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Aussie yacht navigator adrienne cahalan set to make rolex sydney hobart history when she joins forces with the old enemy.

Big rule change to this year's Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Record-setting sailor Adrienne Cahalan has joined forces with one of the fancied overseas boats in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race .

Cahalan, who will become the first female to do the race 30 times, will be aboard British boat Sunrise, which has scored high overall placings in most of the world’s other major offshore races.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Big rule change to this year’s Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

In 2021, Sunrise was the overall winner of the 2021 Fastnet and was second in the Middle Sea race and earlier this year won her division of the RORC Caribbean 600.

The fleet of 111 includes eight international entries, the first overseas-based boats to contest the race since 2019.

Cahalan is the most successful female sailor in Sydney to Hobart history with six line honours wins and two overall victories.

Five of the line honours victories and both overall wins were aboard supermaxi Wild Oats XI and she was also first across the line on 80-foot Swedish maxi Nicorette.

Sunrise is much shorter than those big boats at 38-foot and will be the smallest Sydney to Hobart entrant Cahalan has sailed on this century.

She has sailed before on other yachts with Sunrise’s boat captain Dave Swete, who is lining up for his seventh Sydney to Hobart.

The other British and New Zealand crew members won’t arrive until about a week before the race, but Cahalan felt their familiarity with the boat would offset their lack of sailing preparation in Sydney.

“I guess they do it all year, flying in and out of races, they don’t worry about it so much,” Cahalan said.

“I’m the local knowledge person, they’ve got a regular navigator, so I’ve got a little different role this year. I’ll be on the deck as well as back-up navigator.

“This race is well suited to having two navigators because it’s very intense and you really don’t have time to go to sleep.”

Not counting the cancelled 2020 race, Cahalan hasn’t missed a Sydney to Hobart since 2007, when she was eight months pregnant.

“I’m very proud of my record in this race and for me I just can’t imagine being on the shore watching the fleet leave without me,” Cahalan said.

When Cahalan made her Sydney to Hobart debut in 1984, she recalled being one of only around five females in the race, while this year there will be more than 100.

“Now it is really becoming more and more hopefully merit-based and people don’t need to ask the question anymore, “ she said.

“It’s all about you just bringing your skills to the table and you are taken for who you are, not whether you’ve got an M or a F after you on your birth certificate.”

How to watch

The Rolex Sydney Hobart will be live and free from 12:30pm AEDT on Boxing Day on 7mate and 7plus .

Sydney 12.30pm on 7mate and 7plus

Melbourne 12.30pm on 7mate and 7plus

Brisbane 11.30am on 7mate and 7plus

Adelaide 12.00pm on 7mate and 7plus

Perth 9.30am on 7mate and 7plus

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: Latest updates and live boat cam coverage

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

• Yacht racing

Showcases one of the sporting calendar's most thrilling moments as the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts on Sydney Harbour with 2023's field of entrants jostling to be first out of the Heads.

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How to watch the 2022 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Sydney is set to sizzle as it hosts the 77th running of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race on Boxing Day.

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The iconic event features 111 vessels , including eight international entrants , and all the action kicks off at 1pm AEDT on December 26.

Where to watch?

There's a live and free broadcast from 12.30pm AEDT on 7mate and 7plus.

There will also be live coverage during the lunch break of the Boxing Day test between Australia and South Africa.

Keep up to date with the progress of the race at:

• Live tracker

International viewers can watch along on the Rolex Sydney to Hobart home page or CYCA TV YouTube channel .

Where to watch in Sydney and Hobart

If you're lucky enough to able to see the action up close and personal in Sydney or Hobart, it's vital to get there early to grab a good vantage spot.

Sydney vantage points - on land

Nielsen Park is one of the most popular spots for onlookers, or for a full dose of race atmosphere grab a spot on North or South Head.

Sydney vantage points - on the water

Join the colourful spectator fleet, which includes craft of all shapes and sizes, from ferries to kayaks and even the odd water taxi.

Spectator craft positioned in the eastern channel can watch the race begin, and then follow the fleet down the harbour to the Heads and out to sea. Once underway the fleet can move fast, so if you want to catch the leaders sail through the Heads, it's advisable to get well down the harbour towards Middle Head before the start. At the Heads keep well clear of the rounding marks.

If you only plan to watch the start and not follow the fleet, then stick to the western side of the harbour, there's great vantage points for spectator boats in nearby bays .

The harbour will be very crowded and traffic can be chaotic so stay alert, follow the advice of race officials and remember to keep well clear of the exclusion zone between 12pm and 2pm.

Action in Hobart

If you're in Hobart from December 27 to January 1, head down to the Hobart Race Village to catch all the action.

Race details

The race commences from start lines off Nielsen Park with boats on the northern line rounding 'Victor Mark' and boats on the southern lines rounding 'X-Ray Mark', at the Heads, and all boats heading out to sea and rounding 'Mark Zulu', one nautical mile east of the Heads.

Larger boats in the fleet will start off the front line, just north of Shark Island. The rest of the fleet will start from the southern lines, 0.2 nautical miles between each.

From the spectacular start in Sydney Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman Sea, down the south-east coast of mainland Australia, across Bass Strait, then down the east coast of Tasmania. At Tasman Island the fleet turns right into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart.

The 628 nautical mile course is often described as the most grueling long ocean race in the world.

First race winner - Rani.

The 2022 overall winner - Ichi Banm, NSW.

Fastest race was in 2017 by supermaxi Comanche (Australia) with a time of 01:09:15:24.

Slowest race was in 1945 with Wayfarer (NSW) with a time of 11:06:20.

Most races by any boat:

• Bacardi - 28 races
• Phillip's Foote Witchdoctor / Sweet Caroline - 27 races
• Ragamuffin / Margaret Rintoul II / Spirit of Koomooloo (50 footer) - 26 races
• Polaris of Belmont- 26 races
• Mark Twain - 26 races
• Impeccable - 25 races
• Brindabella (Jutson 75) - 20 races

Australian Bob Oatley's 100ft Wild Oats XI has won line honours a record nine times (2005-2008, 2010, 2012-2014, and 2018).

2020 was the first time the Sydney to Hobart has been cancelled in the 75 history of the race, with COVID forcing the cancellation .

The 1998 Sydney to Hobart race made global headlines when a hurricane-force storm tore across the fleet. Five boats sank and six people died .

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Nadine Morton

Breaking news journalist at the Illawarra Mercury. Email: [email protected]

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How to watch Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and Boxing Day test match Live

The Rolex Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race ranks alongside the Melbourne Cup and Boxing Day Test Match as one the biggest sporting events on the Australian sporting calendar, and the 2023 edition will be no different.

Here in 2023 there’s a number of yachts jostling for favouritism, so it’s shaping up to be a thrilling race, and you can watch every key moment of this prestigious event as well as other popular Boxing Day sport live from the comfort of your home using the information below.

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

The first Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race, also known as the Bluewater Classic, took place in 1945 and had just nine starters. The winner of the race was Rani, who covered the course in just a tick over six and a half days.

Fast forward to 2005 and Wild Oats Xl took just 42 hours. That number has been even further reduced since – in 2016, Perpetual LOYAL broke the previous record by close to five hours only to have that record beaten by four hours the following year by LDV Comanche, who completed the race in just 33 hours.

Here in 2023 the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, the race organizers, celebrated the admission of 10 foreign yachts—including 18 two-handed entries—into this year’s fleet of 103 vessels on Friday. The ten come from New Zealand, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, and New Caledonia.

When is the the Sydney to Hobart race live on TV today?

An historic agreement between the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) and the Seven Network ensures the famous Boxing Day broadcast of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race will remain an Australian tradition for years to come.

Under the new agreement, channel Seven will remain the exclusive broadcaster of the race start across the country until 2023, which is good news for a peak audience of more than 1.5 million viewers that tuned into last year’s event.

One of the largest fields in the event’s history will take to Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day for the start of the historic 78th edition. Channel Seven’s 2023 coverage of the race will be hosted by Mark Beretta who is a veteran of 32 Sydney Hobart races, and Comanche’s 2017 winning skipper Jimmy Spithill.

To help bring viewers an up close look at the excitement of this iconic moment, Seven will have cameras on-board previous line-honours winners Wild Oats XI and Comanche.

ABC TV will also be following the fleet down the eastern coastal and provide all the in-race update footage that is used by the various Australian and International news networks.

Sydney To Hobart Race Live TV Times

When is the boxing day test live on tv today in australia.

The Summer of Cricket is fully underway and there is nothing quite like the Boxing Day Cricket Match at the MCG. Close to 100,000 people will flock to the iconic sports ground for the first day of one of the great events of Australian sport.

Traditionally Australia have an outstanding record in this game, regardless of the opponent or their form leading-up, but the South African side head into this series in good form and will provide a stern Test for the home team.

How to watch 2023 Boxing Day sport live in Australia

Boxing day is a traditional day for sport in Australia, with the annual Test Match and Sydney to Hobart yacht race leading an exciting all day line-up. While you can watch both of these features on free to air Channel Seven, the majority of the remaining sport fixtures for the day are available exclusively on Foxtel, Foxtel from Telstra and Kayo Sports streaming.

Fortunately, in addition to having live coverage of the key Boxing Day sport, both Foxtel Now and Kayo Sports currently offers new subscribers a free trial.

Foxtel Now’s free trial is good for 10 days, and is available to use with a plethora of devices, while the sports streaming service Kayo’s free trial offering is good for a full 7 days.

Additional Live Boxing Day Sport on Australian TV

Watch live sport online with foxtel now.

One option to watch all the available sport on Boxing Day is with Foxtel or Foxtel Now. The Foxtel Now streaming service offers access to all the sport on Foxtel via their Sports Pack.

That means that you get access to all the live and on-demand sports Foxtel has to offer, including the other leagues, matches and events taking place for that month.

To start you can check it out with a 10-day free trial , after which you will need to pay for both the Sports Pack and the Essentials Pack, as the two products come as a team. In addition to being internet-connected, Foxtel Now also includes the option to stream live sports using the Foxtel Go app when you’re away from home

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Watch sports, premium drama, movies, kids shows, docos and more with the All Packs bundle. Plus, new customers get everything (70+ channels) 10 days FREE, then only $49/mth for 12 months!

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With Kayo you will have access to the same sports broadcasts as Foxtel, and can stream all the available sport to eligible devices and browsers. For fans who want to catch up on the late-night or early-morning action, Kayo Minis provide a condensed match recap after the play has concluded.

Other Kayo features include Interactive Graphics, SplitView, No Spoilers, and Key Moments, which provide highlights throughout the matches in real-time.

Best of all, if you’re a brand new prospective customer to Kayo Sports, you can take advantage of a 7-day free trial period , allowing you to watch your favourite events for free, as well as the rest of the content on their service.

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• Digital Edition

How to follow the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

• Toby Heppell
• December 19, 2022

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Race is due to set off on boxing day once again in 2022, with an impressive 111 boats due to take to the startline

Sydney sailors are counting down the days – not until December 25, but the 26, for the much-anticipated Rolex Sydney Hobart Race .

The blue riband offshore classic was cancelled for the first time in its 76 years in 2020, but bounced back in 2021 and will go ahead one more this year with an impressive fleet of 111 boats entered for the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which begins on Sydney Harbour at 1pm Monday 26 December.

As is often the case in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, the bulk of the fleet is made up of Australian boats and teams, but there are 8 international boats participating this year, including entrants from Germany ( Orione ), Hong Kong ( Antipodes ), Hungary ( Cassiopeia 68 ), New Caledonia ( Eye Candy and Poulpito ), New Zealand ( Caro ), the United Kingdom ( Sunrise ) and the United States of America ( Warrior Won ).

At the sharp end of the fleet, four 100-foot maxis will lead the charge for Line Honours – Andoo Comanche , Black Jack , Hamilton Island Wild Oats and LawConnect . On current form, Andoo Comanche is likely to be favourite to cross the finish line first.

The start of the Sydney Hobart Race means a congested Sydney Harbour. Photo: Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi

Black Jack won Line Honours in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, while Andoo Comanche holds the race record (1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds) and Hamilton Island Wild Oats (formerly Wild Oats XI ) has the most Line Honours wins in race history, with nine.

Two-handed entrants will for the first time be eligible to win the Tattersall Cup (the prize given to the winner of the race on handicap). A total of 21 two-handed boats are preparing to race, including those that finished second and third respectively in the race’s inaugural Two-Handed Division last year – Crux (Carlos Aydos/Peter Grayson) and Speedwell (Campbell Geeves/Wendy Tuck).

How to follow the 2022 Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race

• In Australia Sydney is expected to send off the fleet in style when the race starts at 1300hrs (local time) on Saturday, 26 December.

Spectator boats can watch the start from the eastern channel and follow the fleet down the Harbour to the Heads. Spectator boats wanting to remain in the Harbour may remain in the western side. Exclusion zones will be in place from 1200-1400.

• On television The race start will be broadcast live via the Seven Network, through 7Mate around Australia.

Live coverage will also be webcast on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website, with replays available shortly after. See  https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/

• On social Follow the event on twitter for race updates and via  Facebook

• On race tracker The live race tracker will be viewable at  https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker

• Play along on Virtual Regatta

There is also a Virtual Regatta edition for the race, allowing you to virtually pit yourself against thousands over the same course, see  https://www.virtualregatta.com/en/offshore-game/

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

• Following the Race
• Past Sydney Hobart Videos

Whatever the results of the Rolex Sydney Hobart, one thing is certain - when the race starts at 1300 AEDT on Boxing Day it will capture the imagination of sailors and spectators worldwide. As this year’s activities are being run as a COVID Safe event, we would request that spectators are mindful of social distancing requirements and join the millions of viewers who tune into the action on TV and online.

When the fleet for this year's race jostles for position on four start lines around Shark Island, you'll want to be in prime position yourself. To get the full dose of race atmosphere you need to grab a spot on North or South Head, or even join the action on the water among the colourful spectator fleet (which includes craft of all shapes and sizes from ferries to kayaks and even the odd water taxi). But if you're not lucky enough to be there in person when the starting cannon fires, don't worry - there are plenty of ways to follow the race, no matter where you are.

If you've got access to a boat then you can be on the water with the fleet for the start of the race. Spectator craft positioned in the eastern channel can watch the race begin and then follow the fleet down the harbour to the Heads and out to sea. Once underway the fleet can move fast, so if you want to catch the leaders sail through the Heads, it's advisable to get well down the harbour towards Middle Head before the start. At the Heads keep well clear of the rounding marks.

If you only plan on watching the start, and don't wish to follow the fleet, then stick to the western side of the harbour. Good vantage points for spectator boats include Taylors Bay, Chowder Bay, Obelisk Bay and North Head on the west and Rose Bay, Watsons Bay, Camp Cove and South Head to the east.

The Harbour will be very crowded and traffic can be chaotic so stay alert, follow the advice of race officials and remember to keep well clear of the exclusion zone between 12pm and 2pm.

The Jackson  is the only public and official spectator vessel permitted within the Sydney Harbour exclusion zone for the exciting race start.

Bookings and to find out more 

On Television

The Seven Network, through 7Mate, will once again broadcast the start of the race live around Australia. 

ABC TV will also be following the fleet down the eastern seaboard and provide all the in-race news footage that is used by the various Australian and International news networks.

For those who can't get to watch the live broadcast of the start of the Race on the Seven Network across Australia, Seven West Media will webcast the program. You can also watch a webcast of the live broadcast on the home page of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website.

If you miss the live webcast, don't worry, a replay of the start programme will be available on this site, and our friends at Seven West Media will be making a replay available shortly after the live webcast concludes and will be available for the duration of the race. 

Included on the website is the complete list of yachts entered, along with a photograph and description of each boat, a crew list, and the boat's performance data, predicted finishing time and standing for both Line Honours and Handicap Division which is updated every 10 minutes.

There's also archival data including results of past races since the first in 1945, the weather they encountered; a summary of line and overall handicap winners of those races; historical reports and statistical information; designers of those line and overall winners; and profiles of some of the race luminaries over the years.

You'll also be able to follow the event on twitter for race updates http://twitter.com/rshyr  and via Facebook https://www.facebook.com/RolexSydneyHobart  

Yacht Tracker

The Yacht Tracker page allows viewers to track the entire fleet or a particular boat from start to finish. Yacht Tracker uses a specially designed tool that calculates the predicted results for each and every boat in the fleet, so you can see how each boat is performing.

Each yacht will be fitted with a tracker that will obtain a position using the GPS satellite network, and then transmit that position back to HQ using the Iridium satellite network.

Each yacht's position is then visualised on the race yacht tracker map or overlaid on Google Earth. In addition, the yacht tracker system also shows distance to finish line and progressive corrected time positions under the IRC, ORCi and PHS handicap divisions

To do this, the tracker is configured to automatically update the yacht's latitude, longitude, course over ground and speed over ground - and transmits that information via satellite to a land station.  From there, the data is transferred to the website, which shows in text and graphics each yacht's position in the fleet, its place relative to other boats and known geographic features, and the speed currently being achieved over the land, as well as the direction in which the boat is sailing.

Viewers may view the yachts on a chart through Yacht Tracker or separately on Google Earth. Line honours and progressive predicted corrected times under the IRC, PHS and ORCi handicap categories are updated every 10 minutes.

• Line Honours

Full Standings available approximately three hours after the start.

OFFICIAL ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MERCHANDISE

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

Sydney to Hobart yacht race: How two days of sailing came down to just 51 seconds

T he skipper of the line honours-winning yacht in this year's Sydney to Hobart race says the victory is all the more remarkable because his boat, LawConnect, is a "shitbox" compared to second-place getter and race favourite Andoo Comanche.

"I know it looks good on TV but if you go up close to that boat, it's rough as anything and Comanche is a beautiful boat, it's better in every way, four tonnes lighter etc.," Christian Beck said.

"Shitbox" or not, LawConnect overtook Andoo Comanche in the River Derwent in the final moments of the 2023 race to take out its first line honours in a sensational daylight finish, just 51 seconds ahead of its rival.

"The lead changed several times, they took the lead pretty close to the line, we thought there's no way we can get it back," Beck said.

"There were guys [on board] that couldn't watch, it was very nerve-racking."

In a race that took the two leaders almost two days to finish, the turning point began just a couple of nautical miles from the finish line.

As Andoo Comanche tried to build speed off the Hobart suburb of Sandy Bay and seemed to stall in very little wind, Law Connect made its move.

'"They seem to be accelerating out of the jibes a lot quicker than Andoo Comanche, so I don't think Andoo have a lot of options here, I think they're going to get rolled … really aggressive moves by LawConnect," said Lisa Darmanin, a commentator for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. 

But, not long after Andoo Comanche snatched it back again.

Then, in the second-closest finish in race history, LawConnect came back about 100 metres from the finish line. 

After being runner-up three times in a row, the sweetest moment arrived for Christian Beck as LawConnect crossed the finish line in a time of 1 day, 19 hours, 3 minutes and 58 seconds.

"I can't believe that result. Honestly it's a dream come true," he said.

How did they pull it off?

So just how did the "underdog" manage to snatch the win away from Andoo Comanche after it held the lead comfortably while rounding the Tasman Peninsula and entering the River Derwent?

As we've heard, a lack of wind was a big factor.

"Our boat is big and wide and heavy and it's fast offshore but it is terribly slow when it is bumpy and no wind," the disappointed skipper of Andoo Comanche, John Winning said. 

"[As the finish line neared] we sent a guy up the rig and he said 'There's no wind at the finish, zero wind at the finish.'" 

But sailors are used to dealing with changes in wind so strategy was obviously a major factor at play too.

As well as the "aggressive jibing" from LawConnect, the winners were focused on learning from Andoo's "mistakes".

"Broadly, the strategy is to watch them and if they get into a bad spot, we avoid that bad spot," Beck said.

Spectator craft another factor

Then there were all the spectator boats to contend with.

In the final moments, a catamaran passed closely to Andoo Comanche and the crew was seen yelling and gesturing.

"We had all the spectator boats and we're trying to clear them out and they were like 'You've won', and we were like 'No! We have not won yet. Stop making waves everything is going to make a difference,'" Winning said.

Tasmania Police said action would be taken against a 57-year-old man for "allegedly breaching" marine and safety regulations.

"The man was skippering a private vessel when it reportedly encroached into the exclusion zone set by Marine and Safety Tasmania," it said in a statement.

The offence carries a fine of up to $3,900.

Winning said he didn't blame spectators for the result.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, I wish there were 500 of them," he said.

"It's even, everyone gets the same thing if they were ahead of us they would have had the wash but unfortunately we got the wash.

"Makes a little difference but that didn't cost us the race, we cost us the race."

And as the bubbly flows for the LawConnect crew, Beck is joking about now being able to offload the "shitbox".

"It's probably a good afternoon to sell it, the afternoon it beats Comanche, probably its highlight of its career, I'm sure."

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Super maxi black jack leads sydney to hobart yacht race.

Updated December 27th, 2021 at 13:15 IST

• Listen to this article

SYDNEY (AP) — Monaco Yacht Club super maxi Black Jack held a 18-nautical-mile lead over fellow maxi SHK Scallywag on Monday in a Sydney to Hobart race hit hard by retirements of nearly half the fleet due to heavy seas.

More than 24 hours into the annual race from Sydney Harbor to Hobart on the island state of Tasmania, Black Jack was estimated to finish the race by Tuesday evening based on current weather conditions. The race began Sunday.

Stefan Racing was in third place and the race’s third super-maxi, LawConnect, was in fourth.

There were only 44 boats remaining in the race from the original starters after the high seas and winds decimated the fleet overnight Sunday night. A total of 27 yachts had retired since the race began.

The most prominent withdrawal on Monday was Alive, which won overall honors in 2018 and was fourth in 2019. The 66-foot Tasmanian yacht sustained hull damage and was heading back to Sydney.

Sailors returning to Sydney said it was heavy seas that caused most of the problems rather the southerly winds they were pushing into.

“The breeze was 33, 34 knots, which is not that bad,” said No Limit crew member Declan Brennan, whose boat retired after one of the crew sustained a dislocated shoulder.

“Its curious, it wasn’t angry conditions it was a just a very short, sharp seaway. The seaway was so inconsistent we were just bouncing around all over the place."

There were no other reports of injuries to crew members on other boats.

Last year’s race was canceled the week before it was due to start because of coronavirus-related quarantine issues, but the 2021 edition is proceeding with mass virus-testing protocols in place. Skippers have been told boats must immediately retire from the race if a crew member receives a message from health authorities saying they have tested positive for COVID-19.

The 628 nautical-mile race (1,170 kilometers, or about 720 miles) sails from Sydney down the south coast of New South Wales state and across to Hobart.

In 2017, Comanche set the race record after finishing in 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.

More AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Published December 27th, 2021 at 13:15 IST

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Hobart protest rally calls for end to native forest logging in Tasmania, as Liberals vow to increase timber harvest

Less than a week from Tasmania's state election, thousands of people have marched in Hobart in protest against the logging of native forests, with veteran wilderness campaigner Bob Brown saying "our job is to get rid of the Earth destroyers".

Parts of the CBD were closed to traffic on Sunday morning because of the large crowd, which marched down Murray Street to the lawns of parliament, demanding an end to the practice.

The 'March For Forests' rally, organised by the Bob Brown Foundation, called on the major parties to follow the lead of Western Australia and Victoria – the only two states to end to end the logging of native forests.

Anti-logging campaigner and former federal Greens leader Brown said the protest was the "biggest pre-election crowd" that he had ever seen.

"We expected 500 and got more than 3,000. There is a huge move to get rid of the logging old parties. The swing away from Liberal and Labor will only grow in the coming week," he said.

"We are Earth, and Earth is us. Our job is to get rid of the Earth destroyers."

Liberals pledge to 'unlock' native forests for timber production

Neither the Liberals nor Labor are on-board with the push to halt timber harvesting for Tasmania's native forests.

In their policy announced in February, the Tasmanian Liberals said a "re-elected majority Rockliff Liberal government" would "unlock Tasmania's native forestry 'wood bank', providing an up to 10 per cent boost in the annual supply of high-quality sawlog to Tasmanian sawmillers".

"The Liberals are the strongest supporters of Tasmania's high-value native forestry industry, backing in Tasmanian sawmillers, contractors, and local jobs," Liberal Leader Jeremy Rockliff said.

The Tasmanian Liberals said if returned to government they would "make available up to 40,000 hectares" of the native forest "wood bank" and "make available an additional wood basket of up to 158,000 cubic metres of high-quality sawlog to Tasmanian industry".

In addition to their forest policy, the Tasmanian Liberals, while in government, enacted what have been described as "anti-protest" laws, which in February resulted in 19 Tasmanians receiving indefinite bans from entering any of the state's public native forestry estate — an area covering 812,000 hectares — after they protested logging activity.

Labor has promised, if elected after the March 23 poll, to launch an independent review into the state's native and plantation forests available for logging.

It will also stop the current plantation sawlog expression of interest process being conducted by Sustainable Timber Tasmania.

Major parties in 'race to the bottom', activist says

Campaign manager for the Wildness Society Alice Hardinge, who spoke at the Sunday rally, described the policies of the two major parties as a "race to the bottom when it comes to environmental politics".

"What we're actually seeing in the Liberal government is an increase in native forest logging. Last year alone over 7,000 hectares of native forests were logged in lutruwita/Tasmania," she said.

"I think the crowd here today shows that the vast majority of people do have a real passion for environmental issues."

The Tasmanian Greens say if elected they would end native forest logging, commence a transition program for forestry workers to exit the industry, and formally set aside a reserve of 356,000 hectares of forest.

Greens leader Rosalie Woodruff told protesters that "change is possible".

"The Greens message to you and Tasmania this election is we don't need to continue the destruction," she said.

"It is a crime of nature and the Greens will be standing parliament as we always have to make sure we do everything possible to fight it."

No change in course, Rockliff says

Earlier, Mr Rockliff told the media his party would not reconsider its policy on native logging.

"We've got our position very clear; we back the industry, we back rural and regional jobs," he said.

"None of my candidates are signing a green front group pledge which is essentially signing away jobs in rural and regional Tasmania.

"It's an anti-job pledge."

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