Tag Archives: Laurieton Australia

Laurieton community rallies to save sunken historic fishing vessel Pacific Venture

A community is rallying to save a piece of maritime history in northern New South Wales, with efforts underway to save a 60-year-old fishing trawler from a watery grave in a local river.  The sunken Pacific Venture is the last surviving vessel from a fishing fleet built in Laurieton in 1963. Earlier this year it was entrusted to the community, with plans to bring it back to its former glory and put it on display. But the restoration work was yet to begin when a storm tore through the region in late October, and the old boat sank in the Camden Haven River at Laurieton. Former owner Damien Lay said the task was proving challenging but many in the community were still determined to save the old boat. Vide, photos, >>click to read<< 15:58

Poole family in support of proposal to restore fishing trawler Pacific Venture in Laurieton.

Australian film director Damien Lay has previously announced intentions to restore the historic trawler and make it the subject of an international documentary. The vessel was built by residents and became a key boat in the extensive Camden Haven fishing fleet during the 1960s and 1970s. It is now the only remaining vessel intact in the area. Former owner Kim Poole, 65, the son of original boat owner Donald ‘Jock’ Poole, said he began working on the boat when he was 13-years-old. “It wasn’t the last boat built in Laurieton, but it supplied the fish coop for many years in the 1970s and 1990s, and there were some record catches made onboard. photos, >click to read< 21:38