The vessel Black Gold, arrived at Marina YE recently during its circumnavigation of Australia

On board were owners Allan and Geradine Lear and their two sons Rowan, aged 10, and Jarred, aged 9. They left their home port of Mooloolaba in Queensland in March 2009 and have been travelling ever since.

While travelling Rowan and Jarred do their schooling on the boat. School is in from 8.30am until 3pm daily with their home-school teacher Myette.

Rowan is in year 5 and thinks the best part about home schooling is not traveling to school so he can sleep in.

Jarred thinks the adventure of seeing crocodiles in the Kimberleys and sometimes going to school on the beach is great. As well, he likes the chance of starting school early some days so that he can finish early and do other things. He also has a passion for making things and an early finish in the classroom allows him to get below into Black Gold’s workshop.

Allan and Geradine run their business from the boat whilst cruising with Allan going home every couple of weeks to check on things back at work. Geradine concedes the business doesn’t run as well while they are cruising but believes seeing Australia in the manner they are with their boys is well worth the lost revenue. Communications are made possible for the boys’ schooling and running their business via satellite phone and email.

Black Gold is three years old and was built in Brisbane. The boat incorporates vegetable oil and engine oil reprocessing technology which provides a working template for their Queensland-based business. Along with it’s hi-tech fuel technology, Black Gold is equipped with a jet boat and an amphibious car that has been used on Fraser Island, throughout the Kimberleys and on many remote islands around Australia’s coastline. Allan and Geradine are experienced mariners having spent six years sailing around the world in a 40-foot yacht. They believe this new vessel is more practical for cruising with a family as well it provides the facilities to run their business from.

The boys clearly seemed to be enjoying school with Myette. The day I visited their classroom I asked Rowan what he thought of Melbourne. He couldn’t stop talking about that hailstorm we had early in March.

Allan and Geradine feel the best education comes from travel and experiencing new ideas, businesses, cultures and remaining super-curious.

Rowan and Jarred will decide whether mum and dad take six months or a year to get home in Black Gold. But one thing was clear – that everyone on board was enjoying their stay in Melbourne at Marina YE.