In the 1860s, beche-de-mer (sea cucumber) and pearling boats began working the reefs of Torres Strait.
ɪnðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti z, bˈɛtʃdəmˈɜː sˈiː kjˈuːkʌmbɚ ænd pˈɜːlɪŋ bˈoʊts bɪɡˈæn wˈɜːkɪŋ ðə ɹˈiːfs ʌv tˈɔɹəz stɹˈeɪt.