Dugong Candle Spectacular!

The plight of dugongs was spectacularly highlighted in Hervey Bay on June 6 for World Environment Day.

Our Dugong - Yuwang’kan is the latest public candle installation by the Art for Earth team, in collaboration with the Mary River campaign, following the success of Dok’ku at Tandora homestead in June 2008.

At Dayman Park this year, hundreds of supporters young and old, gathered before sunset to help light 4,000 candles, creating a giant glowing image of a dugong family feeding on seagrass.

Footage of the display was taken from the air, and participants were delighted when sky-divers dropped over the site, filming the spectacle as they descended. A short documentary of the event is soon to be released. So stay tuned!

The Greater Mary Association (GMA) was a project partner for the event in the hope of raising awareness about dugong populations in the Mary River estuary and the potential threat the proposed dam would have on seagrass – the food supply for this vulnerable species.

Under the EPBC Act, Minister Garrett is obligated to consider the impact of the proposed dam on dugong populations in the Great Sandy Strait and Hervey Bay.

QWIPL has conducted no analysis of how a dam on the Mary would affect the characteristics of estuarine waters and sediment which determine the survival of seagrass pastures.

Check out the GMA photo gallery for pictures of this event!

Go to: www.picasaweb.google.com/greatermary and click on the Our Dugong – Yuwang’kan album link.