Old fishing pics around Sydney

[mrsswordfisherman]

Here is another selection of old fishing/boating pictures

I am amazed at the way the men fished in suits and hats 

Rock Fishing - location not given. Raiders is it South Head in the distance?
(Frank Hurley Sydney - A Camera Study 1958 Edition) 

 

Fishing in Victoria Park 1930s

By Sam Hood From the collections of the State Library of New South Wales [hood_03139 / Home & Away 3139]

(Mitchell Library)

 

 

Botany fishermen and their boats, moored near the mouth of the Cooks River January 1938
Contributed by City of Botany Bay Library and Museum Services
(L-R: Mr William 'Trappie' Duncan (84), Jim 'Snider' Thompson (82), Harry Jones (71) and James Smith (79). These men were descendants of the first families of Fishing Town. Courtesy of Clarence Jones)

 

Bobbin Head, Ku-Ring-Gai Chase. Photo appears to be taken c1960
Sydney Official Guide 4th Edition 1966

 

Berowra Waters viewed from the guest house verandah, 1937.
Photo from Records NSW

 

 

 

People fishing on the eastern side of Circular Quay, Sydney Cove.
1954 photo from State Library

 

Halvorsen Boat premises on the northern shore of Neutral Bay in 1935.
Although Halvorsens relocated to a new site at Ryde on the Parramatta River in the late 1930's, the Neutral Bay site remained as their supply depot. 
In post war years the Neutral Bay site became home to RAAF Marine Section. Their black and yellow Air/Sea Rescue "Crash Boats" were a regular sight on the harbour until 1962 when the Marine Section was disbanded and the Neutral Bay site taken over by Australian Customs.

(Halvorsens photo) 

http://www.halvorsenboats.com/about

 

Fisherman's hut, Como c1905
From the collections of the State Library of New South Wales [a116307 / PXE 711/307]
(Mitchell Library)

[wazatherfisherman]

More great photo's Donna! The first one is the Murk at Rosa Gully I reckon, you can tell it's a 'murk' by the coloured water- thought it might have been Bondi at first- yes South Head in distance.

The second one is 'Lake Northam' in Victoria Park with Sydney Uni in background, we used to fish for Carp in there during school holidays and sell them live to the pet shop in Glebe Point Rd. Most of them were 3 to 4 inches long and really dark and fat. My Mum told me they used to release fish into both there and Manly Dam during the old Waratah Festival. We used size 12 hooks and bread balls about the size of a match head for bait. You had to make a clear space through the weed to fish in. That was in the late 60's.

Bobbin Head was where Halvorsen relocated their hire boat business to, didn't know they were in Neutral Bay. First 4 Hairtail houseboat trips we did were in those old cruisers from Bobbin Head, roll down canvas 'window' covers let the cold winter air in, but exciting to stay on the water for a few days!

Tabbigai dwellings were only some of many similar constructions on the cliffs/rocks/bush close to the Sydney coast. The ones at Fisherman's Cove next to Dobroyd Head still had occupants until about 20years ago- maybe even later than that. Used to see washing on lines and see smoke from their chimneys from the boat. There were also some in Jerusalem Bay in Cowan Creek and heaps hidden throughout the Royal National Park from Werrong to North Era beach. The Werrong ones were in a spot known as 'The Kitchen' set back from the beach.

The spot everyone's fishing at the Quay was known as 'The Tuna Boats'- for many years two or three Japanese shark fin boats used that spot to moor while in port. It was a spot that produced heaps of Slimy Mackerel when they came in around Christmas. Shark fins were hung on wire clothes-line type set ups for drying. At the norther end of the Wharf there was a heritage listed toilet and watchman's building and a great Luderick spot known as 'Bennelong' where many of the Harbour's best Luderick fishers would go, including Russian Joe, Abby(the 'king of Sydney Harbour') and Royce's dad to name a few. Unusual spot as you fished in a square 'hole' and your float barely drifted at all. Floats for that spot often had a tiny 'ball' on the tip as a marker because you looked straight down onto them. Used to be plenty of big Surgeon fish there during spring.

These are great old photo's Donna thanks for putting them on!

[mrsswordfisherman]

@wazatherfisherman thanks so much for your comments on our fishing history. You are a wealth of knowledge 

 

 

[Mike Sydney]

9 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

Tabbigai dwellings were only some of many similar constructions on the cliffs/rocks/bush close to the Sydney coast. The ones at Fisherman's Cove next to Dobroyd Head still had occupants until about 20years ago- maybe even later than that. Used to see washing on lines and see smoke from their chimneys from the boat. There were also some in Jerusalem Bay in Cowan Creek and heaps hidden throughout the Royal National Park from Werrong to North Era beach. The Werrong ones were in a spot known as 'The Kitchen' set back from the beach.

 

This was fascinating. Here’s some video footage :

 

 

[mrsswordfisherman]

@Mike Sydney that’s insane footage.

They never went hungry I bet! 

[Yowie]

Great video, however, not at all that keen on the shack over the water. 

The shacks were well set up, a bit cool in winter, probably had to share it with a few bugs and the odd rat.

Similar set-ups to the ones in the Royal National Park at Garie Beach and a bit further south. A lady was telling about hers, had been in the family for 90 years (that was about 15 years ago). Everything to build the shacks were carried in by foot - wood, metal, nails, screws, tools, plumbing, etc.

Then the inside - beds, tables, chairs, crockery, stove, small wardrobe, spare clothes, water storage containers, even a shower. Pit dunnies. Canned food was stored in water proof containers that were hidden in various locations under ground, topped up with new cans when the older ones were opened. The odd one had 12 volt T.V.s, with battery and solar power systems of the early days when solar energy was first harvested. Water collected from the roof into a large container. Only small shacks, but a lot packed into them.

Down to the rocks for a fish, or a swim at the beach.

[wazatherfisherman]

2 hours ago, Yowie said:

Great video, however, not at all that keen on the shack over the water. 

The shacks were well set up, a bit cool in winter, probably had to share it with a few bugs and the odd rat.

Similar set-ups to the ones in the Royal National Park at Garie Beach and a bit further south. A lady was telling about hers, had been in the family for 90 years (that was about 15 years ago). Everything to build the shacks were carried in by foot - wood, metal, nails, screws, tools, plumbing, etc.

Then the inside - beds, tables, chairs, crockery, stove, small wardrobe, spare clothes, water storage containers, even a shower. Pit dunnies. Canned food was stored in water proof containers that were hidden in various locations under ground, topped up with new cans when the older ones were opened. The odd one had 12 volt T.V.s, with battery and solar power systems of the early days when solar energy was first harvested. Water collected from the roof into a large container. Only small shacks, but a lot packed into them.

Down to the rocks for a fish, or a swim at the beach.

The one I stayed in a few times at Burning Palms had 2 full size kero fridges- imagine carrying those about 2km! It was set right out on the headland, high above the rocks at the north end and well away from the track in, only visible from the southern half of the beach. Absolute privacy as it was well away from everything there but a fair walk down to the actual beach and totally secluded. Bob the owner said it was his own private paradise, all the animals (deer, wallabies, roo's, bandicoot, possums, owl and parrots) would just come right to you if you sat outside on the tiny bit of grass outside the window- they were comfortable with humans and each other, haven't ever seen wild animals so relaxed with each other. Found out later Bob fed them whenever he was there. He said he wouldn't sell the place (not that he could have) for any amount of money. You could see a long way down the south coast from his only window- just magic.

[Blackfish]

17 hours ago, Mike Sydney said:

This was fascinating. Here’s some video footage :

That’s amazing footage there Mike, though I’m not sure if I would like to be there when  a big East Coast Low was just off Sydney.

They were the days, Rollies, Long Necks and braces says to me it was a much simpler time.