Impacts on marine turtles - The Great Barrier Reef: An Environmental History - page 85

Figure 6.8 Flatback turtles overturned on a resort island beach, 1900s. Source: Negative
No. AP3:470, Robert Etheridge Photographs, Museum Archives, Australian Museum; Dr.
C. L. Limpus, personal communication, 20 May 2013
were mounted by riders as they made their way down the beach to the sea
(Figure 6.9) . At Masthead Island, a 'Turtle Derby' was instigated, as Barrett
(1930, p375) described:
The united strength of three men [ sic ] was needed often to overturn a turtle
caught napping on the sand. Grasping flippers and tail and the edge of the
shield, we gave a sharp heave, and our friend was lying helpless on its back.
The Turtle Derby of Masthead Islet was a memorable event! The jockeys
wore bathing suits, and the 'winning post' was just the sunlit sea.
Figure 6.9 Turtle-riding at Heron Island, c. 1930. Source: Photograph, Ref. 2849TB,
QS57/1, Item 22, QSA