POLLYANNA about to be relaunched after its rebuiding in 2008

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Pollyanna

Vessel numberHV000270

Vessel Registration Number2303

Official Number191190

Designer Lars Halvorsen Sons Pty Ltd (1924 -)

Previous owner Lawson Bros

Builder Lars Halvorsen Sons Pty Ltd (1924 -)

Date1946

DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 18.29 m x 18.29 m x 4.57 m x 1.4 m, 29.53 tonnes (60 ft x 60 ft x 15 ft x 4.6 ft, 30 tons)

DescriptionPOLLYANNA was launched in late 1946 and called SYLPH V by its original owners, four brothers of the Lawson family from Sydney's eastern suburbs. It is understood the keel was laid in 1939, but work was halted after the outbreak of World War II later that year. Work recommenced after the war's end. The vessel was yard number 748 and was one of the first post-war Halvorsen's built with luxury in mind after years spent building craft for the armed services.

The motor cruiser's raised-deck hull carries one of Halvorsen's trademark configurations, a bridge deck just aft of the forward cabin, opening to a deck over the aft saloon. The motor cruiser was moored in Sydney until 1958 when new owner Roland Smith took it to Western Australia and renamed it POLLYANNA. It replaced two earlier craft he had owned which had used the same name.

From the 1950s POLLYANNA became a regular sight at Rottnest Island, a hugely popular recreation destination for the Perth and Fremantle public. Roland Smith was on the management board at Rottnest Island, and helped open up many bays for recreational vessels by installing moorings. He was also instrumental in establishing channel markers into the bays on the island, ensuring the environment could be visited in a controlled and safe manner. Smith's contribution is recognised with a commemorative bronze bust on the island.

Roland Smith belonged to Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club for many years, and POLLYANNA acted as committee boat for major club events. When Roland Smith died in 1972 it passed to his son, Roland Antony Smith. POLLYANNA was sold by the Smith's in 1999 to another prominent Perth citizen Maurice Brockwell, and in 2005 it changed ownership again. Since 2007 it has undergone a major restoration, including new deck planking and other significant repairs to hull and superstructure.

The POLLYANNA name is a source of confusion as it has been shared amongst a number of vessels. The original POLLYANNA which was owned by the Sydney based Strelitz family was built in Hamburg. This craft was later sold to Roland Smith in Western Australia and it kept the name POLLYANNA while Strelitz ordered a new Halvorsen launch called POLLYANNA II. This was also sold to WA in 1938 where it was renamed AVONITA. Meanwhile Roland Smith suffered the misfortune of losing the original POLLYANNA in a fire on the Swan River. He then purchased a launch called RUBITA which he renamed POLLYANNA. When he sold this in 1958 it was renamed GRANTALA and the name POLLYANNA was passed onto Smith's new motor cruiser, formerly called SYLPH V.
SignificancePOLLYANNA is an 18.29 metre (60 feet) bridge-deck motor cruiser built by Lars Halvorsen Son's yard in Ryde, Sydney just after World War II. It has spent most of its life in Perth, Fremantle and Rottnest Island in Western Australia where it was well known through its high profile owner, Roland Smith, who spent many years overseeing improvements in public access to Rottnest Island.