History of Kalbarri Sea Search & rescue (VMR 673)
The Kalbarri Sea Search & Rescue Service was formed in the 1980s to assist in the protection of all craft using our waters. The following is a potted history of what went before – and to the present day of 2015 where we have Stage 3 of the VMR building in the pipeline, much in the way of equipment and over 50 members (of whom most are the volunteers who lend their time and expertise to continue making these waters safe).
In the early days of Kalbarri, local mechanic John Horton operated a marine radio base from his work premises, Kalbarri Caltex (now BP) from 1977. It was officially recognised as a ‘coastal radio service’ and performed an essential safety service for professional and amateur fishermen with the frequency also covering ambulance and RAC breakdown services. There was no financial assistance although the fishermen contributed to the cost of the marine licence. It was a Codan HF radio system with base station and mobile. The radio mast was near where the police station is now. To get it there and upright was a true community effort! It was much appreciated for when problems arose out at sea. The call sign was VH6PA for amateurs and 6JA for professionals. Channel 88 was for emergencies.
John cites a couple of interesting occurrences from those early days: helping with navigation to safe anchorage of a fishing vessel by means of mirror flashings (using his ute’s rear vision mirror!) and on another occasion a young couple were at sea in a dinghy. They ran out of fuel and called for assistance with the only location identification being a sand hill. The only reflective thing they had on board was a shiny belt buckle. It did the job; with the aid of radio communication and the flashing of that belt buckle, a nearby crayboat located them.
Crayfishing was to become a booming business in the 1980s and 1990s and the waters out from the Murchison River Mouth were gaining a reputation for great fishing. Thus small craft belonging to amateur fishermen were also becoming more numerous.
Radios that were used in the beginning:
A 27 meg Uniden set
This cost under $100 and could be used for line-of-sight or less than 50 kms radio work.
The base station and mobile Coden radios cost about $4,500 with HF signals being clearer and able to be transmitted over thousands of kms.
An annual licence fee was applicable and the fishermen contributed to this.
The operator/s had to be qualified to operate a ‘limited coast base station’ which also covered the ambulance and RAC service.
Today 2014:
The 27 meg set will be phased out by 2017
The VHF service that we currently operate will be going to digital selective calling by 2017
When John Horton sold his business and left town in 1987, Harry Crawford took on the task of radio operator. He and his wife Betty had both a CB and marine radio base set up at their home on Murchison Caravan Park. A standby station was also operated at that time by Cliff Haines at Sun River Chalets. Harry spent many hours monitoring the radio, and his presence there was appreciated by all. Gradually with a little gentle pressure he began teaching the fishermen to log on each time and also to give him a call when they returned. It was much easier when he set up camp near the boat ramp and the fishermen were able to give him the head’s up on what was being caught as well. This was in a caravan which John Horton had acquired and Ted King had modified for radio-operator use. Antennas were stuck out through the roof! Harry wasn’t averse to a bottle of scotch here and there which was proof of thanks indeed!
Often a few hearty friends would gather with Harry at the boat ramp and over a few bevvies the problems of the world and fishing (with particular attention to the Kalbarri region) were debated. It was here that the proposal of a Sea Search & Rescue building was instigated.
Harry Crawford retired in February 2001 after more than 20 years (his wife Betty estimated 84,000 hours!) and was awarded the Emergency Services Medal for his outstanding volunteer work over that time. As a tribute to this service, the new building was named the Harry & Betty Crawford VMR Communications Building.
The communications mast went in with the first stage of the building programme. It was about 66’ high which caused consternation and objections from neighbours. Its maintenance was also very expensive, needing a cherry picker (at around $1,200 each time) to enable work to be done at the top although apparently they hoisted Harry up there in a basket once! Mast No. 2 was donated by one of the mining companies up north. It is slightly shorter and folds down, which is handy as the pink and grey galahs still manage to damage it.
FESA became the governing body in 1999 and government grants were used to obtain most funds. But in the early days of Sea Search & Rescue, fundraising was Kalbarri-generated with regular chook-raffles and the like. However the group was paid a stipend by the government for every rescue undertaken. Mostly it was the professional crayfishermen in their larger boats who undertook the actual rescue, but Sea Search & Rescue was acknowledged as the co-ordinator of these rescues.
A motorbike was purchased in 2001, followed by rescue boats and jet skis.
These were replaced as required and by 2014 the fleet included a new..
SIGNIFICANT ACTION STATISTICS for 12 months to May 2014:
In the early days of Kalbarri, local mechanic John Horton operated a marine radio base from his work premises, Kalbarri Caltex (now BP) from 1977. It was officially recognised as a ‘coastal radio service’ and performed an essential safety service for professional and amateur fishermen with the frequency also covering ambulance and RAC breakdown services. There was no financial assistance although the fishermen contributed to the cost of the marine licence. It was a Codan HF radio system with base station and mobile. The radio mast was near where the police station is now. To get it there and upright was a true community effort! It was much appreciated for when problems arose out at sea. The call sign was VH6PA for amateurs and 6JA for professionals. Channel 88 was for emergencies.
John cites a couple of interesting occurrences from those early days: helping with navigation to safe anchorage of a fishing vessel by means of mirror flashings (using his ute’s rear vision mirror!) and on another occasion a young couple were at sea in a dinghy. They ran out of fuel and called for assistance with the only location identification being a sand hill. The only reflective thing they had on board was a shiny belt buckle. It did the job; with the aid of radio communication and the flashing of that belt buckle, a nearby crayboat located them.
Crayfishing was to become a booming business in the 1980s and 1990s and the waters out from the Murchison River Mouth were gaining a reputation for great fishing. Thus small craft belonging to amateur fishermen were also becoming more numerous.
Radios that were used in the beginning:
A 27 meg Uniden set
This cost under $100 and could be used for line-of-sight or less than 50 kms radio work.
The base station and mobile Coden radios cost about $4,500 with HF signals being clearer and able to be transmitted over thousands of kms.
An annual licence fee was applicable and the fishermen contributed to this.
The operator/s had to be qualified to operate a ‘limited coast base station’ which also covered the ambulance and RAC service.
Today 2014:
The 27 meg set will be phased out by 2017
The VHF service that we currently operate will be going to digital selective calling by 2017
When John Horton sold his business and left town in 1987, Harry Crawford took on the task of radio operator. He and his wife Betty had both a CB and marine radio base set up at their home on Murchison Caravan Park. A standby station was also operated at that time by Cliff Haines at Sun River Chalets. Harry spent many hours monitoring the radio, and his presence there was appreciated by all. Gradually with a little gentle pressure he began teaching the fishermen to log on each time and also to give him a call when they returned. It was much easier when he set up camp near the boat ramp and the fishermen were able to give him the head’s up on what was being caught as well. This was in a caravan which John Horton had acquired and Ted King had modified for radio-operator use. Antennas were stuck out through the roof! Harry wasn’t averse to a bottle of scotch here and there which was proof of thanks indeed!
Often a few hearty friends would gather with Harry at the boat ramp and over a few bevvies the problems of the world and fishing (with particular attention to the Kalbarri region) were debated. It was here that the proposal of a Sea Search & Rescue building was instigated.
Harry Crawford retired in February 2001 after more than 20 years (his wife Betty estimated 84,000 hours!) and was awarded the Emergency Services Medal for his outstanding volunteer work over that time. As a tribute to this service, the new building was named the Harry & Betty Crawford VMR Communications Building.
The communications mast went in with the first stage of the building programme. It was about 66’ high which caused consternation and objections from neighbours. Its maintenance was also very expensive, needing a cherry picker (at around $1,200 each time) to enable work to be done at the top although apparently they hoisted Harry up there in a basket once! Mast No. 2 was donated by one of the mining companies up north. It is slightly shorter and folds down, which is handy as the pink and grey galahs still manage to damage it.
FESA became the governing body in 1999 and government grants were used to obtain most funds. But in the early days of Sea Search & Rescue, fundraising was Kalbarri-generated with regular chook-raffles and the like. However the group was paid a stipend by the government for every rescue undertaken. Mostly it was the professional crayfishermen in their larger boats who undertook the actual rescue, but Sea Search & Rescue was acknowledged as the co-ordinator of these rescues.
A motorbike was purchased in 2001, followed by rescue boats and jet skis.
These were replaced as required and by 2014 the fleet included a new..
- 8.5m Naiad (with all the latest touch-screen technology
- Yamaha jet ski, 4x4 John Deere Gator
- and a Hino Truck
SIGNIFICANT ACTION STATISTICS for 12 months to May 2014:
- 3,600 Boat log-ons (average of 2 crew) = 20% increase on previous year
- 2,308 Volunteer hours from radio operators
- 769 Volunteer hours from rescue crew
- 32 Training days
- 9 Rescues/mayday responses
- 29 Tow-ins or recoveries
- 17 Situations involving liaisons with police
- 32 Training days
- 9 Rescues/mayday responses
