Format: Boat

Linked To

Person

Family

Photograph

Boat (63)

Audio

Boat (10)

People & Family

Boat (8)

Oral History

Boat (8)

Oral History Transcript

Boat (8)

Video

Boat (2)

Article & Manuscript

Boat

Personal Stories

Boat

Recollections

Add

no stories yet

Tools

Download Add to My Collection Contact us about this Citation for this item

HERITAGE NOOSA

Jannett

ABOUT THIS ITEM

Additional InformationThe Jannett is believed to be the oldest surviving Norman R. Wright vessel and one of the earliest motor‑powered boats to operate on the Noosa River. At 20 feet in length and designed as a shoal‑draft pleasure and fishing boat, she remains a remarkably intact example of early 20th‑century Queensland boatbuilding craftsmanship. Apart from a short period on Moreton Bay, The Jannett has spent virtually her entire life on the Noosa River.

Historical Overview
Early Ownership (c. 1911)
Commissioned by Colonel David Elder Reid, manager of the Gympie Scottish Gold Mine, the vessel was named after his wife, Jannett. Reid moved to Gympie Terrace, Noosaville around 1902, and soon after commissioned the boat. As one of the first motorboats on the Noosa River, The Jannett became a familiar sight during an important period of early settlement and recreation in the district.

Design and Construction
Designed by Norman R. Wright, founder of Brisbane’s respected boatbuilding firm, The Jannett was built as a small pleasure and fishing craft suitable for the shallow waters of the Noosa River.

Key Specifications:

Type: Pleasure Boat
Designer: Norman R. Wright
Length: 20 ft
Propulsion: Motor (multiple engines over its lifetime)
Speed: Approx. 6 knots
Construction: Traditional carvel‑planked timber hull

Her shoal draft made her ideal for navigating the sandy, winding channels of the Noosa River system.

Ownership Timeline
Reid Family → Parkyn Bros (1931)
In 1931, The Jannett was purchased by John (Jack) Parkyn for the Parkyn Bros fleet. The Parkyns ran river tours, boat hire, and river services before and after WWII, and the vessel became part of Noosa’s early commercial boating scene.
Parkyn Family → William Hooper
Sold to William Hooper, former Head Teacher of Tewantin State School, who used her for personal river activities.
Hooper → Buchanan & Bowden
Later owners Alan Buchanan and Bernie Bowden, both local fishermen, continued to operate the vessel on the river.
Buchanan & Bowden → Max Walker (1952)
In 1952, Max Walker purchased the vessel in poor condition, beginning the longest and most significant custodial period in the boat’s life.

Major restoration and modifications were carried out by the Walker Family during the 1950s–1960s. This included a structural rebuild with Max Walker carrying out extensive work, including:

new bottom planking
new deck
new ribs, knees, and floors
new sole
copper sheathing
general hull and frame repairs

Greg Walker can recall many engines that powered the Jannett including -

Jowat Javelin car engine (short‑lived)
10–12 hp Simplex engine (installed by Mark Horeton)
Several other engines over time — “a dozen or so” according to Howard Parkyn
Original engine believed to be a 3.5 hp direct‑drive diesel
A seized Dodge straight‑six present when Walker acquired the boat

Life in the water - Before the 1970s
During this time, The Jannett was the Walker family’s beloved weekender, especially in the quiet freshwater stretches upstream of Lake Cootharaba.
1970s saw the Jannett move to Bald Hills Creek behind the Walker family home in Brisbane. Here, Greg Walker carried out additional restoration and fitted an 8 hp Yanmar single‑cylinder diesel engine. This upgrade made it possible to use The Jannett on Moreton Bay, before she eventually made her way back home to Noosa.
1980s saw further re‑engineering with Greg later replacing the engine with a new Yanmar twin‑cylinder diesel. The original single‑cylinder Yanmar went on to enjoy a second life powering a shearing shed. With more hull and structural maintenance completed, The Jannett became a dependable vessel for family holidays exploring deep into the Upper Noosa River.

A major overhaul was carried out around 2010. The Jannett underwent a comprehensive two‑year restoration:

removal of all copper sheathing
full hull dry‑out
complete epoxy sheathing of the hull
new deck timber
new sole
rebuilt engine box
new interior fit‑out
new mast
updated shafting and engineering
replacement Yanmar twin diesel of the same model

These works secured the vessel’s long‑term survival.

Today (2026), The Jannett remains in the hands of the Walker family, who have cared for her for more than seventy years. With the exception of a brief interlude on Moreton Bay, she has spent her entire life on the Noosa River, where she continues to be actively maintained and enjoyed. She is not simply a relic, but a working, living link to Noosa’s early boating heritage.

Photograph

'Jannett' moored, Dolphin Crescent, Noosaville, 1991

'Jannett', Noosa River, 1980s

'Jannett', Noosa River, Noosaville, December 2023

'Jannett', Noosa River, October 1981

'Jannett', Noosa River, ca 1920s

'Jannett', Noosa River, ca 1980s

'Neptune' and 'Jannett', Noosa River, Noosaville, ca 1980s

Anchored, 'Jannett', Noosa River, October 1981

Anchored, 'Jannett', Weyba Creek, ca 1980s

Anne Webber, 1995

Bill Reid and John Cole (l-r), Cooroy, 7 June 1995

Bill Reid, Cooroy, 7 June 1995

Boat name plate, 'Jannett', Noosa Heads, ca 1980s

Boat plans, 'Jannett', Brisbane, ca 1911

Boating Party, Tewantin, 1939

Boating adventures, Walker Family, Noosa River, October 1981

Audio

Bill Reid Oral History - Audio

Bill Wright Oral History - Audio

Colin Monks Oral History - Audio

Greg Walker Oral History - Audio

Greg Walker Oral History - Audio - 2025

Harry Spring Oral History - Audio

Howard Parkyn Oral History - Audio

Len Ely Oral History - Audio

Lynnette Cameron Oral History - Audio

Margaret Walker Oral History - Audio

People & Family

Bill Reid

Bill Wright

David Elder Reid

Howard Parkyn

Len Ely

Lynnette Cameron

Margaret Walker

Walker Family

Oral History

Bill Reid Oral History

Bill Wright Oral History

Colin Monks Oral History

Greg Walker Oral History - Sailing & Surfing

Howard Parkyn Oral History

Len Ely Oral History

Lynnette Cameron Oral History

Margaret Walker Oral History

Oral History Transcript

Bill Reid Oral History - Transcript

Bill Wright Oral History - Transcript

Colin Monks Oral History - Transcript

Greg Walker Oral History - Transcript

Howard Parkyn Oral History - Transcript

Len Ely Oral History - Transcript

Lynnette Cameron Oral History - Transcript

Margaret Walker Oral History - Transcript

Video

'Jannett', Noosa River, Noosaville, December 2023

Lynnette Cameron Oral History - Video

Article & Manuscript

A brief history of boats on the Noosa River

Personal Stories

My link with Tewantin

IDENTIFIERS

Subject (Keywords)Boats

CONNECTIONS

PersonGreg WalkerWilliam HooperDavid Elder ReidFamilyWalker FamilyParkyn FamilyMenuLocation | Noosaville