Excerpt from the statement of significance
Riawe was built in Launceston by ‘Ned’ Jack for the Holyman family, for recreational use and for guiding herds of cattle across the Tamar to island pastures. Built of Huon pine and carvel construction, the vessel has had many uses including transport, cargo and cray fishing. 
In World War II it was fitted with a machine gun for patrol between Devonport and Low Head and used for minesweeping.
The Riawe is significant as the work of a noted Launceston boatbuilder, showing traditional construction of Huon pine, a highly regarded timber for boatbuilding, and for its associations with important themes in Tasmania’s maritime history. The vessel is well provenanced with ten owners over nearly 100 years and a richly documented history of changes and adaptations to keep the vessel in active use.
