Acknowlegements

I’ve been collecting fishing reels and fishing memorabilia for over 30 years. In that time I have spoken to numerous fishing rod/reel makers and their families. The information I obtained from these people has been invaluable in setting up this website.

Special mention goes to the late Bob Dunn whose research and his book “Australian Fishing Reels A Collector’s Guide” which he published in 1994. His research for the book was carried out without the assistance of a digital camera or internet access, which is a credit to him. He travelled all over Australia and interviewed numerous people to acquire the information for his book which was no mean feat. Any content in this website sourced from the Australian Fishing Reels A Collectors Guide written by Bob Dunn or the  Australian Fishing Reels Supplements written by Bob Dunn or Victor Muller, have been used with the permission of the copyright holder.

I would also like to acknowledge the contributions of the following people:

  • My wife, Theresa, the original reel widow!
  • My son Daniel, for building and maintaining this website
  • My grandson Joshua Moore for his assistance in the putting my words into a intelligible format.
  • My youngest grandson Lincoln Doncaster for his cinemaphotography and editing of my online videos and for managing my YouTube and Instagram accounts.
  • Peter Jowett: A good friend of mine for 20+ years (Convinced Bob Dunn to write the collector’s guide. Peter provided invaluable assistance to Bob by speaking to various fishing identities and manufacturers in the Melbourne area including the Rogers Bros “EBRO” factory)
  • Jack and Bruce Alvey “Alvey Fishing Reels”
  • Ashleigh Smith for his knowledge of South Australian fishing reels and for his inspiration in creating the logo for the Museum
  • Barry Wright for his knowledge of “Surfmaster” and fishing reels manufactured in Victoria
  • Nick Kross Jnr “Nick Kross Reels”
  • Les Wilson “Ideal” and “Pastime” Reels
  • Laurie Wright (Errol Bullen’s nephew) “Atalanta Reels”
  • Eric Love (His father Billy Love game fisherman and boatman who caught live sharks for Taronga Park Zoo He was the boatman who captained Zane Greys boat when he went to the barrier reef to film the movie “White Death” (1936)
  • Arthur (Jim) Wild (Son of arguably one of the best shark fisherman in Australia, Bob Wild)
  • Bill Fitch Jnr (His father made Barrier Fishing Reels and rods in the 1930’s and was also a keen game fisherman)
  • Bert Allan (Patented and made “Allan Fishing Reels” at his home in Kingscliff New South Wales)
  • Malcolm and Brett Weiler (information on J.W. Day Reels)
  • Charles Lyne (His Father Reg Lyne, a keen game and fly fisherman, was responsible for bringing Zane Grey out to Australia. It was at the Montague Island camp in February 1934, under terrible weather conditions, that a meeting was held by the light of the spluttering hurricane lamp, and the Swordfish and Tunny Club of Australia (STC) was formed. The party of eight had made the journey to explore the possibilities of game fishing in Australia. This club was to become the oldest club in Australia devoted exclusively to game fishing, of which Reg was a founding member. The club was to later obtain affiliation with the Tuna Club, Avalon, Santa Catalina Island, U.S.A and the British Sea Anglers’ Club.)
  • Allen Knight (Made fishing reels from his home at Iluka NSW)
  • George Ferguson “Platypus Reels” and “Platypus Fishing Lines”
  • Jewel (His father Albert was keen game fisherman in the 1930’s)
  • Lyndsay Kelly (For information on his friend Bill Gallagher, maker of the first “Surfmaster Reel”)
  • Arthur Crouch (Managing director of “J.T Crouch and Son”)
  • Peter Jackson (Son of Wilfred Jackson who was an engineer and was involved with the manufacture of P.D.J Reels)
  • Morris Hager (Toolmaker and with partner Don Charlton, started remaking seascape in the 1980’s after they bought the business from Don Charlton’s wife)
  • Margarie Ware (Daughter of Wally Ware, who manufactured fishing reels for Leo Johnson, West-End Markets, Adelaide)
  • Jim Foote (His Uncle Beresford Foote was involved in the patent and manufacture of the first Christensen Reel in 1916)
  • Glenn Smith (Grandson of Les Jefferies of Ipswich who manufactured fishing reels in the early 1920’s)
  • The Eyre Family ( Harold Eyre manufactured fishing reels in early 1900’s at Ipswich)
  • Peter Goadby (One of Australia’s best known game fisherman and author who fished all over the world.)
  • Bill Kerton Jnr (“My father Bill Kerton Snr was great friends with Don Charlton and when a new model came out his was swapped for the new one. A smaller seascape reel, a prelude to the seascape minor, one of two made for my mother and Don’s wife.  Seascape was at 5 Victory Pde Wallsend in a workshop garage at the back to Don’s home.  Don had his stepson by marriage also working for him”)
  • John Mcintyre (Well-known game fisherman and historian. Has a wealth of knowledge on game fishing from his it’s beginnings in the early 1900’s to the present day. He has been the author of numerous articles and is a yearly contributor to the official Australian Game fishing Journal)
  • Peter Silcock (Port Stevens Game Fishing Club. Information on Athel D’Ombrain. Game fisherman in Port Stevens area)
  • Marty Rogers (Fishing manager at “Complete Angler”. Was instrumental in starting the Annual Victorian Fly Fishers Cane Rod Day. For his knowledge on fishing reels manufactured in Victoria. Was instrumental in John Brookes, who fished with Malcom Gillies, writing of “Life Long Pleasure, 70 years of Fly Fishing”)
  • Victor Muller (Published “Australian Fishing Reel Supplements” after Bob Dunn’s passing)
  • Cliff Noble (A genius on both metal and wood lathes and his ability to be able to remanufacture any parts that were missing or broken on any make of fishing reel
  • Terrance Hayden (Maker of Hayden Reels)
  • Frank G Leckie author of “E.J. Brown The Man and his Reels”
  • Adrian Pollock for the information on his father Cam Pollock
  • John W. Southam for the information on his father William Southam

Special thanks to Jeff Overington for his contributions regarding the fishing identities over the past few years. These include:

  • Don Bain (Father Herbert *Bud* Bain, manufacturer and inventor of Eildon and Goulbourn reels)
  • Jim Pardew (of Orbost who was a pioneer game fisherman in the 1930’s who also caught the first Marlin on rod and reel in Victorian waters in the early 1960’s)
  • Russell England (From Ipswich, Maker of “England Fishing Reels”)
  • Brian Curl (Son of George Curl, who made fishing reels at Mt Gambier from 1930’s- late 1950’s)
  • Jim Nixon (Of Orbost, for history on the Nixon family of game fisherman. Jim continued to game fishing until the 1960’s)
  • Con Tsikleas (Relative of Ernie Paspall who ran the South Brisbane sports depot in the 1930’s. He was a founding member of Queensland Game Fishing Association. He made rods for most of the Queensland Game Fisherman of that time including Norm Gow, Ben Grammond, Andy Carredus and Joyce Lambert. He also had a reel manufactured for him by his own design.)
  • Ted Snout (Founding member of the Queensland Game Fishing Association and well known World War I veteran, who fished on the East Coast of Australia from early 1930’s until mid-1960’s.)
  • Imogen Farfor (wife of Cyril Farfor, game fisherman in the 1930’s from St.Kilda, Victoria)
  • Ron Dorman (manufacture of the “Woodside” fishing reels)
  • The Fagen Family (Reg Fagan fished with Zane Grey in 1936. Fagan and Bullen are mentioned in Zane’s book – An American Angler in Australia. Circa 1935)
  • Jack Turville (Maker of the famous “Turville” Fishing Rods)
  • Mick McCarthy (Brisbane, maker of geared side-cast fishing reels.)
  • The Andreas Family (Harry Andreas, game fisherman in Australia and New Zealand. Maker of the famous “Andreas” Reel. The Andreas patent drag system was used on Hardy’s “Fortuna” reels)