A Museum vessel would be able to tell the truth about the East Coast Pearling Luggers in context, upon the stage of a restored 1938 Torres Strait /Japanese built /conscripted Army Lugger, which went on to become a mother of pearl shell harvest and broadcast live shell carrier. The vessel also featured as the flagship LUGGER in the 1953 Rafferty / Robertson film classic ‘King of the Coral Sea’.
The Cairns Maritime Museum Inc is looking forward to a 2020 visit by the Australian National Maritime Museum ‘Endeavour’ scheduled to visit Cairns and Cooktown to celebrate the 250 year anniversary of the original ship’s visit.
In order to achieve this ambition
the vessel has to comply with an AMSA Safety management system for heritage vessels survey.
I have researched the NSCV (National Safety Commercial Vessels) documents and need to engage a surveyor with Heritage ship experience to complete this task.
Having had experience with the ‘Duyfken’ Heritage vessel management and Tourism industry product,I need to consult with surveyor and the vessel must be taken out of the water for inspection.
The vessel was the first Lugger, by design, to feature an auxiliary engine, a significant step in WHS for the Pearl Divers of the East Coast.
The vessel presents today although 80 year old, as new, since work began in 1993 to restore the fabric of the hull,engine, superstructure and traditional Gaff rigging right down to hand made ‘baggy wrinkle’.
Ropes and rigging, sail handling, steering and plotting a course are real experiences within reach of all participants, regardless of age and ability, yet only available in Capital cities through Maritime Museums with Heritage ships.
My hope is that this iconic pearling vessel can safely remind us all of the intrepid multicultural maritime industry and ‘hard hat’ diving reality of the pearl diving pioneers in the Far North.
For many years a collection of Maritime artefacts has been growing in storage in Cairns curated by the Cairns Maritime Museum Inc.
Ports North Corporation has been supporting the CMM Inc with storage capacity in a Wharf shed and quite recently 2 shipping containers.
At present the CMM flagship vessel has been providing support to the Reef Restoration Foundation Coral nursery at Fitzroy Island near Cairns.
Volunteer crew have been supervised by experienced hands since December 2017
These last few years I have been able to help students of the Duke of Edinborough Awards with Cairns Inlet sailing experiences, as part of the experience check-lists for their awards.
The vessel has harvested plastic waste and flotsam/jetsam from Barrier Reef Islands and beaches with volunteer crew assisting the Tangaroa Blue organisation.
In order to continue this work and improve safety and meet AMSA guidelines into the future, l am conscious of the obligations of maintaining an up to date SMS manual.
It has always been my hope to engage with the community who would not have access to the experience of sailing about the harbour and nearby Coast of the Far North Queensland Port of Cairns aboard this type of vessel.
I have to consider the forgoing elements to continue to grow interest in the development of a cultural tourism feature experience in this region.
I expect that the sight of the 1938 Flagship Pearl Lugger from the East Coast offering the opportunity to sail and learn the ropes and the history would make a compelling visitor experience.
