Pearl shell on the wharf, Thursday Island, 1958. Slide by Harry Hyndman, Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland

Copyright © Peter Hyndman and the Centre for the Government of Queensland, University of Queensland

The pearling industry, 1965-66, Torres Strait. Slides by Elna Kerswell, Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland

Copyright © Elna Kerswell and Collection of the Centre for the Government of Queensland

Pearl shell in Mrs Muller's store in Cooktown, Collection of Regina Ganter

Collection of Regina Ganter

Pearl shell yield graph, 1890-1941. The yield per boat stands in an inverse relationship to the number of diving boats engaged in the pearling industry at Thursday Island, strongly suggesting that the resource was under stress from overharvesting, and that the best means of maximising profit would have been to limit the harvest. Collection of Regina Ganter

Collection of Regina Ganter

Georgie Wallis and Sammy Bowder cleaning pearl-shell on the deck of Keith Bradford’s Phyllis, c1950. Photograph by courtesy of Pedro Guivarra, Collection of Regina Ganter

Photograph by courtesy of Pedro Guivarra, Collection of Regina Ganter

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