Name/TitlePhotograph, "Nora"

About this object"Nora" - A 37-foot fishing trawler built by Reg Massey at Norah Head and launched in the surf at Nelson Bay in 1946. She was worked by the Harris family in Stockton Bight prawning, before being sailed to Bundaberg in Queensland in 1958. The boat originally had a 30hp Lister but a new 54hp Freedom Lister was installed prior to sailing to Queensland. Two years later a further refit of a 90hp 3-cylinder, 6 piston Rootes Lister engine was installed to give extra power that was required in the northern waters.

In 1984 “Nora” was at the end of her useful working life and was burned to the ground at Yeppoon on Cracker Night 5th November. Bruce Harris spent much of his working life on ‘’Nora’’ and at the end, in spite of being asked, refused to light the match on that day.

Note: The early 1960s was a significant period in the history of the prawn trawling industry as quality prawns were found at Mooloolaba by a 70 foot survey trawler, the “Challenge”, skippered by Evans Padden out of Evans Head on the North Coast of NSW. The survey, sponsored by the Queensland Government, discovered the prawns in 1961 and resulted in many Port Stephens fishing families relocating to the warmer and more productive Queensland waters.

Place MadeOceania, Australia, New South Wales, Central Coast, Norah Head

MakerMassy, Reg

Maker RoleBoat Builder

Date Made1946

PeriodMid 20th century

Formatjpeg

Object TypeFishing Vessel

Subject and Association KeywordsBoat building

Subject and Association KeywordsBoats

Subject and Association KeywordsFishing - commercial

Subject and Association KeywordsPrawning

Object numberTMA2021.00161

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