Merv the World's Largest Oyster: The Merimbula Oyster Festival Monument

By Gary W. Selman

The Merimbula Oyster Festival Monument commemorates not only oyster farming and the Oyster Festivals held in recognition of that important local industry, but also commemorates an important era in the local history of Merimbula on the far south coast of New South Wales, Australia.

Unfortunately, the monument's function of enabling us to always recall and remember the past, and events associated with it, is hampered by the absence of a record of those events.

It is hoped that this account of the tortuous history of Merv the World's Largest Oyster, and the Oyster Festivals the monument commemorates, will arrest the diminishing contribution that the monument would otherwise have made.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shadowlands Publishing
• Release date: Apr 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9780648326670

Book preview

Merv

the World’s Largest Oyster

The Merimbula Oyster Festival Monument

––––––––

Gary W. Selman

––––––––

Shadowlands Publishing

Australia

Copyright © 2019 by Gary W. Selman

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher except for private study, research, or critical reviews.

Published by Shadowlands Publishing, Merimbula, NSW 2548, Australia

www.shadowlandspublishing.com

Cover design by Shadowlands Publishing

Cover art by the author and

iStockphoto.com/825722758/©Wisaad

1981 Merimbula Oyster Festival Supplement, Bega District News and Imlay Magnet/Logo

Interior images:

iStockphoto.com/825722758/©Wisaad

1981 Merimbula Oyster Festival Supplement, Bega District News and Imlay Magnet/Logo

––––––––

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry

Selman, Gary W.

Merv the World’s Largest Oyster: The Merimbula Oyster Festival Monument

eBook ISBN 978-0-6483266-7-0

Book ISBN 978-0-6483266-6-3

Contents

Contents

List of Tables, Maps, Images and Photographs

Foreword

Thanks and Appreciation

Introduction

1.  Merimbula and its Oyster Industry

2.  The Monument

3.  The First Festival 1979

4.  A Home for the Monument

5.  Success and Benefits of the Festival

6.  The 1980 Festival

7.  A New Home for Merv

8.  The Final Festival 1981

9.  Life for Merv after 1981

10.  Conclusion

Merimbula Oyster Festival Committee Members

Bibliography

About the Author

Notes

List of Tables, Maps, Images and Photographs

Tables

1.1 Oyster production in tonnes

1.2 Population of Merimbula

Maps

7.1 Map of Merimbula town centre showing some of the sites associated with the history of the monument and oyster festivals

7.2 Map of Merimbula showing some of the sites associated with the history of the monument and oyster festivals

7.3 Map of Merimbula area showing some of the sites associated with the history of the monument and oyster festivals

Images

2.1 1977 Merimbula Fest logo

3.1 1979 Merimbula Oyster Festival logo

6.1 1980 Merimbula Oyster Festival logo

6.2 Caricature of oyster ‘Merv’ the Merimbula Oyster, used in promotion of 1980 festival

6.3 Depiction of the monument and Sybilla Schmitz, used in promotion of 1980 festival

8.1 1981 Merimbula Oyster Festival logo

9.1 1988 Merimbula Oyster Festival logo

Photographs

1.1 Merimbula oyster farmers 1988 award winners Peter Cole, Jack Cole, Shelley Boyton and Chris Boyton

1.2 Jack Cole granted life membership of the Oyster Farmers’ Association of NSW, 1992

2.1 Merimbula Oyster Festival Monument

2.2 Plaque on Merimbula Oyster Festival Monument

3.1 Merimbula Oyster Festival Committee 1979

3.2 Merimbula Oyster Festival 1979 wine bottles

3.3 Tony Staley and Glenn Cox with the ‘world’s largest oyster’, official opening 1979 festival

3.4 Stan Delle Vergin 1979 Merimbula Oyster King

3.5 Sheree Leary 1979 Festival Queen

3.6 Violet Wilson 1979 Oyster Festival Mother of Pearl

3.7 Violet Wilson receiving prize from Jack Delahey

3.8 Karen Smith 1979 Merimbula Oyster Pearl receiving prize from Jack Delahey

3.9 Robbie Pointon 1979 Oyster Festival-Lakeview Hotel Sportsman of the Year and Douglas Pointon, one of the finalists

3.10 Ron Ross congratulates Robbie Pointon and Greg Wollaston, one of the finalists for Sportsman of the Year

3.11 ‘World’s largest oyster’ on float carrying Merimbula Oyster King Stan Delle Vergin, street parade 1979

3.12 Part of the Merimbula Big Game & Lakes Angling Club float

3.13 Commonwealth Bank float

3.14 Merimbula District Netball Club float

3.15 Imlay Pre-School float

3.16 Robbie Pointon and his brother John on their father’s boat in the street parade

3.17 Merimbula Town Band, part of the street parade

3.18 Peters Ice Cream van featured in the street parade

3.19 Ron Hansen 1979 oyster eating record holder with his winner’s trophy

3.20 World record oyster eating competition 1979

3.21 Medallion awarded to Susan Fane, one of the medallions awarded to the 1979 Merimbula Oyster Festival Committee members

4.1 Stan Delle Vergin handing the ‘world’s largest oyster’ to Ron Archer, June 1979

4.2 Sheree Leary and Ron Archer unveiling the oyster monument at its new ‘permanent’ location, August 1979

4.3 Photographer Ian Roberts captures the oyster and Sybilla Schmitz, of Merimbula, June 1979

4.4 Cover page Merimbula, Pambula Beach New South Wales: Your Guide to a More Exciting Holiday

6.1 Merimbula Oyster Festival Committee 1980

6.2 Merimbula Oyster Festival 1980 wine glass

6.3 Ron Knox crowned 1980 Merimbula Oyster King by Murray Sainsbury

6.4 Suzanne Jones 1980 Festival Queen

6.5 Dolly McCulloch 1980 Oyster Festival Mother of Pearl

6.6 Dolly McCulloch being congratulated by Frank Scott and Ray Rumble

6.7 Debbie Schaefer 1980 Festival Teen Queen

6.8 Michelle Whelan, entrant for Festival Queen

6.9 Tracie Casbolt, entrant for Teen Queen

6.10 Sandra Ingram, entrant for Teen Queen

6.11 Patricia Whant, entrant for Teen Queen

6.12 1980 award winners Suzanne Jones Festival Queen, Ron Knox Merimbula Oyster King and Debbie Schaefer Festival Teen Queen

6.13 Patricia Whant 1980 Oyster Festival-Lakeview Hotel Junior Sportsperson of the Year being congratulated by Phil Coles

6.14 Pambula Pre-School float

6.15 Mack Trucks float

6.16 Skydiver makes his parachute landing

6.17 Children enjoying a ride on the Rotary Rocket

6.18 Wayne Hoyle 1980 oyster opening winner receiving trophy from Glenn Cox

6.19 Wayne Hoyle engrossed in his attempt at the world oyster opening record

7.1 Monument inside the Tourist Information Centre, March 1981

7.2 Monument outside the Tourist Information Centre, April 1981

8.1 Merimbula Oyster Festival Committee 1981

8.2 Conrad de Zwart 1981 Merimbula Oyster King congratulates Robyn Granger 1981 Charity Queen and Jeanice Reid, runner-up Charity Queen

8.3 Merle Warn 1981 Oyster Festival Mother of Pearl

8.4 Belinda McGuire 1981 Festival Queen

8.5 Virginia