Fremantle Honors the Captain and Crew of the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin
Fremantle Honors the Captain and Crew of the Sea Shepherd ship Steve Irwin
It was a fabulous birthday for Captain Paul Watson. December 2nd saw some four hundred people in the Fremantle City Hall singing Happy Birthday to the Captain of the Steve Irwin.
The evening was hosted by former Australian Environment Minister Ian Campbell, with a welcoming from Dr. Richard Walley of the Noongar people. Dr. Walley sang an Aboriginal song along with playing the didgeridoo.
Sea Shepherd veteran of twelve years Dave Nickarz from Winnipeg gave a talk about his personal experiences onboard Sea Shepherd ships and answered questions from the audience.
Captain Paul Watson gave a half hour speech and dedicated Whale Defense Campaign Operation Waltzing Matilda to the people of Australia. He said, “Without the support of Australian ports and the support of the Australian people we would not be able to accomplish anything. For this reason we have named this campaign in honor of the Great Andrew Banjo Patterson and his wonderful poem and song Waltzing Matilda.”
Captain Paul Watson presented Sea Shepherd crew jackets to Ian Campbell and Mayor Brad Petitt of Fremantle.
Mayor Brad Pettitt has continued the support of Fremantle City Hall for Sea Shepherd Conservation Society that we have enjoyed for years under former Mayor Peter Tagliaferri. He presented the Steve Irwin with a plaque of the Fremantle Coat of Arms and the flag of Fremantle with a request that we fly the city’s colors in the Southern Ocean.
In return, Captain Paul Watson presented Mayor Pettitt with the Sea Shepherd Jolly Roger and the Mayor announced that the Sea Shepherd colours would fly from the mast atop City Hall.
In 2006, Peter Tagliaferi presented the flag and the Coat of Arms to Captain Alex Cornelissen on the Farley Mowat after the Farley Mowat docked in Fremantle fresh from their heroic escape from Cape Town, South Africa. Stripped of her Canadian registry and flying only the Sea Shepherd Jolly Roger, the Farley Mowat was a genuine pirate ship when she arrived to a hero’s welcome in Fremantle.
The December 2nd event raised $20,000 for the Sea Shepherd campaign for the whales of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary.
The Perth and Fremantle Chapters of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society have been the strongest support group for Sea Shepherd in Australia for years. The Captain and the crew of the Steve Irwin are grateful for the support of the City of Fremantle and Mayor Brad Pettitt for hosting the event, to Dr. Richard Walley for the Welcome to Country, to Aiden Varro for the music, to Graphic designer Sharon Wong for designing the promotional leaflets and to all the Fremantle supporting businesses for the donations of goods and services for the Silent Auction.
Sea Shepherd would like to gratefully acknowledge the following sponsors:
- Angove Wines
- Cyclewest Agencies (provided the bike which we got $650 for!)
- Glen Cowans (underwater photographer also supporting VIP Event on Sunday)
- Happs Wines
- Hemp Company of Margaret River
- John Bullock (Artist - supplied a beautiful print of the Steve Irwin and he has given me two other fabulous water colours for Sunday's Event)
- Laurance Winery
- Lick Clothing
- Little Creatures Brewery
- Luna Cinemas
- Lush
- Nicola (beautician/massage therapist)
- Omkara Earth and Space Wear
- Taylors Wines
- Velvet Cupcakes
- Wild Encounters (swim with wild dolphins experience)
- Wills Domain (winery)
- Wind Dancer (luxury yacht charter)
- Wise Wines
- Mandy Evans (Artist)
- Manna Wholefoods
- Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle
- Dolphin Dive
- Source Gallery
And the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society would also like to express our gratitude to the following volunteers for making this event possible.
- Louis Bell
- Britta Janssen
- Marina Hansen
- Kim Frost
Door and tickets: Louis Bell/Pete Fitzgerald/Britta Janssen
Silent Auction: Chris & Carley Phillips / Georgie Dicks
Raffle Sales: Ines Fetahovic / Michelle Mulholland
Membership Sales: Deborah Hodgson (adjacent to Merchandise table)
Merchandise Sales: Paul Livsey / Jasmin Shaw / Ian Martin / Michael Hawkins
Drinks / Chips Sales: Stephen and Emma Barwick / Emma Hey
Photography: Jenna Eliot / Kylie Herd
DVD Cueing/Technical: Leith Ingerson
Special Assistance: Jeff & Marina Hansen, Dave Nickarz and Kylie Herd
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