We farewell 2007 and welcome in 2008 with a very hot Oz day and evening here in Southern Victoria. Here’s wishing everybody a relaxing, joyful and safe festive celebration in whatever way you decide to keep cool. Tonight will be a time to be glad of our cooling bays, oceans and sea breezes!
Groups are getting themselves organised all around the Bay. Check out the listings of focal people and places on the Get Involved Page.
We are delighted to embrace the diversity of interests with a common purpose – to demonstrate to the world that we, the people, care and do NOT support wanton destruction of a precious marine sanctuary.
May 2008 bring us all, a renewed faith and optimism in ourselves, each other and in our civilisation (s).
*pic taken at Frankston beach 1997: by Ian Kolodociezceck for House of Capes, Prahran.
Sorrento in winter. Clear and clean.
Small groups of people around the Bay are beginning to organise themselves. Check the updates on the Get Involved Page for beach focal points.
Please let us know if you have decided on where you will be on the night of the 8/01/08 from dusk to 10 pm. and are happy to have others join you.
Any suggestions for further publicity and networking – pass them on!
This is growing .. many people are glad to be part of this Vigil of Light for our Bay.
Lovely weather and succesful sailing days over Christmas have just reinforced how much we, the people of Victoria, want this Bay to be healthy and clean. We do not want Port Phillip Bay to become a major industrial port.
As this article in today’s Herald Sun indicates, it is indeed a time of concern for the sealife in our Bay. This summer then is the time to truly enjoy this Sanctuary. Play with the dolphins, go diving, embrace the Bay this summer!
Herald Sun 24th December 2007
[Pic by jay town]
RUBBING noses with dolphins and seals rather than with stressed shoppers in overcrowded stores makes for a more tranquil celebration of Christmas cheer.
Hundreds of Victorians have shouted their loved ones a swim with the playful sea animals, with Polperro Dolphin Swims for Christmas rather than putting a wrapped package under the tree.
Judy Muir has taken thousands of keen swimmers, many of them overseas tourists, out into the southern end of Port Phillip Bay at Sorrento over the past 21 years.
She describes the sensation of swimming alongside the dolphins as majestic and scenic.
While Ms Muir plans to take many more locals and tourists on to the bay to meet the dolphins, she fears the start of dredging of the bay just kilometres from her tour site in February will damage the local ecology.
“It’s so special, one of the great sights, but I have grave concerns this project will affect the dolphin population,” Ms Muir said, adding she had no plans to close her business.
Despite receiving assurances from the Port of Melbourne that her tourism business would still be able to operate during the dredging, Ms Muir still has concerns.
Ms Muir urged people to dive into the dolphin experience before dredging altered the natural landscape.
For more information on the tours, call 5988 8437.
* new posting on Dredging Page … Common? sense view.
Do enjoy this Christmas Festival season and the glorious Full Moon !
Peace,
Hilary.
The new Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts, Peter Garrett, has signed on with the Federal Government 1/3 support for the dredging of Port Phillip Bay.
Media releases:
Minister Garrett: http://www.environment.gov.au
Sue Pennicuik: http://www.electedgreensvictoria.org.au
He has made a decision to protect the Port of Melbourne’s $billion empire weighed against the damage to the Bay marine park and the thousands of small businesses , clubs and organisations that are dependent upon a healthy Bay. Are there really so many people who still – despite so much wisdom and knowledge to the contrary - want growth of industry to be more valued than nature? We have a barely sustainable imbalance in the Land of Oz already. Port Phillip Bay is being ravaged. The Port of Melbourne is doing quite nicely - why the lust for more?
We shall continue with our project – to hold a Vigil of Light around the Bay on 8/01/08. Anyone who feels they can now step into the role of guardian for an hour holding their light… please join in. The Bay is a sanctuary for so many species: for animals, birds, marine life, and yes, for us humans. It is a giver of life with its fresh sea breezes and its role in cleaning the air. Our stormwater drains pollute it daily, yet the sea in our Bay cleans up our muck and gives us back life.
What $ value is such beauty and generosity of spirit?
We still have hope – on January 10th, 08.
Be there on the beaches on 8th January.
The Government consists of people like you and me. They are available and accessible.
Our new Minister for Environment, Heritage and The Arts is Peter Garrett. He is well known here in Australia as the singer for Midnight Oil a music band very popular in the 1980’s.
Minister Garrett (it sounds strange huh?), must make a decision re the dredging of Port Phillip Bay case by 20th December. (Before the Federal Court hearing date of 10th January.)
You can write to him about the Bay and your concerns and questions you want him to ask himself (and) the Vic State Government and Port of Melbourne.
Peter.Garrett.MP@aph.gov.au
Minister for Climate Change and Water is the Hon. Senator Penny Wong:
info@pennywong.com.au
Treasurer The Hon. Wayne Swan: Wayne.Swan.MP@aph.gov.au
Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd:
Kevin.Rudd.MP@aph.gov.au
or via the PM’s website Contact the PM section
http://www.pm.gov.au/contact/index.cfm
The new Federal Government seems to be embracing the awareness of environmental consideration along with the commercial interests of industry.
Also, I suggest contacting the GetUp organisation and asking them to support our Event and to let Australian voters know of our concerns here in Victoria. They are currently actively campaigning to contact Mr. Smith of the ANZ Bank re the decision to financially back the Pulp Mill Project in Tasmania.
http://getup.org.au/
Cheers!
Hilary
The Bay Vigil is calling all lovers of the Bay to a Vigil on Tuesday, January 8th from dusk to 10 pm. By joining together and shining our little lights around the Bay, we shall demonstrate our concern and care about this Bay.
You may enjoy a family affair – a picnic on the beach! You may be a group of supporters of the appeal to the Federal Court. You might be business owners expressing your appreciation for the Bay and your dismay at the dredging which shall benefit a few at the expense of many.
You may be a group of swimmers, divers, boaters, yachtees or fisherfolk who acknowledge your interaction with this Bay as an integral part of your lives.
The page on How to get Involved contains a file for a flier you can distribute to others.
We invite and call everyone who is willing and able, to join us in forming a chain of lights around the Bay. By early January, we plan to post here a network of sites and people who know they shall be there surrounding the Bay on the night of January 8th.
email hilary: bayvigil@gmail.com
[(c) photos by Rhys Jones]
You’re here most likely because you’ve heard about the Bay Vigil to be held on Jan 8th 2008 across Port Phillip Bay. We’ll be posting information about the event, why we’re doing it, how you can get involved and what communities and businesses are already involved.
