Wally when aged about 42 returned to the spearing competitions he'd shunned for good reasons.
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Probably the first spearfishing trophy in Australia - the Chesty Bond trophy won by W. Gibbins for the heaviest fish in a special competition. Engraving says "Blue Groper 45 and (unreadable in the photo) possibly 'quarter' pounds. May 1951 In effect this would make it an unclaimed NSW spearfishing record as well.
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CLASSIC. Speared Mulloway, 1950s (pre wetsuits). Forester's Beach, Central Coast of New South Wales.
Published in People Magazine, picture of Wally Gibbins courtesy of Jeff Carter
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I absolutely loved my "uncle" Wally. He was my dad's young protege and longtime family friend . He undoubtedly became a public entity in his own right but he did not however win the first spear-fishing trophy in Australia. That honour was earned by my father Jack Egan when he wrote himself into the record books of Australian spear fishing history as the first spearman in Australia to win a spear fishing trophy. Jack was 24 years of age at the time. The competition was held at Laparuse near Sydney. The fish was a Black Drummer speared on October 17 1948. The trophy called “The Dick Charles Trophy” was awarded for the best fish of the day. Jack also once held an Australian record for catching a Silver Drummer weighing 26 pounds.
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