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The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel

LITTLE SAILORS VILLAGE

The Little Sailors Village is packed with family-friendly maritime fun, from building small wooden boats, face painting and solar boat challenges to the Kumundar Gujo Jungle Gym workshop, circus performances and taiko drumming.

Search the program below to discover all the activities, workshops and performances on offer.

INFORMATION

Parliament House Gardens

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  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Grass ground surface
  • Outdoors
  • Under cover areas
  • Toilets
  • All access toilets PW1
  • First Aid
  • Assistance animals welcome

PROGRAM PARTNER

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A longstanding part of Hobart’s community, The Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel is committed to supporting local people, organisations and initiatives that help the city thrive.

Supported by City of Hobart, Dobson Mitchell Allport, The Wooden Boat Guild of Tasmania, Variety Tasmania - The Children's Charity, the University of Tasmania, the Japan Foundation, Gifu International Center, Tokai International and the New Zealand Maritime Museum.

BROWSE ACTIVITIES

Dates
Times
Entry
  • Free Entry (14)
  • Paid Ticket (2)
  • Pay on the Day (1)
Pay on the Day
Take Part

Build a Small Wooden Boat

Sand and nail together a small wooden boat from Huon and King Billy pine with help from Woodcraft Guild Tasmania volunteers. Cost: $10 Pay on the day
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Sun 10am-5pm, Mon 10am-4pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
Free Entry
Take Part

Face Painting

Add a splash of colour with free face painting for little sailors.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat 10am–4pm, Sun 11am-4pm & Mon 10am-2pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
Paid Ticket
Take Part

Kumundar Gujo Construction Workshop

Help build Kumundar, a 5m x 5m x 3m wooden jungle gym inspired by traditional Japanese carpentry. Kids can use wooden mallets and wedges to help assemble the structure, combining hands-on construction, play and traditional woodcraft. Tickets: $10 | Ages: 5–12 Supported by the Hobart-Yaizu Sister City Committee and Dobson Mitchell Allport.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat, Sun & Mon Various Times
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
MORE INFO + BOOK
Free Entry
Take Part

Kumundar Gujo Sailing Ship

All aboard the Kumundar Gujo Sailing Ship, an imaginative wooden playground inspired by traditional sailing vessels. Kids can climb, explore and play throughout the day, with plenty of room for young adventurers to create their own nautical journeys. Supported by the Hobart-Yaizu Sister City Committee and Dobson Mitchell Allport.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Sun 10am-5pm, Mon 10am-4pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
Free Entry
Watch, Take Part

Solar Boat Challenge

The Solar Boat Challenge invites children to design, build and race their own solar-powered boats. With materials provided and a race pool ready to go, kids can create their models, test them on the water and see how they perform. Suitable for children aged 5-12 years.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Sun 10am-5pm, Mon 10am-4pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
Free Entry
Take Part

Huon Pine Bubble Blowing

Create clouds of bubbles using handcrafted, steam-bent Huon Pine frames and special bubble mix. A playful, hands-on activity for children and families of all ages.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Sun 10am-5pm, Mon 10am-4pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
Free Entry
Watch

My First Boat Display

Meet the young boatbuilders behind My First Boat as they put the finishing touches on their very first rowing boats before parading them to Constitution Dock for launch on Sunday morning. Designed for children aged 5–10 to build with an adult, a limited number of boat kits are also available for families keen to join the next generation of sailors. For kit enquiries: office@awbf.org.au
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat 10am-5pm
Parliament House Gardens
Demonstrations & Displays, Kids & Families
Free Entry

The Book Barge

Take a quiet break at The Book Barge, a cosy reading nook where children can enjoy sea-themed stories away from the festival bustle. Families are also invited to donate new or pre-loved sea-themed children’s books. This initiative is kindly supported by Variety Tasmania - the Children's Charity, New Zealand Maritime Museum and the City of Hobart as a designated "UNESCO City of Literature".
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Sun 10am-5pm, Mon 10am-4pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
Free Entry
Take Part

The Mariners Makerspace

Get creative at The Mariners Makerspace with ocean-inspired craft, boat building and interactive storytelling designed to spark curiosity and imagination.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Sun 10am-5pm, Mon 10am-4pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
Free Entry

Variety Tasmania – The Children’s Charity

Pop into the Variety Tasmania tent, purchase a pirate hat to show your support, and join the crew for some swashbuckling festival fun.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Sun 10am-5pm, Mon 10am-4pm
Parliament House Gardens
Kids & Families
Free Entry
Watch, Take Part

Pirate Peg

Join Pirate Peg for piratey fun, playful adventures and colourful twisty craft creations for young festival-goers.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Sun 10:30am-3:30pm, Mon 10am-2pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families, Live Performance & Music
Free Entry

Sands Family Circus – Afternoon Sessions

Sands Family Circus brings acrobatics, balance, humour and plenty of circus fun for kids and grown-ups alike.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat 1pm-2:30pm & Sun 1pm-2pm
Parliament House Gardens
Kids & Families, Live Performance & Music
Paid Ticket
Take Part

Kumundar Teenage Puzzle Challenge

Take on the Kumundar Teenage Puzzle Challenge, a hands-on workshop inspired by traditional Japanese carpentry. Teenagers will put their problem-solving skills to the test using wooden components, mallets and wedges, exploring the ingenuity of traditional Japanese woodcraft. Tickets: $10 | Ages: 13–16 Supported by the Hobart-Yaizu Sister City Committee and Dobson Mitchell Allport.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Mon 1pm-2:30pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
MORE INFO + BOOK
Free Entry
Take Part

Circus Workshop

Have a go at juggling, balance and circus skills in fun, hands-on workshops designed for young performers of all abilities.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sat & Sun 3pm-5pm, Mon 12:30pm-3pm
Parliament House Gardens
Hands-On Activities, Kids & Families
Free Entry
Watch

My First Boat Parade

Cheer on the young boatbuilders of My First Boat as they parade their newly built rowing boats from Parliament House Gardens to Constitution Dock, ready for their big launch.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Sun 9:45am-10am
Parliament House Gardens
Ceremonies, Parades & Launches, Kids & Families
Free Entry

Sands Family Circus – Morning Session

Sands Family Circus brings acrobatics, balance, humour and plenty of circus fun for kids and grown-ups alike.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Mon 10:30am-11:30am
Parliament House Gardens
Kids & Families, Live Performance & Music
Free Entry

Taiko Drummers

Feel the power and rhythm of taiko as the drummers bring bold movement, thunderous beats and high-energy performance to the festival.
The Old Woolstore
Little Sailors Village
Mon 11:30am-12:30pm
Parliament House Gardens
Kids & Families, Live Performance & Music