Two mines recovered from RAN depot - Swan Island Defence FacilityMines WW 2 mines, swan island, r a n

Door key tab from the USS Weeroona when requisitioned by the US Army for war service. It was used throughout WWII as a barracks and quarter ship throughout the war. A round brass key tab used by the US Army on the Weeroona.U.S.S. Weeroona 90uss weeroona, wwii, key tab

an instrument for drawing large circles or arcs, consisting of a horizontal beam along which two vertical legs slide. Also called a trammel.Beam compass used for marking out an arc or circle; 25cm beam with 2 x 24cm extensions, 3 pencil lead holders and one nib in original box [damaged].W. H. Harling Ltd. London.beam compass, trammel

First available in ScubaPro’s catalogue in 1966, the ScubaPro Automatic Decompression Meter was a break through in diving technology and a forerunner to the modern dive computer. The meter attempted to calculate nitrogen absorption based on dive time and depth. This was done mechanically instead of electronically, and without the benefit of any actual computing. The Automatic Decompression Meter was introduced just a year after ScubaPro’s most successful product – the ScubaPro Jet Fins – which still remain popular today. Used by divers since 1966The ScubaPro Automatic Decompression Meter 1966 in original box Automatic Decompression Meter Number 4323 made in Italydiving, decompression meter, scubapro

Australia’s first modern sea kayak expedition: “The journey they said couldn’t be done” Members: Earle de Blonville & John Brewster First kayak expedition to circumnavigate Tasmania’s 1,600 km coastline Route: The 1798-99 route of Bass and Flinders in the ‘Norfolk’ Start and finish Georgetown: anticlockwise via the west coast and Hobart. Media covers the Tasmania expedition itself, plus the pre-Tasmania training voyages in Scotland and the Hebrides, plus resulting articles.Kayak used in 1979 circumnavigation of Tasmania by Earl Bloomfield, accompanied by journal of expedition and photographs Sea Kayak, Nordkapp designsea kayak, circumnavigation of tasmania, earl de bonville, earl bloomfield

Child's well worn leather boot found under the floor of a Sea Pilot's terrace house in Gellibrand Street. It was a custom for local people to place a child's shoe under the floorboards of a house to 'ward off evil spirits'.Child's boot, circa 1850sboot, folklore

Painting donated by Mr P Boyle, grandson of former pilot Harry Trueman who served on the PV Alvina. The Sydney Morning Herald 29 July 1903 THE NEW MELBOURNE PILOT STEAMER. ALVINA The new pilot steamer Alvina, which was recently purchased by the Port Phillip Sea pilots, was inspected on Thursday last by the members of the Victorian Marine Board and a number of gentlemen representing the leading shipping companies in Melbourne. The Alvina was formally the private yacht of Mr Marmaduke Fox a wealthy Yorkshire gentleman and is a trim craft of 145 tons register and a length of 18ft overall. Hitherto the sea pilots have managed to do their work with one steamer, the Victoria but it has long been apparent that a second vessel was required. The pilots upon whom the obligation of providing and maintaining their vessels devolves, thereupon made a successful bid for the yacht and, by an additional outlay of 700 pound, had her overhauled and refitted in Deane's Dock, Williamstown. On Thursday last the vessel made a trial trip to Point Cook for the purpose of satisfying the Marine Board and the underwriters as to her fitness for the work. She showed a speed of 11 knots and steamed smoothly and satisfactorily. During the trip the visitors assembled in the saloon and drank success to the new steamer. Captain Carrie, president of the Marine Board, congratulated the pilots on their acquisition, and said that the service was now second to none in the world. The new vessel which has been in the charge of Captain Wills is handsomely fitted up and contains two staterooms and four cabins for the pilots and sleeping accommodation for a crew of eight. In future one steamer will remain on the pilot grounds inside the Heads while the other will steam about outside Queenscliff. A framed and mounted water colour painting of the Pilot Vessel Alvina under glasspainting, alvina, pilot vessel

Large yellow marker buoys were used to indicate the gas pipeline which runs across Port Phillip Bay, Mordialloc to Altona.Two large yellow marker buoysmarker buoys, port phillip

Portside channel marker from west channel Port Phillip. This red circular building had a red navigational light on top and was know as Tuckey.Portside channel marker from West Channel Port Phillip. Circular red building with red navigational light on top. west channel marker, tuckey

7 assorted marker buoys of various shapes and colours; black, green, red and yellow.

The Company of Master Mariners of Australia is an association established to promote the interests and status of the Merchant Navy generally and of Master Mariners in particular. The Company was founded in 1938 by Capt. A.N. Boulton, MBE, VRD, BCom, ExC and became an incorporated body in 1988. The Company of Master Mariners of Australia Limited is a not for profit professional association that is limited by guarantee. The Company has five Branches based in Fremantle, Adelaide, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane.Captain John Noble is a former sea pilot and authorPlaque of the Company of Master Mariners of AustraliaCompany of Master Mariners of Australiaport phillip sea pilots, captain john noble, the company of master mariners

In the early 1920s Australia was gifted six J class submarines from the Royal Navy. These were the latest and largest submarines built by the RN for service in World War I. They were competent but were in service with the Royal Navy for only a short time before the end of the war. Once in Australia they were placed into service but there was little appetite for submarines or in fact any other military endeavour in the early ‘twenties’. The world was exhausted from a long and dirty war followed by a devastating Influenza Epidemic. The J class boats were soon retired and sunk as breakwaters or scuttled in the ship graveyard area off the mouth of Port Phillip Bay.Popular diving sites in Ships Graveyard outside the rip between Point Lonsdale and Barwon HeadsCircular brass plaque inscribed with J5 North Sea 1917 1918 made from a piece of navigational equipment used on the submarine J5 mounted on woodSubmarine J5 North Sea 1917 - 1918j class submarines, j5, ships graveyard, port phillip

Gun Sighting Telescope purported to be from J5 submarineGun Sighting TelescopeG.S.Telescope x 8 - 2179gun sighting telescope, g.s.telescope, j5

Thought to be from the SS Time as donor's relative was part of the salvage group in 1949As the salvage group was made up of fishermen form Queenscliff the wreck of the SS Time at Port Phillip Heads as well as its salvaged items are still of great significance to the community at Queenscliff and Point Lonsdale. Timber chair with arm rests and canvas seat and backchair, ss time, salvage

Used by local fishermenUsed by local fishermenCane basket with long line and hookslong line, fishing

Plate was originally fixed on the engine of the lifeboat 'Queenscliffe'Brass circular Identification plate mounted on round timber base.Royal National Lifeboat Institution, London. Built by Weyburn Eng Co Ld. Eustead Surrey Englandlifeboat queenscliffe, engine plate, weyburn engine no.12

Part of PA system on HMAS Canberra used to broadcast commands aboard shipHMAS Canberra II was an Adelaide Class guided missile frigate launched in the USA on 1 December 1978. It was the first Adelaide Class Guided Missile Frigate (FFG) to be decommissioned and was scuttled at 14:00 on Sunday 4 October 2009 in 28 metres of water off Ocean Grove, Victoria to create an artificial reef and diving site. PA Speaker ex HMAS Canberra

HMS J3 (later HMAS J3) was a J-class submarine operated by the Royal Navy and later the Royal Australian Navy. After the war, the British Admiralty decided that the best way to protect the Pacific region was with a force of submarines and cruisers. To this end, they offered the six surviving submarines of the J-class to the Royal Australian Navy as gifts. J1 and her sisters were commissioned into the RAN in April 1919, and sailed for Australia on 9 April, in the company of the cruisers Sydney and Brisbane, and the tender Platypus. The flotilla reached Thursday Island on 29 June, and Sydney on 10 July. Because of the submarines' condition after the long voyage, they were immediately taken out of service for refits. Apart from local exercises and a 1921 visit to Tasmania, the submarines saw little use, and by June 1922, the cost of maintaining the boats and deteriorating economic conditions saw the six submarines decommissioned and marked for disposal.The wreck of JR can still be seen off Swan Bay2 propellers from the J3 submarine 'HMAS Reaper'j3, j class submarines, hmas reaper

In 1960 seventy-four commandos from 2 Commando Company left Point Lonsdale at 6pm on February 17 to cross The Rip in an exercise raid on the Portsea officer school. Shortly after departing, a strong tide caught the raiding party and pushed them out to sea through The Rip, where 10-metre waves capsized many of the kayaks and amphibious vehicles. Many of the men were picked up by larger rescue boats, only to be overturned once again in the heavy seas. Warrant Officer George Drakopolous and the driver of his amphibious DUKW, Private Eddie Meyer, both drowned as their vehicle sank. Eight of the commandos were rescued in Bass Strait after being picked up by an Italian ship, the Toscana. Commando Roger Wood helped others board the Toscana safely but was washed off a rope ladder by a monster wave and into the sea. His body was never found. It remains one of Australia's least-known peacetime military tragedies.One of the later disasters around the Rip between Points Nepean and Lonsdale. The 'Queenscliffe' lifeboat turned out to search for survivors without success Paddles from a Mk3 foldaboat used in ill fated commando training exercise in 1960the rip disaster, kayaks, oars

Adelaide Steamship Co. MV 'Manunda' built Glasgow 1927, commenced coastal passenger service in Australia 1929, converted to 2/1 Australian Hospital Ship (AHS) in 1940 for service to Middle East, New Guinea and New Zealand. Returned to coastal trade in 1948, sold to Japan 1956, broken up in 1957. 9 drawer timber desk with brass drawer pull handles. Several stamps on the inside of top middle draw - 'Radio Maintenance Store, Transmitting Station Essendon' and 'Paul.J.Barton, 33 Bellbird Cres, Vermont 3133''Manunda' stamped on back of deskship, furniture, manunda, doctor'sdesk, desk, steamship, ahs

A traditional term in the British Navy meaning to serve out an additional tot of grog to a ship's crew. The main brace itself was a purchase attached to the main lower yard of a square-rigged ship to brace the yard round to the wind. However, it probably has little to do with the saying beyond the fact that hauling on the main brace called for a maximum effort by the crew. In the days of sail the main brace was spliced (in terms of drink) in very bad weather or after a period of severe exertion by the crew, more as a pick-me-up than for any other purpose. But with the introduction of steam propulsion, with machines to take most of the harder labour out of seagoing, the main brace was spliced only on occasions of celebration or, occasionally, after battle. Now that rum is no longer issued aboard ship, splicing the main brace is a thing of the past.A small tap used to empty contents from a barrel containing rum or whisky aboard ships.Brass spigot or tap used for inserting into a barrel containing liquid such as rum, whisky or vinegar etctap, spigot, barrel, alcohol, liquid storage