‘Charlie Cam’, 1932

The ‘Charlie Cam’ was formerly the State Government trawler ‘Dibbiu’ that had been built in Newcastle in 1917. She was a 222-ton vessel that had been sold to Cam and Sons in 1928 and was renamed ‘Charlie Cam’.

She was returning to Sydney on 22nd June 1932 with a large quantity of fish, after four days of successful trawling near Green Cape, when she was run aground at Bunga Head, about 10 miles north of Tathra. Apparently, a leak had developed on the return voyage to Sydney, so the captain had increased speed in the hope of reaching Sydney. The leak, however, had become so bad that he found it necessary to beach her. The crew of 12 then took to a boat and rowed 10 miles to Tathra. With the exception of a few personal effects, the ship was abandoned with everything on board.