We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the Bass Strait area, and of the importance of the once-exposed land bridge that Australia's first peoples travelled on at least 35,000 years ago to reach our continents most southern point. Their foot journeys so long ago will be in our thoughts as we paddle over that submerged land, some 80 metres below the current sea surface level.

We also recognise the struggles of indigenous peoples around the world, and hope for a better world filled with compassion, equality and peace. Individually, we have all made the decision to undertake this ocean crossing by choice, and we stand in solidarity with those displaced refugees who use boats to escape persecution and turmoil in their home lands.

Earlier this year, we supported the 'Paddle for West Papua', to celebrate the arrival of 43 West Papuan refugees on Cape York in 2006 by traditional long canoe. West Papua has been under Indonesian military control since 1962, in a silent genocide of 500,000 West Papuans, that receives little media attention and international support.