Early Cargoes - Timber, Wool and Wheat
The long history of the pearling lugger Trixen
The history of the Broome pearling lugger Trixen is long and complicated. Built as ‘Trixie’ in 1904, her first registered owner was Mrs Eliza Miller. Although there were women pearlers at the time, Trixie’s registration would have been for the financial benefit of Eliza’s husband.
By the 1920s older luggers were being phased out. However, pearlers often arranged for some of the major timbers of old vessels to be incorporated into a new one. This enabled them to claim that they were ‘repairing’ the old vessel! Trixen is an example of such a rebuild. Although rebuilding began in the early 1940s, the war delayed completion. Anecdotal evidence suggests shrapnel from Japanese air raids was later found lodged in Trixen’s timbers. Finally, in 1947, work was completed, but the official build date remained as 1904!
In 1960 Trixen was sent to Carnarvon as a prawn trawler. After sinking in the mouth of the Gascoyne River, it was refloated and fitted out for fishing. Then the boat was sold to an offal contractor in Perth. In 1971 Trixen was sold again and modified as a ferry, taking holidaymakers and supplies to and from Garden Island. After being abandoned and sinking in the Swan River, it was bought and donated to the WA Museum. It was brought to Fremantle where, in 2001, the Museum’s shipwright, Bill Leonard, restored Trixen to how it would have looked on being launched at Streeter and Male’s yard in 1947.
The Trixen before its recovery in the early 1980s. It was recovered by the Maritime Archaeology Association of WA, In the early 1980s it was recovered by the Maritime Archaeology Association of WAIn the early 1980s it was recovered by the Maritime Archaeology Association of WA, and the WA Maritime Museum.
Credit: WA Museum