The Wildflower under sail 1990
The vessel “Wildflower” is a 28′ double ended fishing boat, constructed by the renowned Blunt family boat works in Victoria and is believed to be one of the oldest continually operated commercial fishing vessels in Australia. The boat has been in the continuous ownership of the Mouchmore family for over 114 years and has spent its entire working life fishing and sailing on the waters of Princess Royal Harbour and King George Sound.
Deterioration of the hull in recent years has led to arrangements to place the fishing vessel Wildflower into the custodianship of the AMF for preservation and display. The project, including restoration and research and finally public display has widespread community support and is welcomed by the West Australian Maritime Museum.
The vessel has been on hard standing since it was decommissioned several years ago. She has been gifted to the custodianship of the Albany Maritime Foundation for restoration and display.
The intention is to restore the vessel to a displayable condition under the guidance of an experienced local shipwright together with input from Mr Greg Blunt (the family of the original builder located in Victoria ) and Mr Bill Leonard from the West Australian Maritime Museum.
The boat named “Wildflower” was built in Queenscliff, Victoria and launched on the 1 1h July, 1889. 26 feet long and built with New Zealand Pine. Grey ‘double ender’ with clinker sides and a carvel bottom, also the mast is the original. July 2005 the boat was 116 years old. Owned by the Mouchemore family since the day it was built makes this of great significance to the WA Museum – Albany as “Mouchemore Cottage” is part of the Museum.
The Mouchemore family arrived in Albany from Queenscliff, Victoria, on the Steam Ship “SS Maracura” in 1895. Henry and Mary, and their 7 children Another son was born in Albany in 1896. The family fishing boats “Wildflower and Wildwave” were also shipped with them. The family soon established their fishing business, mainly supplying visiting Mail Ships and also Kalgoorlie and Perth markets via rail transport each afternoon.
Eventually spreading their business interests into aFis h Shop in Kalgoorlie and also a Plumbing business in Albany, called Mouchemore & Co. They purchased the Mouchemore Cottage in 1905, which was an ideal position for a fishing family to live. The boats could be anchored close by. The Wildflower has been anchored in the same area of the harbour for 108 years. Still in daily use by the Mouchemore family as a working fishing boat up to 1997. Fishing License ending in 2003. This was the oldest licensed fishing boat in Western Australia and maybe Australia, 114 years licensed to fish and supply thousands of people throughout WA, with great Albany fish.
A total of 5 Mouchemore men, from three generations have been the only men to fish professionally in the Wildflower. Henry, Philip, Barnard, Les, Edward (Ted) who is still fishing today in the 21st Century. he Wildflower won the Albany Regatta in 1898 and was last sailed in 1995 at the age of 106 years old. The Wildflower is very important to the fishing history of Albany. A part of Albany for so long, a real landmark for the locals. When working, the Wildflower was a tourist icon, busloads of tourists would stop briefly in front of the Residency Museum and contemplate the age of the small grey boat moored beside the haul road, and see the old fisherman bringing in his catch on a drizzle-soaked morning, they must get a sense that this is a small bit of life that goes back to earlier times. This sense of tradition is important for Albany and WA’s tourism.
For more information about how you can be involved in this project contact Peter Wilson handhewn@wn.com.au or 0407533606
An unassuming presence: the oldest boat in Albany, Wildflower, came to Albany with her sister Wildwave in 1894. Built in 1890, Queenscliff.