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How Sir David Attenborough helped save a Victorian landmark

Tom Elliott
Article image for How Sir David Attenborough helped save a Victorian landmark

Sir David Attenborough has helped save the Flinders Pier.

The heritage-listed wooden structure was facing the prospect of being completely demolished after Parks Victoria did not commit to fixing it.

But a grassroots campaign quickly kicked off, with nearly 45,000 people throwing their support behind saving the pier.

The government committed $1.5 million to undertake “critical works” on the pier that was first built in 1864.

“Everyone down here is absolutely over the moon,” Charles Reis, chair of the Save The Flinders Pier campaign, told Neil Mitchell.

Sir David Attenborough became involved in the campaign after it was revealed there was a significant Weedy Sea Dragon population at the pier.

Mr Ries said there was no doubt that helped.

“We call it the Attenborough effect,” he said.

“In many ways, that certainly influenced public sentiment because it provided us a vehicle to draw attention to the habitat of the Weedy Sea Dragon.

“This is one of the best places in the world to put on a pair of goggles and a snorkel and come down and have a look at the Weedy Sea Dragon in its natural habitat and the pier provides that accessibility.

“I think there was a groundswell of support that developed around that.

“I think the other thing is that is it’s very popular with fishing people, so families come down and fish off the pier, people love to walk along the pier and so many people have told me stories that they learned to jump off the pier.”

Press PLAY below to hear more about the campaign

(Photo by Rob Pinney/Getty Images)

Tom Elliott
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