Julie Parker & Family Bushfire Appeal
Donation protected
Our friend and volunteer Coordinator of Sea Shepherd's Mallacoota Marine Debris Team, Julie Parker and her family have just become victims of the terrible and tragic fires which have swept across the east coast of Australia this summer (2019/2020).
Julie has lived in Mallacoota for 30 years and sadly on Monday we found out the devastating fires had burnt her home to the ground. There is very little left just their van and bikes. Her son Bryce and husband Matt both fought to save the houses either side of them but were unable to save their own. Julie’s Nanna and Sister have also lost their homes.
The town of Mallacoota in East Gippsland, Victoria is one of the hardest hit areas with the bushfires forcing thousands tourists and residents to the beach with roads in an out of town cut off. Many people and pets had to be evacuated by the Australian Navy.
Julie is an inspiration to us all, passionate, adventurous, optimistic and her family have spent their weekends on the beaches around Mallacoota taking their fat bikes and cycling many kilometres to do beach and river clean-ups, helping to keep this incredibly beautiful area free of plastic pollution.
As a family they have been doing clean-ups for 4 years, having joined Sea Shepherd Australia’s Marine Debris Campaign in 2016. Since then they have removed hundreds of kilograms of trash and huge discarded fishing nets and ropes which they had to dig out and then cycle back on their bikes along the beach. They go where others don’t - in their small dinghy cleaning the lakes and difficult areas to get to. Last year they took their van to Tasmania to clean-up where ever they went and to support the Adani convoy who have been advocating against the Adani Coal Mine.
Julie’s passion has led her to recently write and illustrate her own book for children on plastic pollution “What Would Happen Do You Suppose”. As a self-publisher she had many copies of the books printed just before Christmas and sadly these books were burnt in the fires.
To imagine what it must be like to have lost everything is extremely hard, it’s not just possessions but how these fires have affected the entire Mallacoota community including seeing the local landscape and wildlife they love perishing before their eyes.
Julie and the family have opted to stay in Mallacoota and despite the ordeal of the last few days have been doing their bit to support the community including preparing some of the buildings left standing and helping out with communications in case the fires return.
Any help you can give to Julie and the Parker family is great appreciated as they begin the slow and difficult process of rebuilding their lives.
Julie has lived in Mallacoota for 30 years and sadly on Monday we found out the devastating fires had burnt her home to the ground. There is very little left just their van and bikes. Her son Bryce and husband Matt both fought to save the houses either side of them but were unable to save their own. Julie’s Nanna and Sister have also lost their homes.
The town of Mallacoota in East Gippsland, Victoria is one of the hardest hit areas with the bushfires forcing thousands tourists and residents to the beach with roads in an out of town cut off. Many people and pets had to be evacuated by the Australian Navy.
Julie is an inspiration to us all, passionate, adventurous, optimistic and her family have spent their weekends on the beaches around Mallacoota taking their fat bikes and cycling many kilometres to do beach and river clean-ups, helping to keep this incredibly beautiful area free of plastic pollution.
As a family they have been doing clean-ups for 4 years, having joined Sea Shepherd Australia’s Marine Debris Campaign in 2016. Since then they have removed hundreds of kilograms of trash and huge discarded fishing nets and ropes which they had to dig out and then cycle back on their bikes along the beach. They go where others don’t - in their small dinghy cleaning the lakes and difficult areas to get to. Last year they took their van to Tasmania to clean-up where ever they went and to support the Adani convoy who have been advocating against the Adani Coal Mine.
Julie’s passion has led her to recently write and illustrate her own book for children on plastic pollution “What Would Happen Do You Suppose”. As a self-publisher she had many copies of the books printed just before Christmas and sadly these books were burnt in the fires.
To imagine what it must be like to have lost everything is extremely hard, it’s not just possessions but how these fires have affected the entire Mallacoota community including seeing the local landscape and wildlife they love perishing before their eyes.
Julie and the family have opted to stay in Mallacoota and despite the ordeal of the last few days have been doing their bit to support the community including preparing some of the buildings left standing and helping out with communications in case the fires return.
Any help you can give to Julie and the Parker family is great appreciated as they begin the slow and difficult process of rebuilding their lives.
Organizer and beneficiary
Marina Hansen
Organizer
Myaree WA
Julie Parker
Beneficiary
