Sea Shepherd's Ocean Defence Tour

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Posted 2019-10-21 by Sonja ⇒ follow

Sat 19 Oct 2019

Sea Shepherd Australia is a non-profit conservation organisation whose mission is to end the destruction of habitat, and slaughter of wildlife, in the world's oceans, in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species. They have been defending and protecting the world's ocean since 1977, and without any political affiliation (by choice), rely solely on donations to continue their priceless work. Their annual, fundraising 'Ocean Defence Tour' was once again held on Saturday, October 19th 2019 in lovely Williamstown, Melbourne.

It was an action-packed event, with 15 live bands across 2 indoor stages. There were also a number of inspiring speeches.

They included Captain Alistair Allan of Sea Shepherd Global, and Jeff Hansen, Managing Director of Sea Shepherd Australia. Andy Meddick, Animal Justice Party, also spoke on the issues of plastic pollution and duck shooting.

In keeping with their philosophy of minimising ocean destruction and non-violence, all food and beverage were vegan. There were over 40 delicious vegan food vendors and market stalls. A number of conservation and animal welfare organisations were represented on the day.

The Education Centre hosted a number of fascinating talks, such as the Marine Conservation Talk for kids aged 3-11, and the Shark Conservation talk, discussing why we need sharks in our ocean.

Last but not least, throughout the day, there were extensive ship tours on the recently retired MV Steve Irwin. To avoid the queues, it is advised to tick this off the list, early in the day. There are a number of steps that need to be climbed, as you ascend to the top of the ship, but it makes for great selfies!

It included interesting talks given by the crew, and opportunities to look around in your own time and take photos. With an approximate 40 member crew, it is fascinating to witness how they reside in the ship, entertain themselves in the downtime, and the maze of cabins below.

Any lover of the natural world would find this event worthwhile and there is something for everyone - from inspiring speeches, educational talks, lively music, entertaining stalls, delicious vegan food and drink, and lots of caring, friendly people to interact with. With the money raised going directly to Sea Shepherd's important work, it makes it all the more worthwhile.