Help raise $50,000 for a Guide Dog puppy
During 2025, a fleet of 7 wooden boats – built in Sorrento - is circumnavigating the Australian coastline in a clockwise direction, enjoying the splendour of what our amazing country has to offer.
During this journey Southern Rock is raising funds for Guide Dogs Victoria to help sponsor a new Guide Dog puppy "Rocko".
It takes over $50,000 to raise, train and match a Guide Dog.
Please help Southern Rock fundraise as she journeys from Victoria, circumnavigating Tasmania, SA, WA, NT and QLD coastlines.
Every donation helps reach the target for “Rocko”.
Southern Rock
Southern Rock is a Deal Island 50, a modern Downeaster lobster style classic. Developed in conjunction with Tim Phillips from the Wooden Boat Shop, she is a culmination of a lifetime of experience in cruising, representing the best of the best in wooden boats, and is a testament to years spent journeying around the Australian coastline. She is fast, sustainable, practical, easy to handle, safe, comfortable, luxurious & classic in every way.
Jonathan and Richard are passionate custodians of Southern Rock. Since an early age, they have emersed themselves in anything involving the ocean – including sailing, scuba diving, sea scouts, fishing and water skiing. As the years passed – so their passion has grown, and so to the journeys they have been on up and down the east coast of Australia in wooden boats.
The Journey
The fleet departed from Melbourne in late January – and travelled via the iconic Furneaux Islands – and the East Coast of Tasmania – arriving for Australian Wooden Boat Festival – held in Hobart, Tasmania between 7-10th February 2025.
The journey around Australia is broken up into legs, and the fleet will intermittently leave their boats at designated ports around the coast. The schedule is planned to work in with the prevailing Australian wind patterns. That is to catch the last summer south easterlies across the bottom of Australia, then proceed up the WA coast before the south westerlies take hold, and to get across the Gulf of Carpentaria at the beginning of the Queensland north easterly season. Each leg will be a brand-new adventure designed to explore each iconic destination.
The Journey’s estimated timing
10 Feb – 20 Feb: Hobart to Port Lincoln (10 days)
6 Mar – 1 Apr: Port Lincoln to Fremantle (4 weeks)
16 Apr – 14 May: Freo to Broome (4 weeks)
11 Jun – 16 Jul: Broome to Darwin (5 weeks)
29 Sep – 27 Oct: Darwin to Airlie Beach (4 weeks)
10 Nov – TBC: Airlie to Melbourne (3 week)
Interested in following their journey?
Follow @woodenboatshop
Support Southern Rock's fundraiser for Guide Dogs Victoria!
