Billabong is a Brolga 34 designed by her owner Peter Joubert, who is taking her to Hobart for the eighth time. Previous performances in this event have been outstanding, and credit must be given to the designer whose yachts have often fared well in this race. She is an ageing boat with an even more rapidly ageing crew, but she will be driven hard and it would not surprise if she finished with a very high placing.