JAPANESE FISHERMEN SPYING
ALONG THE QUEENSLAND COAST
INCLUDING AT CAPE UPSTART
AND THE BURDEKIN RIVER

The Commonwealth Investigation Service was aware of many Japanese espionage activities throughout Australia. Japanese fishermen were buying intelligence information for token payments. Inspector Robert Wake, the Head of the Brisbane Investigation Branch reported to Canberra:-

Undoubtedly there is a strong liaison between a few British inhabitants along the coast, certain of our local fishermen and the Japanese. Mostly there is distinct hostility, but there is some cheapness at which some of these items can be obtained in fair quantities from Japanese craft is a strong temptation, e.g. silk shirts are 2/6d, whisky 2/9d a bottle and so on. There is also some evidence that near Cape Upstart and the Burdekin River and at other places along the coast, this trade was carried out on an organised scale and not limited to the local exchange with fishermen.

Cape Upstart is located halfway between Ayr and Bowen. The Burdekin River Delta is at the northern end of Upstart Bay with Cape Upstart being at the southern end of the bay.

Crew of Japanese submarines land near Cape Upstart, Qld

REFERENCES

"Shadows Dancing - Japanese Espionage against the West 1939 - 1945"
by Tony Matthews

Can anyone help me with more information?

"Australia @ War" WWII Research Products

This page first produced 14 April 2002

This page last updated 17 January 2020