Animation and Visualisation Research Group (AVRG)

Modelling of a Torres Strait Canoe

Berwick School of IT/ School of Geography & Environmental Science
Coordinators/Advisors: SGES Ian McNiven, (BSIT) Tom Chandler
Research Assistants/Modellers/Animators: Michael Lim

Torres Strait Islanders of NE Australia are marine specialists and sea travel is central to their existence. In the 19th century sea travel was by huge double outrigger dugout sailing canoes up to 21m in length. While a number of museums around the world have example of these carvings, not one example of these canoes exists today. To gain understanding and appreciation of the magnificence of these canoes, Monash University has taken archival records to create a 3D virtual Torres Strait canoe. The process of virtual reconstruction involves taking copies of old drawings, photographs and museum carvings to assemble a generic Torres Strait Islander canoe. The second phase of reconstruction will be to modify the generic canoe to create distinctively decorated canoes known for different Islander communities.

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