The Fisherman’s Basket

This Fisherman’s Basket is a wicker luggage basket which is believed to have originally belonged to a sailor who deserted his sailing ship upon arrival at the Busselton Jetty, ca. 1890. He would have used this basket to transport his worldly belongings across the world to WA.

It is not known whether the basket still belonged to the sailor when it was used as a fisherman’s basket in local commercial fishing which included the annual salmon run along the coast at Eagle Bay, Meelup and Castle Bay.

The basket was lined with shark skin, which is a thick, flexible, durable and water-resistant form of leather which would have protected the wicker from damage due to continuous exposure to salt water and also would have kept the fish fresh for market.

If only this basket could talk, what seafaring adventures it could tell!