The beloved daily fish feeding ritual that draws over 60,000 visitors to Aquascene each year owes its existence to one remarkable man — Carl Atkinson, who lived at the present site of Aquascene from 1945 to 1979.

 

Carl was no ordinary Darwin resident. A salvage expert, adventurer and lover of all things connected to the sea, he became one of Australia's most celebrated deep-sea divers, winning major contracts to salvage Allied ships sunk in Darwin Harbour during the Japanese bombing raids of 19 February 1942. His salvage work included the USAT Meigs, USAT Mauna Loa, SS Zealandia and USS Pery. During his years at Doctors Gully he shared his home with a pet crocodile named Cuthbert, a snake called Sammy and many greatly loved dogs — and was known to drive around Darwin in a salvaged Willys Jeep with his German Shepherd in the back.

 

Working with the cumbersome diving equipment of the era — heavy helmets, weights and air hoses — Carl fashioned his own makeshift decompression chamber, which proved invaluable to the Japanese pearl divers who frequently suffered decompression sickness during their perilous work. Carl is credited with saving the lives of at least 16 pearl divers using this equipment.

 

His colourful life extended well beyond diving. Carl is said to have beaten up Errol Flynn in New Guinea, introduced waterskiing to Australia, carried out diving operations in Sydney Harbour, and held the title of arm wrestling champion of Alice Springs.

 

The fish feeding began by accident. In 1958, Carl tossed a few bread scraps to some small fish he spotted in the water, idly thinking he might create a supply of fresh fish for dinner. More fish came each day on the high tide. The ritual grew. Carl successfully applied for the area to be declared a marine reserve in 1964, and single-handedly constructed a rock groyne to protect his beloved fish.

 

Carl never did eat his fish. As he always said — "one doesn't eat one's friends."

 

A colourful and deeply loved character until his death in February 1985, Carl Atkinson's legacy lives on in every fish that swims to the shore at Aquascene today.v