maritime
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the tuna fleet
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The south coast of New South Wales, Australia has a rich history of local boat-building and commercial fishing.
The regional vessels were amazing structures shaped by necessity by our environment and the function they performed. Often, they were built on the side of a creek in small seaside towns by a local boat-builder. The boat-builder would "go into the surrounding bush" and select specific trees he wanted for the task. He would fell the trees, often mill them himself, and then skillfully "handcraft" these straight sections of timber into a beautiful curved structure to withstand all the forces of the ocean.
Commercial open ocean fishing has been an intrinsic industry along the south coast of New South Wales for over a century. In that time, it has seen various fishing techniques that have been determined by the type of fish caught, developing knowledge of the science of fishing and, technology advancement. What is interesting, is the fishing fleet has predominantly been made up of small locally made, diesel engine boats, run by individual family businesses. It is these local family businesses that have helped shape the character of many of the south coast seaside towns, providing a distinct "localness" and rich fabric of community.
These pieces draw from these "little industries of humanity" that once gave their local towns an intensity of character and meaning.
The regional vessels were amazing structures shaped by necessity by our environment and the function they performed. Often, they were built on the side of a creek in small seaside towns by a local boat-builder. The boat-builder would "go into the surrounding bush" and select specific trees he wanted for the task. He would fell the trees, often mill them himself, and then skillfully "handcraft" these straight sections of timber into a beautiful curved structure to withstand all the forces of the ocean.
Commercial open ocean fishing has been an intrinsic industry along the south coast of New South Wales for over a century. In that time, it has seen various fishing techniques that have been determined by the type of fish caught, developing knowledge of the science of fishing and, technology advancement. What is interesting, is the fishing fleet has predominantly been made up of small locally made, diesel engine boats, run by individual family businesses. It is these local family businesses that have helped shape the character of many of the south coast seaside towns, providing a distinct "localness" and rich fabric of community.
These pieces draw from these "little industries of humanity" that once gave their local towns an intensity of character and meaning.