The weekend sale on Magnetic Island of the contents of the home and art gallery of maritime archeologist the late Vivienne Moran included items related to expeditions to the site of HMS Pandora , sent out to search for the Bounty mutineers, which struck the Great Barrier Reef in 1791 and sank with the loss of 35 lives.
Vivienne , who once managed the Townsville Maritime Musuem , had dived on the wreck of the Pandora on three occasions and played a part in the setting up of the Pandora exhibition at the Museum of Tropical Queensland .
It is understood the Pandora material which included shirts and mugs bearing the names of sponsors of dive expeditions , even King Gee overalls , will go to the Museum of Tropical Queensland , as will some of her library covering shipwrecks.
Proceeds from the Moran weekend sale , so far about $4000, will go to cancer research and State Emergency Services, of which Vivienne was an active member.
A short time before Vivienne died, she supported the suggestion that Magnetic Island should hold a Mermaid Art Festival-inspired by the fibreglass mermaid that mysteriously appeared on rocks at the entrance to the safe harbour , and was subsequently mutilated.
Little Darwin, especially the Shipping Reporter, covered the mermaid extensively .
