In 1959 one of Darwin's most colourful maritime dramas unfolded when distress calls were heard from the Sea Fox — a 120ft luxury yacht en route from South East Asia to Sydney, following a refuelling stopover in Darwin.

 

After a controversial air and sea search, the vessel ran aground on Elcho Island in the remote north-eastern area of the Northern Territory. On board was an extraordinary cast — owner and famous magician and actor John Calvert, his girlfriend and young Filipino singing star Pilita Corrales, a bevy of assistants, and Jimmy the chimpanzee, better known to the world as Cheetah from the Tarzan movies. It was rumoured that Jimmy escaped the stranded vessel and proceeded to terrify the Aboriginal residents of Elcho Island, who had never seen a chimpanzee before.

 

The story was gleefully reported by the Darwin media, with conflicting accounts of the damage and sequence of events eagerly picked up by the international press.

 

Carl Atkinson, then owner of Doctors Gully, sailed the badly damaged Sea Fox back to Darwin, where it was blown ashore from its moorings and deemed beyond repair. A bitter salvage dispute over ownership followed — ending when Atkinson sold the once-glamorous vessel. The new owner promptly burnt it to the waterline. All they wanted was the lead ballast from the keel.