Due to bad weather and Covid lockdowns Yamba Museum visitor numbers had been suffering. 

As a result of her involvement with the recent exhibition “Remarkable – Stories of Australians and their Boats”, local resident Kay Cottee agreed to support the Museum in attracting the public by donating her time giving two fundraiser ‘talks’ about her famous solo sail around the world. Two lucky guests also won signed copies of her first book, generously donated by Kay. 

Using video footage and photos taken by herself during her voyage, Kay described her harrowing journey which earned her world wide respect. There were no satellite navigation systems or satellite phones back in the day. Kay navigated with her trusty sextant! 

Australia’s history is populated with maritime related stories. With over 1,000 rivers and a coast that stretches for more than 36,000 kilometres, it is no surprise that Australia abounds with stories of people who have lived and worked on the water. The ‘Remarkable’ exhibition at Yamba Museum presented some of those stories as part of a national project by the Australian National Maritime Museum, exploring the remarkable connections between people and their boats. Part of this exhibition will be kept and installed into a new long-term display.

Gai Pritchett