About Secretreef
Fred and Lorrie Ledwell spent their youth on and around the Sydney coastline. The rocky cays, bays and beaches offered the perfect playground for a pair of adventurous and social teens. Becoming members of the Sans Souci Dolphins Spearfishing club offered the camaraderie and competition. In the days before conservation was considered Lorrie and Fred chased the thrill of spearing big fish. They travelled up and down the coast, taking part in competitions and picking up odd jobs where they could.
As the buzz spread through the spearfishing community that divers were being sought after for a new export industry they packed a tent and headed south, to a place they knew nothing of, to dive for a mollusc they had only heard little of.
Their timing was good and they enjoyed the laid back lifestyle Mallacoota offered. Lorrie and Fred bought up two daughters and lived an enviable lifestyle for the next 22 years in the remote fishing village.
They found their 'secret reef'.
Fred and Lorrie remain in the abalone industry, only now in Tasmania, however, they will always call Mallacoota home.
The Book
HEAD DOWN | BUM UP
Head Down | Bum Up documents the beginning of the abalone industry in South East Victoria.
In the early 1960's a Chinese businessman recruited a group of young watermen to go to a place that was unknown, to dive for a shellfish they knew little of.
This is the story of how the industry was saved, managed, and continues to provide
for future generations.
