William Withers and Edward Ryan drowned near Point Lonsdale on 19 October 1954 when they tried to enter the Rip at Port Phillip Heads against an ebb tide with a strong south-west wind blowing. They were sailing a large crayfishing boat, the 'Robert John', returning with a load of crayfish from King Island.Photograph shows William (Bill) Withers and Edward Ryan who worked in the local Queenscliff and Victorian fishing industry. The commercial fishing industry developed in Queenscliff from the 1860s, with early fishing developing around the couta boat and barracouta fishing. Crayfishing and shark fishing also became important, especially as the supplies and popularity of barracouta as a commercial species waned. Local Queenscliff fishermen often fished outside Port Phillip into Bass Strait and had to navigate the dangerous entry to Port Phillip, known as 'The Rip', with its turbulent and variable water and weather conditions. This added to the everyday dangers of sailing faced by fishermen in their industry. The local fishermen often had the local knowledge of these waters, but the fishing community in Queenscliff also lived with the threat or fear that the Rip could rob them of one of their own. The entrance to Port Phillip with this Rip is the scene of many shipwrecks,often resulting in tragic loss of life or injuries, including passenger and cargo ships travelling to/from Melbourne and Geelong as well as accidents to local Queenscliff and Port Phillip sailors such as the fishermen or sea pilots. A B/W photograph of two Queenscliff fishermen, William (Bill) Withers and Edward Ryaninformation about photo and donation handwrittten on backfishermen, queenscliff fishermen, withers, william withers, ryan, edward ryan, robert john crayfish boat, shipwreck, port phillip

Charlie 'The Coach' Zanoni was born in Queenscliff in 1909 and fished from 1924 to 1989 on a 67 foot iron bark boat 'The Olympic'Framed pencil drawing of prominent Queenscliff fisherman Charlie 'The Coach' Zanonni. One of a series of 10 drawings entitled 'The Old Salts'charlie zanoni, the olympic, queenscliff, fishermen

Colin 'Steak' Shapter was born in Queenscliff in 1913 and fished from 1927 to 1953 on a 20 foot clinker boat 'JWC'Framed pencil drawing of prominent Queenscliff fisherman Colin 'Steak' Shapter. One of a series of 10 drawings entitled 'The Old Salts'queenscliff, fishermen, jwc

The Court of Marine Inquiry found that the steering gear had failed as the SS Time entered Port Phillip Heads. It was established that the fault lay with the Lloyd's surveyor for not detecting the fault when the Time had been classified Al. No blame was attached to the master. Two Queenscliff fishermen purchased weck for 950 pounds (insured value 30,000 pounds)and its timber cargo - handsome profit. Cargo and most fittings of value recovered. Wreck visible until early 1960s, until during a storm it slid off northern side of Nepean reef and broke up in 20 feet of water. The most noteworthy shipwreck to date at the heads.Two Queenscliff fishermen purchased the weck for 950 pounds (insured value 30,000 pounds) and its timber cargo - handsome profit. The cargo and most of the fittings of value were recovered. The wreck was visible until the early 1960s, until during a storm, it slid off the northern side of Nepean Reef and broke up in 20 feet of water. The most noteworthy shipwreck to date at the heads.A Commonwealth of Australia Navigation Act, Boat Station List form, showing the names of crew assigned to each of 4 lifeboats on the Port [P] and Starboard [S] sides of the SS Time dated 1 August 1949.Form C.B.D.F 3 for 4 lifeboats; Boat Station List navigation act, ss time, port phillip, shipwrecks, lifeboat rules

Coloured photographic postcard. Image is of a curve of beach with fishermen's huts against a background of trees. There are several piers and jetties stretching out into the water, one with two buildings. The words Fishermen's Huts Inner Beach Queenscliff Vic are printed on the top left hand side. The reverse is addressed to Miss Gladys Dean "Esmond" McKenzie Street Golden Square. Handwriting covers the opposite side. The words VSM Series are printed bottom left hand side.VSM Seriespostcard

Undated black & white photo of fishermen running on a wharf to a practice session or 'cruise' in full wet weather gear.RealismBlack & white photograph of the Queenscliffe life boat crew running on a wharf to a practice sessionOn the reverse "Fishermen members of the life boat crew running out for practice cruise" and " W Mouchmore's father Daniel?"rescue crew, practice readiness, wet weather gear, life boat crew, wharf

A colour photo of life at Queenscliffe for local fishermen, sailors and crew.Realism, historicalA colour photograph of 4 men, 2 fishing, 1 watching & 1 on the bow of a yacht moored at the wharf. Name of the yacht is not clear. Background shows the Swan Island bridge On the reverse - "NIL."wharf, bridge, sailing boat, fishermen

A colour photo of life at Queenscliffe for local fishermen, sailors and crew.Realism, historicalBlack & white photo of a hatted man on the beached wreck of a torpedo boat near a wharf aka Fisherman's Pier, in background, at Queenscliffe. Now, 2022, the pier is now buried under sand. On the reverse - "NIL."torpedo boat, beached, mr squires, pea crop transport

Alice Zanoni [Alice Lillian Bourke 1879 - 1957] and Charles Zanoni's children were Norman, Charles, Ruby and Max [William K Zanoni's father]. Charles' brother Henry Zanoni painted the ships in the fishermen's waiting shed in the QMM.Prominent Queenscliff family with connection to the fishing, boat building industries and the Pilot Service.A framed photograph of Alice and Charles Zanonifishermen, henry zanoni, fishermen's waiting shed, boat builders, queenscliff, local history

A hand made mussel bag using improvised materials used for removing and temporarily storing musselsQueenscliff fishermen's practical use of everyday materials to create fishing equipment.An improvised mussel bag consisting of a plastic pipe held in a circle by a metal hose clamp and a rope net suspended from it. Used to gather and hold mussels. fishing, mussels, fishing equipment

Hand drawn pen and ink sketches of fishermen fishing off Queenscliff pierRon Tandberg, Queenscliff resident artist and long time cartoonist for The Age newspaper presented these framed sketches as a gift to the QMM. Three framed sketches of fishermen fishing off a pier in QueenscliffTandberg, Queenscliff pier, 30/11/1995fishermen, queensclff, queenscliff pier, tandberg, sketch

Built in 1874 in Sunderland England she was employed carrying cargo around the world and rounded Cape Horn 23 times in 26 years. In 1900 she was acquired by Mr J J Craig, renamed James Craig in 1905 and began to operate between New Zealand and Australia until 1911. Unable to compete with freight cargo, in later years James Craig was used as a collier and later laid up, then used as a hulk, until eventually being abandoned at Recherche Bay in Tasmania. In 1932 she was sunk by fishermen who blasted a 3-metre hole in her stern. Restoration of James Craig began in 1972, when volunteers (now the Sydney Heritage Fleet) refloated her and towed her to Hobart for initial repairs. Brought back to Sydney under tow in 1981, her hull was placed on a submersible pontoon to allow work on the hull restoration to proceed. Over twenty-five years, the vessel was restored and relaunched in 1997. In 2001 restoration work was completed and she continues to go to sea.Mr Robeert Greenway A framed reproduction of a painting by Oswald L Brett on canvas paper of the Barque James Craig 1874 Barque James Craig 1874. Images of two flags; a red ensign and a ships flag 'Craig'; Oswald L Brett N.Y. 1978 james craig, windjammers, barque

The fishing industry continued to be essential during the late 30s and throughout the war years and local fishermen as in this example continued their efforts while contending with petrol rations and other expenses.A collection of fishing related documents in the late 1930s and 1940sfuel ration tickets, wwii, fishing

The fishing industry continued to be essential during the late 30s and throughout the war years and local fishermen as in this example continued their efforts while contending with petrol rations and other expenses.A collection of fishing related memorablia belonging to Charles Jurgens; Permitfuel ration tickets, wwii, fishing

The fishing industry continued to be essential during the late 30s and throughout the war years and local fishermen as in this example continued their efforts while contending with petrol rations and other expenses.A collection of photographs of fishing and couta boats belonging to Charles Jurgens.fuel ration tickets, wwii, fishing, couta boats, fishing boats

This low-lying northern-most tip of Queenscliff saw its physical origins in 1863 with allotments let to a burgeoning fishing community previously accommodated on the site of the current railway station and whose construction in 1879 necessitated eviction. Among this community, Chinese fishermen are thought to be of the first international settlers. The success of the fishermen’s settlement was due in part to commercial trading prospects the railway afforded and the size of catch available to those fishing in Bass Strait. Salmon, snapper and particularly barracouta led to the success of the local industry.Original Fishermans Cottage previously located at Swan Bay end of Bridge Street Queenscliff. Timber - Weatherboardfishermen's cottage, fishermen's flat, queenscliff

Originally located on the Queenscliff Pier from 1856. It was known as the waiting shed for registered fishermen. It was moved from Queenscliff pier to near slipway in 1960, then to Princess Park in the 1970s and to the museum in late 1980. Henry Zanoni, a fisherman was responsible for painting the many pictures of ships on the inside walls.Waiting Shed for Registered Fishermen Weatherboard - Timber Cream Weatherboards and Brown Trimfishermen waiting shed, queenscliff

QUEENSCLIFFE was built in 1926 to a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) design called the Watson Class. The double-diagonal planked vessel was built by A McFarlane and Sons in Port Adelaide SA, commissioned on the 6th of March 1926, and then officially named and launched on the 9th of April 1926. The original Wayburn petrol engine was replaced with a Gardner diesel. This gave QUEENSCLIFFE a top speed of 7.5 knots with a range of 350 miles. The equipment carried aboard included a VHF Radio Telephone, HF radio transceiver, visual signals, life rafts, hand rocket gun, flare gun, generator, search light and first aid supplies. In the tradition of many shore based lifeboats, QUEENSCLIFFE had its own shed and slipway and was always ready for launching when required to go to sea in response to an emergency call. Its area of operation included 'the Rip' at Port Phillip Heads and the Bass Strait seas immediately offshore. She was taken out of service in 1976 by the Marine Board of Victoria and subsequently offered to the Borough of Queenscliffe for care and display. The Lifeboat is listed on the Australian Register of Historic Vessels (ARHV). During her 50 years of service the Queenscliffe attended many calls for assistance both inside and outside the Heads. Some of the vessels and calls for help the lifeboat attended were: 1960 - Army Commandos lost in the Rip 1967 - The search for the late Prime Minister Harold Holt 1974 - The last attendance to a vessel was to the Brisbane Trader which was on fire The shed which housed the lifeboat is located on the Queenscliff 'New' or 'Steamer' Pier (built in 1884). This shed includes the internal section of the slipway used to launch and retrieve the lifeboat. The external slipway and some other structures associated with the lifeboat shed have been removed. Originally fitted with two masts, the stern mast being removed in the 1960's. A retractable centre plate was used when under sail. Delivered with an 80 hp Wayburn petrol motor which was later replaced by a 72 hp Gardiner diesel. Top speed of 7.5 knots and a range of 350 miles.QUEENSCLIFFE is a wooden lifeboat built in 1926 in South Australia. It has a long association with the Victorian port of Queenscliff. It was manned voluntarily by their local fishermen and is therefore closely attached to families of the Queenscliff community. It is a rare surviving example of the coastal shore-based lifeboats that were based around the Australian coastline.The lifeboat 'Queenscliffe' a Watson Class LifeboatQueenscliffelifeboat, rescue, watson class boat

Queenscliffe pier, fishermen's catchDisplay of fishermen's catch on Queenscliffe pier, 1908Black & white 1908 photograph of Queenscliffe fishermen's catch on the pierReverse - " nil "historical references

Disappearing gun relocated to Queenscliffe Fort from South Channel Fort 1980Disappearing gun barrel being transported.Black & white 1908 photograph of Queenscliffe fishermen's catch on the pierReverse - " nil "historical references

Cray fisherman's cray crate at dock.Cray catch & production method.Black & white photograph of Queenscliffe cray fishermen unloading cray crate at Fishermen's Pier.Reverse - " NIL ".historical references

Shipwreck & rescues, funeral & Japanese squid fishermen.Empress of the Sea, Capt. Paterson [Pilot] & squid fishersNews articles & notices re Squid fishermen, Pilot's funeral & Empress of the Sea burningReverse " NIL ".historical references

Queenscliffe fishermen, cray c1925c1925 Queenscliffe cray fishermen & boysB & W photo c1925 of Cray fishermen at Queenscliffe pierReverse " Jock Muir, Keith Shapter, Phil Shapter, Norman Zanoni ".historical references

Queenscliffe fishermen, Yellowtail, c1920c1920 Queenscliffe fishermenBlack & white photo of fishermen with their catch of Yellowtail fish, c1920.Reverse " Standing - Jim Shapter, "Bunk" Mannix / Seated William Shapter, Mac Bryant George Shapter Locke Shapter "historical references

Harry Mouchemore was a fisherman in Queenscliffe from 1934 to 1995 using a 30 foot Cayzer built boat called PepeOne of a series of 10 pencil drawings entitles 'The Old Salts' of prominent Queenscliffe fishermen Framed pencil drawing of prominent Queenscliff fisherman Harry Mouchemore signed by artist Dr Mike Birrell 1996. One of a series of 10 drawings entitled 'The Old Salts'Harry Mouchemore; Born Sth Melbourne 1920, fished 1934 - 1995; Boat: Pepe, 30 ft, Cayser builtpepe, harry mouchemore, dr mike birrell

Lock up originally located at rear of police station in Gellibrand Street QueenscliffFrequent occupants of the gaol were fishermen and sailors for being intoxicatedTimber lock-up building with tin roof painted white with small well secured door in the middle. A window with bars is high above the door. Door has black hinges, double locks and viewing window.gaol, lock up, queenscliff historic buildings

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