Old Tom hoisted high: 'Suspended and looking magnificent' in new position

Now, in 2024, another renowned leader, Eden's very own Old Tom who orchestrated a pod of orcas in the early 20^th century, has found himself the same fate.

But instead of it being as a consequence of his actions, his skeleton was hoisted high and hanged with great honour, inspiring awe and the utmost respect.

Situated in the middle of the Eden Killer Whale Museum, and now hanging in an impressive position above both lower and upper floors, Old Tom appeared as though he was diving into the depths of Twofold Bay.

With the help of preparator Dean Smith, a man who has 36 years experience in preparing cetacean specimens exhibition, and two conservators Karina Acton and Fran Paterson, the denizen of the deep's skeleton was dismantled into hundreds of pieces.

Dean Smith said it wasn't just a case of lifting the original metal armature into position, and instead required him to bend the spine and adjust the flipper anatomy to accurately represent the swimming motion Old Tom would demonstrate.

Volunteers from the museum also cut and shaped more stable, black archival foam to separate vertebrae allowing visitors to correctly see what was skeletal and what was for mounting after the original were made from wooden crates for aviation fuel.

Museum collections manager Angela George breathed a sigh of relief as Old Tom began the ascent at 9.30am on Sunday, April 21, a breath she had been "holding" since the start of the week when the legend of the sea had been dismantled.

Tears welled in her eyes as Mike Timms from Acora, who designed and built the suspension lift which would lift Old Tom into position, pressed the button to begin the raise.

"I was excited, freaking out, proud, worried, you name the emotion, it was there," Angela said, in relation to the mix of feelings she felt as the team aimed to pull off the whale of a move.

"You saw what he was spread out everywhere, he was virtually across the top floor of the museum and spreading into the bottom floor. We were there until 1am, Sunday, and then back there at 7.30am.

"[But now] he's suspended and looking magnificent. I'm very, very happy."