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25/08/2006: "WALLY GIBBINS .......pictures"

The brass ‘steering wheel’ came from a Japanese WWII shipwreck in the Solomon Islands. It was positioned at the stern of a vessel outside the wheelhouse. We took these pictures at his Toormina home when he had the seashell and shipwreck museum downstairs.

The silver trophy was for Largest Fish 1950-1951 a 45.5 pound blue groper. It should have automatically become a New South Wales state spearing record, but didn’t.

Envious that Wally was winning all the first prize trophies, someone (unknown) but in charge handed Wal’s (entitled) first prizes to whoever was in second place in an effort to share things around.

Wally consequently dropped out of the competitions for several, perhaps even ten years in disgust.