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LITTLE DIRK at Carnarvon early in 2000 before restoration work began.
Little Dirk
LITTLE DIRK at Carnarvon early in 2000 before restoration work began.
LITTLE DIRK at Carnarvon early in 2000 before restoration work began.
Reproduced courtesy of the Carnarvon Heritage Group and the Maritime Heritage Association

Little Dirk

Vessel numberHV000008
Date1927
DimensionsVessel Dimensions: 8.89 m x 8.75 m x 2.88 m x 0.72 m (29.2 ft x 28.7 ft x 9.4 ft x 2.4 ft)
DescriptionLITTLE DIRK is a wooden, gaff-cutter rigged vessel nearly 9 metres long. It was initially built as a net boat before being used as a pearl sheller in Shark Bay. It was designed and built by Robin Gourleyin 1927. He was based in East Fremantle WA, and is an excellent example of a boat with Gourley’s unique cartwheel stern. This stern is nearly semi-circular in planform at the deck, while the hull planking finishes almost as a double-ended shape and the rudder then hangs off the end of the hull. This configuration is an interesting mixture of details.

The pearl shelling industry in WA was one of the most significant early industries in the region, and was largely centered around Broome as a base for the pearl fields offshore. However another source of pearl shell was the shallow area in Shark Bay, further south of Broome. The craft used in this area were shallow draft, single masted and smaller vessels than the offshore capable craft working out of Broome. Although not designed to be a pearl sheller, LITTLE DIRK's size was ideal for the work and it was similar to other craft working the fields in Shark Bay.

In this region they dredged the bottom for shell, and sorted the material from the mud and other debris that came up in each load.

When it was no longer required for pearling the craft found other uses in the same area of Western Australia and was at one time converted to a motor launch for private owners. In 2013 LITTLE DIRK was being stabilized and undergoing a gradual restoration project overseen by the Carnarvon Heritage Group.
SignificanceLITTLE DIRK is pearl shelling lugger built by Robin Gourley in Western Australia in 1927. It was used in the pearling industry in the Shark Bay region of Western Australia. It is one of the few craft surviving from that area where the conditions are relatively sheltered and shallow compared to the deeper fields off the Broome coastline, and they dredge for the shell rather than dive. It also a one of the few craft surviving from the builder Robin Gourley.
Vessel Highlights
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Kevin Buckeridge
1957
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Streeter & Male
1958
ANTONIA  in Townsville 2005, about to begin restoration by removing added deck superstructure.
Norman R Wright and Sons
1956
INTOMBI in 2010 off Cable Beach in Broome WA.
WA Chamberlain (Snr and Jnr)
1930
TRITON on the slips in 2014 and still in survey
Hansen and Collis
1952
Ancel
Streeter & Male
1953
Streeter
Alf Morgan
Sisterships ANNIKI and ANTONIA rafted up at Thursday Island in the 1960s.
Norman R Wright and Sons
1958
JOHN LOUIS on Sydney Harbour in 2004
Male and Co
1957
TRIXEN was restored by William Leonard, MRINA, in 2001 and placed on display in the Western Aus…
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1904