenage surfie self at the time, and I apologise for the remark.

There are cruises at various times of the day, and the one we went on was a 6pm cruise and that was lovely with the lights coming on and the stars beginning to twinkle above as we wandered around the deck and enjoyed finger food and libations and a bit of conversation.

It’s nothing like that party barge I used to see going by on the river, with the music blaring and drunken revelry aboard making a racket to wake the dead.

You do a get a party atmosphere aboard Brisbane’s Art Boat at times, but it is relatively genteel.

There are music acts and DJs aboard, and the night of our cruise and the entertainment featured the renowned percussionist Michael Askill playing gongs and creating a soundscape that perfectly suited Lindy Lee’s art.

And I didn’t get seasick, which is saying something for me.

Louise Bezzina and artist Lindy Lee aboard Brisbane’s Art Boat. Picture: Atmosphere Photography

Our cruise was not a three-hour one like that of the S.S. Minnow, but just an hour and 45 minutes, which is the perfect length of time for me to be on a boat.

Despite it supposedly being spring, it was cool out on the water in the evening, so rug up or at least take a jacket in case you need it.

The boat docks at Northshore Hamilton, which is a bit of a festival hub, and there’s plenty of parking and it’s just a lovely little escape.

More details at the Brisbane Festival website

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