The fishermen and their families arrived in Queenscliff around 1860 and set up camp on the mud flats north of Symonds Street.  The town folk were unimpressed: “the indiscriminate manner in which the fishermen were allowed to squat on or occupy the land so that the Flat will soon be strewed with their huts without any regularity.”  The Commissioner of Crown Lands was advised on the matter and requested to send a surveyor to mark out a block of land for the fishermen.  These were leased for £1 per year to licensed fishermen.  In 1879 when the invasion by the railways wiped out a number of fisherman’s allotments, planned expansion into the parklands was resisted.  “If it were occupied by the fishermen their dirty habits would probably lead to disease” and “it would mar and damage the appearance of that portion of the Borough”.

The family histories of these early fishermen are of great interest and are a window into early Victorian life.   There was bravery, tragedy, scandal, community spirit and great service given by those who lived on Fisherman’s Flat.

We will present the Todd family story.  “Larrikins, Lunatics, Lifeboats, Lords & Ladies.”