Paparella Family (Mauro)

When he was 19 he migrated to Western Australia on the Viminale, where his two brother-in-laws, Luigi and Leonardo Paparella gave him a job on their fishing boat, the Maddalena. Then war broke out and the police arrested him off the fishing boat as he was not a British subject and he was sent to Fremantle Prison for processing.

While interned with many Italians including his Brother Antonio, he helped build a railway line on Rottnest Island and later spent time in the Northern Territory. During this time, he taught himself to play the guitar and his captors also taught him how to make custard and play tennis. He was released in 1943 after spending almost 3 and a half years interned.

After he was released, he settled in High Street, Fremantle as that was where most of his family and friends lived. There he met his wife Benedetta Turtur who he married in 1948 and later moved into their house at 6 Grey Street. They raised 3 girls there.

His love of fishing gave him the opportunity to buy a share in the Invincible. While he spent many years fishing in Lancelin, Jurien Bay and Shark Bay, during the summer. During the winter months Mauro would take odd jobs as money from crayfishing was not great in those days. He had a mortgage and a family to feed.

He spent many years fishing on the Invincible until it was sold, which was a sad day for Mauro. His last job on a crayfishing boat was with the Madonna Dei Martiri which was owned by the Amato family. Sadly, on the 9th December 1982 Mauro passed away leaving behind his beloved wife Benedetta, his children and grandchildren.