The Ship That Never Was

The Ship That Never Was

The Ship That Never Was
5
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Monday
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Friday
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
About
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • LHWIndiana
    353 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fun, Unexpected Find
    This was such a fun event! I was visiting from the U.S. and did not know anything about the play until I was there and saw it advertised. It's very affordable and in a small venue, so there is no bad seat. The audience participation makes it hilarious and everyone seemed to be having a great time. I highly recommend the show for anyone!
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 20 February 2024
  • Maynooth
    Perth, Australia47 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A great show, and if you're not careful you'll learn a bit of history.
    The play is a hoot, but it is also full of true facts. It is a lot of audience participation and the entire audience gets involved. The ship that never was, really was a ship and the story is fascinating. Highly recommended.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 28 February 2024
  • Bill D
    Adelaide, Australia37 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Ab Must See Event.
    My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed the play. At $25 ($20 for Pensioners) it was great value for money. No wonder it has been going continually for 30 years. Very funny, informative and clever. Two women played the main roles with the help of audience participation. They were both amazing and very professional. Would definitely recommend this to anyone. A must see event.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 1 March 2024
  • Alby_Bes
    Hobart, Australia24 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    A must while in Strahan
    If you are staying a night in Strahan make sure you see this before your (previously booked) dinner. A lot of fun, very talented actors, audience engagement and participation made for a great night for all. Well done to the crew!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 9 March 2024
  • Sue M
    Hawkhurst, United Kingdom17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Brilliant way to spend an evening
    Such a fantastic way to spend an evening. So funny and we really enjoyed the show. Thank you Kiah and your fellow actor. Not forgetting the audience that participated. Haven’t laughed so much in a long time.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 March 2024
  • Sharren R
    Central Coast, Australia31 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    What a show 🏆🥇🏆
    What a show. After a day spent on the Gordon River, this show topped off our day. The actors, the story line, the audience participation, the affordable price. So many laughs but hey buy a ticket to know more. Family friendly.
    Visited February 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 18 March 2024
  • Deb C
    212 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Not to be missed
    This is a must, the longest running theatre production in Australia. True value for money, runs September thru to May, audience participation is not essential but highly encouraged by the volunteer actors. This is a hilarious telling of how a handful of convicts escaped Sarah Island. The night we were there our fellow audience members joined in the fun. Mum & I haven’t laughed so much in ages. Books are highly recommended.
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 22 March 2024
  • Elaine d
    1 contribution
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a must see! Kiah Davey is a fantastic performer!
    We had the absolute privilege of attending this performance. The casual, comfortable, open air venue is sheltered but be sure to bring layers, it can get cool. You may also get slightly sprinkled with water from audience participation...fun times and it's family friendly! If you take the Gordon River cruise/Sarah Island tour first, it will give you a much better understanding of the events unfolding during the play. Kiah Davey is the lead actor, she is beyond brilliant and hilarious! Bravo, well done!!! It was worth the trip from Canada, thank you!!!
    Visited March 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 25 March 2024
  • Soraia
    Rotterdam, The Netherlands2,732 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Unexpectedly fantastic historic comedy
    Do you like to have a good laugh? The. This is the place to go. We laughed so much. It’s a great way to learn about the history. It’s very interactive. Don’t want to spoil too much, just go and enjoy yourself. Make sure to reserve your spot and bring some snacks.
    Visited January 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 7 April 2024
  • the_stoddarts
    Sydney, Australia2,390 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Amazing, so entertaining and a fabulous time … book it
    What a fantastic night. We had no idea what to expect but a show that is Australia’s longest-running play, must have something going for it!! It is funny, interesting and the energy of the whole cast is palpable. Kiah Davey is amazing; how does she do it night after night. We were also lucky enough to have Kiah as the guide on our Sarah Island tour. Fabulous knowledge. We suggest that you take the Gordon River cruise/Sarah Island tour first to understand the background of the story. The theatre is covered but open to the elements; thanks to the thoughtfully provided blankets, we were fine. Members of the public are invited to join it, so be prepared. My husband was ‘called up’ 😉
    Visited April 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 11 June 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles1,170 reviews
Excellent
1,063
Very good
91
Average
10
Poor
2
Terrible
4

jasonedwards3
10 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Couples
One word....FANTASTIC!!!
Recommended to us from a previous customer. Don't want to give too much away and spoil the many laughs and surprises to future customers however if you can, go and check this out, you will understand why it has been running for many years. The main narrator was Brilliant!!! and improvised on many occasions creating many laughs between the different ages of the audience everyone feeling inclusive. Her assistant was also very funny and they worked together in complete harmony. The props were a very well thought out surprise. The first show became booked out quickly but they took our number and called us to say another show would be available on the same day due to the number of guests. But we think this could also be because the cast are extremely proud to share this amazing story writing. The author of this story would also be very proud it is in good hands. Strahan surprised us with this experience (and many others)
Written 23 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Karen A
Launceston, Australia203 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2025 • Family
This was brilliant. From the moment we walked into the theatre to the moment we left, we were entertained by the very best story tellers. Audience participation made this evening hilarious. Never laughed out loud so much. Well done to everyone involved, it’s the very best production I’ve seen. Loved every minute.
Written 30 January 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Rowan H
Cairns, Australia1,719 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2022
This is a 1 and a quarter hour play that has been occurring daily in Strahan at 1730 for 28 years. The storyline actually complements the boat tours (Gordon river cruises and/or Wild wilderness cruises) that visit Sarah island and tells the story of a group of convicts who escaped the island by steeling a ship they were building.

The play is very funny and well thought out.

Two tips
* It does involve audience participation so if this isn't for you maybe hide in the corners.
* The tickets often sell out a day in advance so consider purchasing them the day before. Its 25 dollars for adults and I believe it was 2.50 for children.
Written 5 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

scott712016
Hobart, Australia153 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2023 • Couples
We went to see this play after one of the actors (our tour guide on Sarah Island) recommended it. It was a cold night but there was warm drinks, blankets and hot water bottles available. The performance was great. I hate being picked out of the crowd so it was not really a surprise when I was the first person picked but had the easy job of staying seated in my chair and being lightheartedly booed at every so often. What a fun night, I will be recommending this to anyone going to Strahan.
Written 26 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Doonbye
Ledbury, UK105 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Friends
We booked this after taking one of the boat trips as it came highly recommended. It didn't disappoint with amazing actors telling true stories and bringing the whole audience in really brought it to life. Fantastic set and interaction with those attending really made it an unforgettable experience.
Written 11 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mutiny
Sydney, Australia2,641 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2023 • Family
We met Kiah on the World Heritage cruise as our guide on Sarah Island and she was brilliant there! Little did we know that we’d meet her again that night at “The Ship that Never Was” and she was more brilliant there! This play means so much to her personally and it shines through. This rollicking tale with audience participation is one of best theatrical performances we have seen in a long, long time and such a great conclusion to the Sarah Island history. Both our daughters were selected to participate as a parrot and popping bags as gunfire. Watching the boat get built as dismantled through the story was fantastic. A must do experience when in Strahan.
Written 3 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sharon W
23 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Friends
After cruising the Gordon River and hearing about the convict settlement on Sarah Island, this was the perfect way to end our day. This two person show with lots of interactive audience participation provided us with 1 1/2 hours of non stop fun and laughter while learning about The Ship that Never Was! The young actors were brilliant and the set was so very clever.
Written 24 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lindsay A
Brisbane, Australia128 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2021
When we arrived in Strahan, I asked the woman at the Big 4 Caravan Park, what she recommended we do other than the cruise. Without hesitation, she recommended the play, The Ship That Never Was. She said it's funny and I've been twice, it's worth a visit. On her recommendation we booked tickets for the next evening after our cruise.

It was one of the best experiences we had in Tasmania. We arrived about 5.15pm, paid for our tickets, took a blanket and found a seat. It was less than 10C with a cool breeze blowing, so the blanket was sure worth it.

The play tells the story of the last convict boat built by prisoners on Sarah Island, the same island we had visited earlier in the day on the cruise. Maggie our tour guise on Sarah island was one of the Round Earth crew that presents the play, so she gave us the setup for the play and it was a great way to understand the story.

There were two actors and they were supplemented by the audience, so much fun! Both adults and kids got to take on roles and everyone loved it. The actors are sharp, quick to ad lib or crack a joke and they kept it rolling along at a rapid pace. The whole thing runs for about an hour and it went so quick. It cost $25 for an adult or $20 concession, a bargain.

There is not a whole lot else to do in Strahan, so make sure you see this show.
Written 5 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

SimmoAdelaide
Adelaide244 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Couples
I was somewhat hesitant about attending this play; How wrong could I be. The production was as good as anything you would see in the major theatres across Australia. The staging was clever, being set up durng the early parts of the play. The actors were talented, funny, engaging and very witty. The one liners were current and engaging. The audience participation made for a very funny and fast moving show. As well as all that it is a true and amazing story! DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW!
Written 19 November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

M D
Sydney, Australia156 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2024 • Family
I was dubious about going to this, but the reviews were positive and it was hard to book in. We had to wait for the following night when they put on an extra show due to popular demand.
The show was very entertaining, funny, and taught us some new history. One of my sons volunteered for a part in the show and this was wonderful for his emerging confidence as a creative person. The lead actor/organiser is also the daughter of the play’s author, so that personal attachment shone through. I read the “terrible” reviews before writing this and learnt that the show had been videoed when they visited, but it is now a live, interactive production. If you’re going to Strahan, be sure to book ahead.
Written 16 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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The Ship That Never Was - All You MUST Know Before You Go (2025)

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