Distinguished maritime historian and seaman, Graeme Andrews of Koolewong, passed away recently at the age of 86.
Living in Koolewong for the past 30 years, Andrews dedicated his life to preserving Australia’s maritime history.
His deep connection to the sea, combined with his vast knowledge, made him one of the country’s most respected authorities on maritime heritage.
His passion for the sea began early in life.
At 17, he joined the Australian Navy and later became the master of Sydney ferries, and firefighting vessels.
After retiring, he skippered commercial ferries and enjoyed sailing on Brisbane Water and continued writing.
Sitting on his balcony in Koolewong with his wife Winsome was a great pleasure for him in later life, recalling many of his maritime adventures.
In his last book, The Watermen of Sydney: Memories of a Working Harbour, Andrews chronicled the transformation of Port Jackson through remarkable photography and oral histories of those who lived and worked on the harbour.
He wrote of people who took pride in their work, in many service roles on and around the harbour and published more than 20 books during his career, including The Ferries of Sydney, Australasian Navies, Pictorial History of Ferries, South Coast Steamer, and Veteran Ships.
He contributed to Afloat Magazine and Sea Heritage for many years.
His creation of the Sydney Working Harbour photography collection was a crowning achievement.
He digitised, identified, and donated approximately 10,000 images to the City of Sydney archives.
This marked one of the largest and most significant photographic contributions of its kind, offering future generations invaluable insight into Sydney Harbour’s history as a working port.
Despite leaving school at 15, Andrews went on to earn a Master of Arts in History in 1999 and was awarded the Order of Australia in 2000 for his services to maritime history.
Beyond his professional life, he was a devoted family man, and a loving and grateful husband, a proud father to his daughters and a dedicated grandfather.
His profound contributions to maritime history, through both his writing and photography, ensure that his legacy will be cherished for generations to come.
A memorial service will be held on October 25 and the family can be contacted for details at gandrews2073@gmail.com
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