Just Landed Tasmania

They Just Landed!

A rope was hurled off Japara and fixed to the wharf. It began as a quiet spectacle, just the puff and squeal of the engine as Skipper Warwick brings the boat into on the Inglis River at full tide. He motored Japara up beside the timber structure where it’s landed after 7 days offshore in Bass Strait. A truck was backed up there with the rear doors swung wide open. A driver lingered close by. His job was to take the load to Devonport by 6. A forklift shifted the insulated crates full of ice chips up close to the fishing vessel, Japara. The navy paint work hides the fact that this boat has been on the water 47 years, still going strong.

“A bin for ‘Schoolies’ and a bin for ‘Gummies’! Yelled Pete, who jumped down on deck.

5 tonne of Shark is housed directly underfoot. Pete has had years of seafaring and now his role is managing the growing business, Just Landed from the land.

“The worse part’s loading the truck!” a voice cries.

The green mass of Table Cape is framed by dark grey sky in the background. A light breeze shifts full white clouds over the Inglis River and fierce sun light breaks over the small crowd that has gathered on the Wynyard Wharf. There’s finally a hint of spring. The landed crew put on overalls and plastic gloves that go to the elbow and take off extra coats. Crew man, Jake is still on the boat. His smile mirrors those onshore in greeting. His brother Eli rolls him a cigarette and together they work their way around the deck, opening up the ice room to unload the catch.

Ocean fresh Shark, salty clean and gutted for wholesale is deep buried in the boat’s hull, under shovel loads of ice. The lure of this load is palpable. Warwick the Skipper has come ashore alongside owner, Pete. The solid ground holds him after a week rocking offshore in Bass Strait. The quiet nods and words exchanged allow that space between ocean and land to connect. A few onlookers come in close by now to catch sight of the load, hear a tale from the crew and share some banter about the latest footy scores. The conversation rises in clamour as the first shark’s body is brought to shore; it clears the deck, speckled rough skin on a body as long as a child. Out of Japara’s ice hold, it’s plunged back into ice on the wharf within seconds ready to go fresh to market on the mainland.

Some of this sustainably netted shark you’ll find closer to home in the refrigerated display cabinets of Tasmania’s IGA or HillStreet supermarket chains, and your favourite restaurants and cafés; filleted fresh for your kitchen after a breeze through the new facility at Wynyard airport. From the ocean off north- west and west coast Tasmania, through the capable hands of Just Landed crew, to your plate. As fresh as you can get.

To find out more, have a word with Pete and Virginia Smith.