OLD T.I. MY BEAUTIFUL HOME | WINNER NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AUSTRALIA HISTORY THROUGH ART AWARD
A year during the pearling days when our harbour was exciting and a hive of activity.
- At Main wharf M.V. “Waiben” carries passengers and our monthly cargo handled manually by a gang of local ‘wharfies’ – (cargo and fumigation sheds).
- Government vessels “Melbidir” and “Gelam” transporting cargo & our people to and from outer islands and the Cape.
- A busy time for Thorpes Transport, Moloney Carriers and IIB trucks
- Torres Pilot launches providing services to shipping companies using our Channels and cruising through Great Barrier Reef, with Booby Island being pilots’ pick-up and drop-off point.
- “Trader Horn” – prawn trawler.
- Mitzi” owned by local Saranealis family, our dentist and jeweller in main street.
- “Jacqueline” pride & jo of fisherman Arthur Ah Mat.
- “Stephen Davies” – mission ketch.
- Sad sight of a procession of luggers bringing a diver home, from the pearling grounds, after a fatal accident. The lead lugger flying a tell-tale calico at half-mast.
- The sole ferry “Mary Elton” servicing passengers to and from Horn Island Airport & used for more exciting excursions like school picnics.
- A time when Ansett ANA Fokker Friendships made twice weekly flights (Tues & Fri).
- “Stephen Davies” a mission ketch.
- Power Station opposite Engineers’ wharf so named by the engineers needing to off load equipment and machinery to build this town’s electricity facility.
- “Island Star” – school boat.
- M.V. “Lumen” towing “Carpentaria” used as a temporary lighthouse during the maintenance of lighthouses throughout the Torres Strait.
- Luggers beached for hull cleaning.
- Cars with bridal party after Church ceremony celebrate by tooting horns on a drive around the island.
- Police paddy-wagon, the Black Maria.
- Only mini-moke on TI and driver nicknamed “Johnny Dekka”.
- Artist on her proud Vespa scooter (the turquoise terror) – the first shipped to the island back then.
Special respect to the memories of divers who lost their lives during the era of our pearling industry and condolences to their families.
A changing TI now – “Nothing stays the same forever”.
JUDGE’S COMMENTS
Lovingly executed in the naïve style to capture up to five decades of community life and times using the Thursday Island’s harbour and jetty as the backdrop: the gateway to TSI!