Amato Family (Corrado)

Like his father back home he sought work as a fisherman but for a period during the war he gained employment at Watsonia. As soon as the war ended, Corrado was back to his beloved fishing.

In 1948, Corrado voyaged to Italy and on 6 June married Gina Azzollini. Together they returned to Australia on 22 November 1948 on the passenger ship the Toscana and settled in Fremantle. Moving around until they found their family home, Corrado and Gina resided on High Street behind the Roma Restaurant and then Little Howard Street, until they finally found their permanent home on the corner of South Street and South Terrace. Here, Corrado and Gina had the joy of raising four children; Joan, Maria, Angie and Larry.

Corrado, a fisherman at heart devoted his working career in Fremantle to the fishing industry. In the early days, Corrado was part owner of the fishing boat Saint Giovanni and Santa Maria and later went on to build the Santa Maria II in 1972. It was at this time that his son Larry began his fishing career at the young age of 14. Even though Corrado was not one to show his emotions, never could he be so proud to have his son Larry follow in his footsteps, continuing the family tradition, as did generations before him.

After seven years of guidance and with Corrado showing his son the ropes, Larry skippered the Santa Maria II in 1979. With his great love for the ocean, fishing and boats in 1983, Corrado found great pleasure in seeing the Santa Maria III being built together with the Polaris, owned by his close friend and Lancelin neighbour, Pep Arangio.

Aside from Fremantle, Lancelin was another location where Corrado would fish. This was a place he truly loved and where his family would join him on school holidays, often hitching a ride on the truck making its way to Lancelin. Corrado enjoyed showing his children his fishing skills, in particular casting a net. Many a night the family meal, after casting a net, would be fresh herring.

Forever a family man and with his love for the ocean, Corrado enjoyed picnics at Garden Island and Woodman Point with his children and Gina. Over time Corrado and Gina travelled back to their homeland in Molfetta, as well as America and Adelaide to visit family and friends. Sadly, in 1992 his beloved Gina passed away.

Corrado cherished fishing with his son Larry but as time passed his ill health didn’t permit him doing so and he passed away in 2000. Corrado was a simple man whose loves included family, fishing and food. It would be without a doubt that he would be very content knowing that Larry is still fishing and that his grandson Corry has joined his father on the fishing boat, Jenna Rose. A true family fishing story and one that continues to this day…