WHEN AN Aussie entrepreneur with the business credentials of Dick Smith attends your launch, you know you’re probably on to a winner.
The high-profile aviator, philanthropist and conservationist was on hand in Hobart for a company he described as pioneering the future of Tasmania’s tourism.
On Board is a family-owned and operated business that has been running charters and cruises since 1998.
Their latest luxury expedition vessel, Odalisque III, is a stylish 24-metre, three-deck catamaran catering for just 12 guests.
The vessel and touring experience have been designed to create a very low environmental impact, avoiding the requirement for a land-based footprint.
From the tinted windows, reducing the reliance on air conditioning, to the large lithium-ion battery bank to minimise the use of generators, sustainability has been at the centre of Odalisque III’s design.
Today shows what those of us in the Tasmanian tourism industry really can do to care for and share our precious place in a responsible way for future generations, said Pieter van der Woude, On Board’s founder and skipper.
We want not only to showcase our incredible environment to guests but inspire and excite them to conserve the wild places that we love and be absolutely sure that in 40 years’ time, when I am long gone, On Board will still be able to share the same wilderness with our guests.
The first guests aboard will enjoy On Board’s signature five-day Port Davey expedition sailing, which explores the wild rivers and coastlines of Port Davey, Bathurst Harbour and Melaleuca.
Guests will soon be able to fly direct from Hobart’s waterfront to the vessel’s exclusive mooring via the company’s new Cessna Caravan seaplane, operated in partnership with Above & Beyond.
On Board’s Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour expeditions run between January and May, and East Coast Expeditions run from June to November. Private charters are also available.
Craig Webb releasing an eagle at the Raptor Refuge
