The 2005 Eden Whale Festival

From all accounts, this year’s Eden Whale Festival was by far the most successful in the 10 years the Festival has been running.  A new and enthusiastic Committee worked very hard to ensure that there was plenty on offer over the entire weekend, with art being exhibited in a number of venues around town, children’s entertainers keeping the young ones occupied and amused and two beautiful tall ships moored at Snug Cove.

Once again the Sapphire Coast Marine Discovery Centre hosted the very popular “Marine Marquee” with the following organizations exhibiting alongside each other:

• SCMDC
• NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service
• Sapphire Coast Marine Society
• Coastcare
• Oceanwatch and Sea Net
• Eden Marine High School
• Some smaller un-related groups

NSW Fisheries and NSW Waterways were also located at Snug Cove with various displays including a large aquarium and vessels used by the agencies in their daily work.

On Saturday morning the Festival Parade moved slowly down Imlay Street, led by the very popular Australian Army Band Kapooka.  Our float, which was designed and put together by Marg & John Henry, Dave & June Hutchison and a number of their friends, captured the essence of the Marine Centre perfectly, with two beautiful mermaids (Jacqui Smith and Rachel Rogers) and 2 snorkellers (Jessica Rogers and friend) sitting atop a small row boat amid the waves and sea creatures that decorated the entire float.  The front of the float proudly displayed our new logo on a banner and a model shark sat on the bonnet  We did not win a prize this year, although the float conveyed the message of what the Marine Centre is all about.  Thanks to Arthur Robb for the loan of his truck for the float base.

Due to constraints on venue space, Pete Constable set up his whale and shark films in the vacant Blankfield building and as usual this was a popular retreat for Festival visitors. 

On Sunday, we ran the Inaugural Whale Rescue Race together with National Parks (Robyn Kesby).  Many locals are planning to put a team together for next year’s race. 

Many thanks to the following volunteers:

• Arthur Robb – helped from Friday through to Sunday with picking up tables, helping set up the float, driving the float, setting up the marquee, helping other exhibitors, clean up etc.
• Syd Donaldson - helped with setting up Sat. morning and clean up Sunday afternoon. Loan of children’s tables and chairs for colouring comp.
• Ray Williams - helped with setting up Sat. morning
• Peter Constable - helped all weekend, organised loan of equipment from Retravision, set up film section, displayed footage all weekend (a big hit with tired Festival goers)
• John Aveyard - helped man the exhibition
• Marg & John Henry – decoration of float (many hours work), manned exhibition on Sunday
• June & Dave Hutchison – decoration of float (many hours work)
• Jacqui Smith, Jessica Rogers, Rachel Rogers and Brody Jarvis for participating in our float during the Parade.  Jacqui and Rachel were our beautiful mermaids and Jessica and Brody were our snorkellers. 
• Kirri Bolton – manned exhibition almost all Saturday and most of Sunday, sold raffle tickets around Festival site
• Vivienne Griff – manned exhibition for 4 hours on Saturday
• Fiona Cole – helped with Mock Whale Rescue race
• Alan Hepburn – took registrations for Mock Whale Rescue race and recorded times.
• Libby Hepburn - for the loan of her digital projector and screen for the speakers section, manning the exhibition, helping with the Mock Whale Rescue and general support.
• Monica (Libby’s Friend) – for manning our exhibition for a number of hours on Saturday.

Thanks also to Robyn Kesby from National Parks, who organised and managed the Mock Whale Rescue race and gave excellent support to Centre Coordinator Jenny Robb in the lead-up to the Festival and throughout the weekend.

All in all this year's festival was the best ever with good planning and superb organisation.  Next year's promises to be even bigger and better.