Ken Warby, John Goss and Hans Tholstrup at Blowering Dam

Photographer David Watson (deceased)

Date1978

Object numberANMS0532[039]

NameNegative

ClassificationsPhotographs

Credit LineANMM Collection Gift from Tumut and Adelong Times

Terms

DescriptionKen Warby standing with SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA at Blowering Dam. With Warby to his left is the Danish adventurer Hans Tholstrup and on his right is racing car driver John Goss. Tholstrup had recently set his own record with Australian adventurer Dick Smith. Smith and Tholstrup on 17 March 1978 had driven a modified car across Rose Bay in Sydney at 59 km/hr. By doing so the pair had had claimed the world speed record for a car-boat.HistorySPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA is an Australian designed and built jet-powered, wooden, 3-point hydroplane that has held the world water-speed record since 1977. Breaking both the 300 mph and 500 km/h barriers, SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA raised the world record to 511kph in 1978 at Blowering Dam near Tumut NSW. Ken Warby, SPIRIT OF AUSTRALIA's designer, builder and driver, achieved his world water-speed records on a shoestring budget. Warby built his hydroplane over two years in the backyard of his suburban Sydney home, using stringers, brackets, stock bits of timber, plywood, screws, epoxy and a military-surplus jet engine that cost $65. He eventually launched the boat in 1974.SignificanceWarby had defied critics by setting a new world water speed record in 1977 but he still wanted to break the 300 mile/hr barrier. After his first success Warby found more sponsors, media coverage, public attention and spectators were on board for this second occasion.