Crawley Edge Boatshed facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crawley Edge Boatshed |
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The Boatshed in 2008
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| General information | |
| Status | Constructed |
| Location | Crawley |
| Town or city | Perth |
| Country | Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°58′24.7″S 115°49′35.6″E / 31.973528°S 115.826556°E |
| Construction started | 1930s |
| Owner | Nattrass family |
The Crawley Edge Boatshed, often called the Blue Boat House, is a famous little building on the Swan River in Crawley, Perth. It's a well-known landmark that was built in the 1930s. Since the 1940s, it has mostly been owned by the Nattrass family.
Contents
History of the Blue Boat House
How the Boatshed Began
The boatshed was first built in the 1930s. The Nattrass family first got it in 1944. Roland and Joyce Nattrass bought the land behind the boatshed for their family home. The real estate agent said they had to buy the boatshed too, for just five extra pounds.
Changes Over the Years
In 1972, Roland Nattrass gave the boatshed to Ron Armstrong. He was a supporter of the Perth Sea Scouts. A slightly bigger boatshed was then built around the original one. In the 1990s, the boatshed was owned by Barry Kollman, a sailor from the Royal Perth Yacht Club.
A New Look for the Boatshed
In 2001, the boatshed was sold again. It was bought by Peter Nattrass, who was Roland Nattrass's son. Peter was also the Lord Mayor of Perth at that time. The boatshed was in very bad condition. It was so run down that there were talks about taking it down.
So, the Nattrass family decided to rebuild it. A family friend, Julie Bishop, who was a local politician, suggested painting it a bright blue. On February 6, 2004, the newly fixed boatshed was officially opened again. Famous Perth sailors Jon Sanders and David Dicks were there.
The boatshed also got another update in late 2015. Its outside was repainted, and the old wooden jetty was replaced. The new jetty has strong steel poles.
The Blue Boat House as a Tourist Spot
A Famous Australian Landmark
In the 21st century, the boatshed has become a very popular spot in Australia. It's a big attraction for tourists, especially those visiting Perth from Asia. By June 2019, the hashtag #blueboathouse had thousands of posts on Instagram.
A CNN article in June 2019 said the boatshed was the most photographed tourist spot in Perth. It was even more popular than Elizabeth Quay, Cathedral Square, and the Bell Tower. Another article from The Conversation said it was Perth's second-most popular place for tourist selfies. They also said that social media attention for the boatshed was helping Perth get global attention worth millions of dollars.
Why Tourists Love It
Tom Nattrass, from the family that owns the boatshed, said that pictures of it have been used in ads for Singapore Airlines and Qantas. They have also appeared in Japanese advertisements.
In March 2019, a group of tourists were waiting in line to take selfies at the boatshed. A woman from Singapore told The West Australian newspaper, "Everyone from Singapore that visits Perth gets a photo here, it's all over social media." A visitor from Thailand told ABC News in June 2019 that young couples from her country travel to the boatshed for pre-wedding photo shoots. Another visitor from Malaysia said she came to Perth just to take a photo with the boatshed.
New Facilities for Visitors
Because so many people visit the boatshed, the nearby Eliza statue, and the Old Swan Brewery, the City of Perth decided to help. At a meeting on May 28, 2019, the City Commissioners agreed to spend AUD 400,000. This money was for a new solar-powered toilet at Quarry Point, located between the boatshed and the brewery. The toilet was planned to be finished by August 2019.
A Special Tribute
In mid-July 2019, the boatshed was temporarily covered in red plastic. This was a tribute to the Manchester United football team, who were visiting Perth for two friendly games. On July 14, 2019, three players from the team, Tahith Chong, Axel Tuanzebe, and Joel Pereira, visited the red-wrapped boatshed and took photos there.
See also
In Spanish: Crawley Edge Boatshed para niños
