CRITCHLEY PARKER

1862–1944

Frank Critchley Parker was born on 9 October 1862 at Richmond, Melbourne. A keen fly-fisherman Parker fished extensively at Mt Kosciuszko and in Tasmania. Parker began fishing the Great Lake around 1893. Parker so loved the Tasmanian fishing experience and the natural beauty of the Great Lake that he spent several months each year in the region. Parker was responsible for collating and publishing the records that were held at the accommodation house at Swan Bay run by Mrs Tom Earley, Record of Fish Killed at the Great Lake (1899). This provided accurate data and a rare insight into the fishing during the 1890’s. From about 1900 he adopted the name Critchley in preference to Frank. Parker wrote many articles for a Victorian newspaper and for the “Field and Fishing Gazette” in England. Some of his articles also found their way into various American magazines. He can undoubtedly be accredited with providing information to angling enthusiasts across the globe and indeed was instrumental in promoting early angling tourism to Tasmania.