One of the most remarkable stories in Ballina’s history is the arrival of the Las Balsas expedition in 1973. Three balsa wood rafts sailed from Ecuador across the Pacific Ocean, with one of the rafts completing the 14,000 kilometre voyage by landing at Ballina’s Shaws Bay.
The expedition, led by Spanish adventurer Vital Alsar, set out to prove that ancient South Americans could have crossed the Pacific on balsa rafts. The journey took 179 days and captured international attention.
Today, one of the original Las Balsas rafts is preserved and displayed at the Ballina Naval and Maritime Museum on Regatta Avenue. The raft is a major attraction and a tangible link to this incredible feat of human endurance and exploration.
The Las Balsas story has become an important part of Ballina’s identity, celebrating the town’s connection to maritime adventure and the spirit of discovery.