MEDIA RELEASE

 

"Kayaks cross Bass Strait to raise awareness on climate change and human rights" 

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A group of four environmental scientist friends have paddled 350km from Victoria to Tasmania across Bass Strait, to raise awareness on climate change and human rights abuse. 

 

The 'Bass Strait by Kayak' (BSBK) team of Damian Lovejoy, Andrew Simmonds, Mick Ramsay and Sean Marler, departed Port Welshpool on 4 April 2016 and completed their ocean expedition at Little Musselroe Bay in north east Tasmania on 18 April 2016. 

 

It was Lovejoy's initiative that got BSBK underway and the team spent many months preparing for the expedition.  Lovejoy, from Brisbane, is a sea kayak veteran who has competed for Queensland in recent Masters Games.  

 

The group are urging the Australian government to do more to address climate change, and to support West Papua gaining independence from Indonesia. 

 

"West Papua was invaded by the Indonesian military in 1962, and since that time more than 500,000 Papuan people have been killed or disappeared", said Mr Marler. 

 

The team are well aware on the impacts of climate change and they are urging government leaders to divest from fossil fuels, and to invest in renewable energies such as solar, tidal and wind. 

 

"Global temperatures have increased through the burning of fossil fuels, causing icecaps to melt and sea levels to rise.  As low lying Pacific Islands such as Kirrabati get submerged through climate change, the Australian Federal Government is approving massive new coal mines like the Adani Mine in Queensland", added Mr Marler. 

 

The group also support a transition from logging native forests to a sustainable timber plantation industry, to protect biodiversity, water catchments and create carbon sinks. 

 

The group carried everything in their fibreglass kayaks including food, camping and safety gear.  They enjoyed good weather for most their trip yet had to sit out a few days while strong westerly winds passed near Flinders Island. 

 

More information about the journey at;

 

http://bassstraitbykayak.wix.com/bsbk

 

Media; 

Sean Marler

0417825972