SAWTELL MUSEUM MEMOIR

(Nephew, Malcolm McLeod  died following a self-inflicted shooting accident at Wally's home).

The home was later taken over by the bank when a professional fishing venture failed.  The cellar was a museum open to visitors.

Malcolm McLeod working on "Barrier Reef' TV series.

John Harding and John C. Fairfax visit Wally at his former Sunday market where he sold sea shells and items collected from the sea.

Fathom magazine  issue 3  page 27   (1971)

BIG SHOULDER GUN

Sawtell N.S.W.

Wally Gibbins had a skin diving career that spanned the Pacific Ocean.  He salvaged non ferrous metals from Japanese war ships in deep water, often using high explosives contained within the ships the blow them open.  Today some tourist dive companies regard his outstanding career as vandalism, failing to recognise the pioneering aspects of diving.

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Spear fishing was a hobby in which he excelled at a time when few others were anywhere near matching his skills or exploits.

Also a keen shell collector his knowledge was admired by academics of this field, especially when he found numerous Gloria maris, the rarest sea shell in our part of the world and released by mail his 'price list' based on lengths of each specimen.  Experts were dumbfounded at the time.

The large 'shoulder gun' was useful, Wal explained his tequnique. 'tuck the butt under your arm thus allowing a particularly fast horizontal swing to be made underwater - i.e. when aiming at fast swimming large fish'.  Many friends were unable to load one of Wal's large guns.

DUNBAR WRECK SITE (SYDNEY)

FIRST SCUBA DIVES ON DUNBAR - STILLS FROM NEWREEL FILM

compass

telescope
bould for making lead bullets (slugs)

serving spoon

gold sovereigns

 silver coins some probably worn by crew

diamond ring, ruby ring, ring for wax seal impressions

SALVAGE: THE SOLOMON ISLANDS, VANUATU

Wally Gibbins was age 13 when the war was happening in The Solomon Islands. 

"Mister Wally" (originally Bali Hai)

At Sawtell NSW - shipping salvage gear to The Solomon Islands.
Pictured: Malcolm McLeod (nephew), John Sumner and Wally Gibbins

Bonegi II wreck - about 10 miles from Honiara, max depth 95 feet.

Bonegi  II  wreck near Honiara

Ruinui wreck varies in depth 25 ft to 150 feet

Bonegi shallow water

Wally was married, briefly.

Mal McLat HMAS Penguin's naval hospital when he had 'the bends' .

(Mal  married one of the nurses).

A RUN OF BAD LUCK.
Wal's nephew and salvage diver, Malcolm McLeod lived with Wally and his mother. Later the house was lost financially when a deal involving buying a professional fishing boat and license went sour. Then Mal had a fatal accident with a rifle in his bedroom.  It was not a good time for Wally and his mother.

Story published in People magazine covers an incident while working with  Ben Cropp.

Invited to host a dive trip, Captain Wally Muller owner of the charter boat Coralita called on the services of' Wally' to host diving expeditions when the ship scheduled trips to The Solomon Islands.  They encountered a live volcano erupting at sea with chunks of lava flying overhead and to the other side of the vessel.

Emergency  2nd wheel from a US oil supply vessel, WW2 , Solomon Islands

Brass plaques and port holes from various WW2 shipwrecks in The Solomon Islands brought to Australia by Wal but most or all have since disappeared. Here they were displayed at his Toormina shipwreck and sea shell museum, until the late 1980s.

Aedes egypti mozzie

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"Skindiving in Australia" magazine Volume 6 Number 1. (circa 1977)

Note:  Better quality pictures will replace these if and when the originals turn up. Any suggestions welcome.