Australian Matt Dyason has made an award-winning model of
Queenstown's own TSS Earnslaw, the vintage steam ship on
which he and wife Vivien travelled during their honeymoon
in 1975. Photo supplied.
An Australian man's first attempt at woodwork,
re-creating the TSS
Earnslaw on which he and his wife
honeymooned almost 40 years ago, has won three prizes in a
woodwork competition in Queensland.
Matt Dyason, of Currajah, was inspired to hand-carve his
impressive replica of "the Lady of the Lake" after he and
wife Vivien took a trip down memory lane to Queenstown and a
cruise on the Earnslaw last year, decades after their
honeymoon cruise in 1975.
Mr Dyason said he decided to build the 1.50 scale model to
commemorate the centenary of the ship this year.
"It is an exact replica, designed from the blueprints, and
the entire project took 400 hours. I gained a lot of
satisfaction as it slowly took shape over almost a year.
"The solid red cedar model is radio-controlled. As I put in
radio control I did not have enough room for two motors and
screws, so made one engine with a slightly larger prop using
brass and copper fittings.
"She sits exactly on her water line and does her scale speed
and handles very much like the real Earnslaw."
Mr Dyason entered the model in the novice woodcarving section
of the Innisfail and District Annual Show in May. He won not
only the novice category, but also Champion of Show for
Woodcarving and Grand Champion of Show for Woodwork.
The couple said they were looking forward to participating in
the centenary celebrations from October 14-22.
"We are busy with our centenary dress preparations and are
booked on the re-enactment cruise from Kingston to Queenstown
on her official birthday on October 18, as well as the
Glenorchy return trip, and the woolshed dance trip to Mt
Nicholas Station," Mrs Dyason said.
"Matt can't wait to see the Lady of the Lake after her winter
refit and refurbishment for her birthday celebrations. It
sounds magic and I look forward to making a close inspection
of her."
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