Rock Lobster Pot

This wooden slat and steel-framed pot is typical of those once used by Geraldton’s rock lobster fishers. Weighted to sink to the seafloor, it was baited to lure Western Rock Lobsters (Panulirus cygnus) inside. The design allowed lobsters to enter easily but made it difficult for them to escape.

Such pots were hauled aboard by hand or with mechanical winches, and the catch was measured to ensure legal size before being kept or returned. Rock lobster fishing has long been central to Geraldton’s economy, growing into one of Australia’s most valuable and sustainable fisheries.