2015-11-10 - P&O Agenda - Item 7, Attach 1 - Historical Ecology of the Noosa Estuary Fisheries

“The Tewantin Lakes, Queensland’s great fishing ground […]. Tewantin has some
beautiful lakes, chiefly Lake Coroyba, in which abound jew, tailor, cod, bream,
mullet, and whiting. Some enormous catches take place here, and it is generally
acknowledged by visitors to be the leading Queensland ground. Besides the lake
fishing, in Laguna Bay there are some of the best schnapper banks on the coast. The
unlimited supply of oysters is one of its lesser attractions. Plying on the Tewantin
Lakes is a fleet of motor boats. [Tewantin] is the rising watering-place of South
Queensland and rapidly becoming the most popular.” The Sydney Mail, 10 Mar
1909.


“…even the novice, with fine tackle, is assured of big catches.” Daily Standard, 12
Mar 1920.


Throughout the early 20th century, numbers of visitors to Tewantin and the
Noosa region swelled, and many of them were there to go fishing. Tourists would
fish from either the riverbanks or from rowboats (and later, small motor boats):


“In 21 days [at Tewantin] [3 persons] caught about 3,000 fish, principally whiting
(up to 22oz), flathead (up to 10lb), tailor, tarwhine, grunter, and bream. Worms
were used the whole time except when fishing for flathead, for which the bait was
whiting. Mrs R.W. Thurlow and her son Leu also had good sport, creeling over
1,500 fish in about three weeks.” The Brisbane Courier, 6 Nov 1913.


Some were repeat visitors, with one couple of from Melbourne returning for
many years to fish the river, even keeping a diary of their catches:


“Mr and Mrs J.H.J. Symon [...] have just returned to Melbourne [from Tewantin],
leaving behind them a record of 3,299 fish of various varieties that they caught
during the last half-year. Their total for the period spent at Tewantin during the
past 13 years, however, is very formidable, 44,656 fish. As they fish every day except
Sundays while at Tewantin the average per outing is approximately 22 fish.” The
Brisbane Courier, 12 Oct 1923.




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