It seems probable that man's first means of water transport, other than an unadulterated tree trunk, was a raft - either of reed or logs. It is likely that this form of transport was in use 40,000 years ago, when man first went to Australia.

This raft is obviously more sophisticated, requiring the use of elementary tools, than those first rafts. But the steps required to achieve this were short compared with the great stride of embarkation.

Used today, but only just, for fishing and for transport generally along the rivers of the North Australian coast it is also likely, if evolution elsewhere is to be a guide, that at one time much larger rafts than this were made.

The Government of Western Australia presented this boat to the Museum to record the 150th anniversary of the founding of the state of Western Australia.

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Unknown

Fishing

Raft

Unknown

Australia

West

Length
13 ft 1 in

Width
4 ft 2 in