Margaret River – 1876
On 1st December 1876, Sam Isaacs and the Bussells’ daughter, Grace, became heroes when they rescued passengers from the ship Georgette after it ran aground off Margaret River. Both Sam and Grace rode their horses into the water, grabbing as many survivors as they could. With the very rough seas, the rescue took four hours. [viii]
In recognition of his services, Sam Isaacs received a Bronze medal from the Royal Humane Society. Much later, in 1897, he received his reward – 100 acres of land on the Margaret River at Sussex Location 243.
The Isaacs family worked the land, known as Fernbrook, until the 1930s when it became difficult to make a living from a small farm during the Depression. They sold up and moved to Margaret River town where it was easier to get work and to send the children to school.[ix]