Derby ‘Jetty Queen’ Katlyn Yeeda, 25, wins WA Young Achiever of the Year Award

Local Derby fishing guru Katlyn Yeeda, fondly known as the “Jetty Queen”, has been recognised at the WA Young Achiever Awards in three categories.

Thanks to massive local support from her community of Derby, Ms Yeeda stole the show at the awards, taking home the Pan Pacific Travel, Tourism and Hospitality Award, the Peoples Choice Award and the overall award of WA Young Achiever of the Year.

Ms Yeeda, 25, said she is still in shock from the win.

“I still have to get over all the emotions but I’m really happy,” she said.

“I just thank my town for all their encouragement, all their involvement with my nominations and my family for their support.”

A proud Warrwa woman, Ms Yeeda works at the Derby Visitor Centre, showing tourists the best local fishing spots and how to get the most out of them.

In Derby Ms Yeeda is known as the Jetty Queen for her expertise in catching huge fish that would put any fisherman with skin in the game to shame.

Ms Yeeda said she learnt how to fish and where the best fishing spots were from her auntie before she passed away several years ago.

“I was fishing with her for many years, we’d walk down to Doctors Creek and we’d walk to the jetty,” she said.

“She was the fisherman so I would follow her.

“When she passed, I stopped fishing for a bit but then I got the motivation back a few years ago when I landed my first big fish.”

Now Ms Yeeda is renowned for catching big fish, with her biggest catch being a 110cm black jewfish earning her the Jetty Queen nickname.

“My friend Karen thought of calling me and telling everyone that I was the Jetty Queen and it just started from there,” she said.

“And I thought I’d make a blog for all my fishing because I catch big fish whenever I can.”

When she isn’t fishing or helping travellers make the most out of their trips in Derby, Ms Yeeda is with her five-year-old son who she looks after by herself.

Ms Yeeda is also the director and treasurer for Warrwa Aboriginal Corporation, no small feat for a person her age.

“We’ve been getting the (corporation) office ready but not many people know about us,” she said.

“Most of us are young so I don’t mind being the director.

“So for me winning is a big thing for Warrwa, we are trying to show people we’re actually here.”

But Ms Yeeda said she couldn’t have won the award without the local support from her friends and family.

“I thank my town, my family and my Warrwa family for helping me go through everything and giving me support,” she said.

You can check out Ms Yeeda’s “Jetty Queen” blog here: https://www.facebook.com/Derby-Jetty-Queen-106539711487210