Material relating to the Halvorsen family
Date1992
Object numberANMS0126
NameArchive series
MediumPaper
ClassificationsEphemera
Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Louis D'Alpuget
DescriptionThis archive series numbered [001] - [006] consists of material collected by yachting journalist Mr Lou d'Alpuget relating to the Halvorsen family. It includes biographical notes, a story, leaflet, map, newspaper clipping and resume.
Norwegian boatbuilder, Lars Halvorsen, arrived in Australia in 1924 and eventually become a leading figure in Sydney and Australian yachting. In a period of 70 years the Halvorsen family (father Lars and sons Bjarne, Trygve, Harold, Magnus and Carl) designed and built a large range of pleasure craft and small naval vessels. As joint owners and skippers they won the Sydney to Hobart race five times, as well as competing in and winning a number of international events. The Halvorsen family built Australia's first America's Cup challenger GRETEL for the 1962 challenge.HistoryMr Lou d'Alpuget (1915-2006) was a notable yachting writer and broadcaster whose career in journalism and writing spanned almost 71 years. He sailed skiffs at aged 12, by 17 was a Bondi lifesaver and by 18 a championship surfboat rower. He also excelled at wrestling, water polo, boxing and blue-water yachting. In 1935 he began writing yachting articles for the Sunday Sun newspaper while studying chemical engineering.
During World War II he served in the Australian Armed Services, initially in the army until he transferred to the navy and skippered an anti-submarine boat TOPSY patrolling the Pacific. At the end of the war d'Alpuget's front page coverage of the inaugural Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in The Daily Telegraph diverted a war weary population. He sailed in the race four times and continued to cover the race for decades. D'Alpuget reported on international ocean racing including Australia's first America's Cup campaign with GRETEL in 1962 and the Admiral's Cup.
D'Alpuget obtained an exclusive interview with Sir Francis Chichester in Bass Strait in 1966 by approaching GIPSY MOTH IV in a fishing trawler and launching a dinghy to deliver a bag of onions and a bottle of whiskey. His first book 'Let's Go Sailing' was published in 1960. This was followed by regular newspaper columns and the publication of 'Yachting in Australia' in 1980.
D'Alpuget's books Include 'Sydney's Beaches' (1951), 'Let's Go Sailing' (1952), 'Successful Sailing' (1970 1972, 1973, 1974, 1981), 'Learn To Sail' (1989), 'Yachting In Australia' (1980, 1988), joint authorship (with Bob Ross) of 'Boating For Beginners' (1974), and contributing authorship of 'Complete Book Of Boating' (1972). He also wrote for many newspapers and magazines, including The Daily Telegraph, The Referee, The Sunday Telegraph, Pix, People, Sporting Life, The Sun, Modern Boating, Australian Sailing and Australian Yachting.
