In July 1862, Victoria’s out-going Inspector of Fisheries and Oyster Beds, James Putwain, wrote a report of his observations of the colony’s commercial fisheries to deputy premier Charles Duffy. Irish-born Duffy was the Commissioner for Public Works, President of the Board of Land and Works, and Commissioner for Crown Lands and Survey, later to become Premier of Victoria. Reckoned to be of public interest, Putwain’s report was published in the Lands Circular of the day. Apart from its general historical interest in describing the fishes, fishing gear and boats of the time, this report remarks on the vulnerability of commercial fishermen to market wholesalers. It also comments on the particular role of Chinese, both as fishermen and as a discrete section of the fish-buying community at the time. FISHERIES OF VICTORIACane woven fisherman's basket for storage of catchfishing in port phillip and hobson's bay

Various cameras; Sanyo Xactl Digital Camera with underwater housing to suit 1] Amphibico 2] AmphibicanSanyo, Amphibicodiving, camera, photography, underwater photograpy, sanyo xactl, amphibico, amphibican

Minor Thesis examining the techniques used and their efficacy in the conservation of a marine toiletAMy Walsh

Built at Brighton in the 1930s then spent 20 years under a Blairgowrie carport owned by Bill Fletcher before being rescued and restored by David Coxhell in 2010. The boat was renovated between 2010 and 2017 in the QMM boatshedClinker boat with tiller, trailer, 2 oars and inboard motor with no identification marks, brass fuel tankZasher @ LM05boat, clinker boat, timber boat

Subsequent to the wrecking of the Light of the Age marine concretions and corrosion products formed a cement capping over the cargo, stabilising and protecting it. The site of the Light of the Age was found by divers in late 1960s, and soon became a popular diving site. Huge amounts of intact crockery were removed from the wreck by boatloads of divers, including distinctive brown glazed teapots with legs (one diving author named it 'the Teapot Wreck' (Denmead, 1973: 78-82), 'Greek Key' patterned transferware, Cooper & Wood Portobello black glass three piece bottles, and sauce, preserve and condiment bottles often with contents (gooseberries, raspberries, olives) and seals intact. Larger items including a signal cannon and an anchor were removed from the site, while divers seeking souvenirs commonly used cold chisels to chip objects free of the concretion 'cap' which had stabilised and protected the remaining cargo for so long. In 1982 this situation was drastically changed when someone used explosives to further break concretions. However the charge was too powerful resulting in the site's complete destruction and the remaining items to become scattered and broken. Abraded and worn ceramic objects washed up on the beach are invariably collected by beachgoers, including fragments of crockery, figurines and animal figures used for 19th century household decoration and toys. The Light of the Age is archaeologically significant as the wreck of an international immigrant ship with an inward bound cargo. It is historically significant for its association with both the Black Ball and White Star Lines which carried thousands of immigrants to Australia. Built in 1855 and lost on 16 January 1868 now lies at Point Lonsdale Beach, half a mile west from Point Lonsdale, Port Phillip Heads.01- 1 shallow bowl, 02- 1 sweet bowl, 03- 1 willow pattern service dish, 04- 2 ladle cups [no handles], 05 06- 2 egg cups, 07- 2 bread and butter plates, 08- 1 condiment bowl lidWedgwood deep saucer; Pearl stone china, Ribbon, Wedgewood Willow Pattern service dish, Staffordshire Stone China, Fenton, No10shipwrecks, salvage, crockery, light of the age, clippers

Graham McDonald dived from 1940s to 1970s and he used the camera to record his diving experiences. He was invited to film the dedication of an underwater plaque in memory of the late P.M. Harold HoltEarly camera with handmade underwater casing, Invitation to commemoration of plaque to Harold Holt placed underwater.Underwater video camera in handmade aluminium waterproof casing Circa 1968. Copy of invitation to Harold Holt Commemoration plaque underwater placement off, on - on top of camera casecamera, underwater camera, camera casing, harold holt, comemoration

Letter written while seaman Percy Dusting was on HMAT Ballarat when it was torpedoed in 1917 as well as copies of his War Service record WWIWar experiences WWI. Troop shipsFolder containing letter from Seaman Percy Dusting to his mother and sisterletter, war service records, hmat ballarat, 1917, wwi

The couta boat Pilota was hand built by Alf Fredrickson of Portland in 1900 for Les (Slippery) Eales of Port Fairy. The vessel was wrecked at Port Fairy in the 1980s with loss of two lives. The oar was broken during the wreckingCouta Boat Parts: mast, rudder, centre board plate, 1 oar blade & loom in 2 parts, pair of knees, samson post, fairlead, 2 tiller & bow sprit [Jib boom] from the couta boat PILOTA built in 1900. couta boat, boat parts, salvage, port fairy, les eales, portland

the April Hamer flushing Lakes Entrance Bar, Bass Strait, winter 1991april hammer, lakes entrance

Benmar Model 16B Auto Pilot System. Includes Sat Nav System Model RS5000 Raven Sorensonbenmar, autopilot, satnav, model 16b, model rs5000

Single cylinder air cooled 2 stroke Hanimex 7.5 HP outboard motor F N Gearsoutboard motor, hanimex 7.5 hp

Underwater camera with leather strap and stainless steel hook

Used in underwater photography in the Antarctic, Queensland and Victorian watersUnderwater light, stainless steel

Oxygen Gauge used for deep sea divingNo. G21271. Siere, Gormann and Co. Ltd. London

No. G10950. Siere Gormann and Co. Ltd. London

Seen as an excellent recreation for a maritime power, racing or cruising in purpose-built vessels became increasingly popular in Britain from the beginning of the 19th century. Some immigrants brought their enthusiasms to Port Phillip Bay, holding the first regatta in 1838. The Devil Afloat, the first unequivocal pleasure yacht, arrived a year later. Regattas were organised intermittently, featuring wagers on both rowing and sailing races. The Victoria Yacht Club, founded in 1856, soon folded, but another club of that name was established in 1872 and became the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria based at Williamstown. The Albert Park Yacht Club also began on the newly improved lagoon in 1872, other clubs soon followed and inter-club regattas were organised. In the 1880s the popularity of larger yachts built for cruising, as well as for racing, increased. Sailing in smaller boats consolidated in the first three decades of the 20th century, with several more clubs formed. After the great storm of 1932 destroyed many yachts the fleet was rebuilt with new designs such as Charles Peel's Jubilee One-Design Class dinghies.Jubilee yachts were popular in Port Phillip between 1930 to 1970. In later years, they were later made of fibreglass.Timber hull of a Jubilee class yacht J82 named FLASH. jubilee yacht, timber hull