This colourful trio captures a lively moment from Geelong’s 19th-century waterfront, when fresh seafood was bought and sold straight from the boats, long before refrigeration.

The scene shows a smiling dredger hauling in a tub of scallops and mussels from Corio Bay, a fishmonger proudly promoting the day’s catch, and a maid carefully inspecting shellfish to take home, likely sent from one of the grand homes of Newtown or Latrobe Terrace. A fresh fish already rests in her cotton bag.

In those days, Corio Bay was known for its abundant oyster beds, and scallop dredging was common practice. While those industries have since disappeared, this artwork keeps their story alive.

In a lovely connection to the present, visitors can still purchase fresh mussels from a boat moored nearby, though today’s seafood is sustainably farmed in Portarlington.

Bright and full of character, the Scallop Fishermen and Woman celebrate Geelong’s working waterfront.