WITH the traditional Blessing of the Fleet ceremony been and gone for another year we thought we would throwback to the 2006 event.
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The Blessing of the Fleet is centred on a Madonna Dei Martini statue imported from Italy decorated with a red cloak and hand stitched with nine carat gold thread.
The statue, for many years, has been a symbol of how the Italian community and fishermen invested in the ceremony which aims to protect the lives and prosperity of the region’s fisherman.
The event at Tuncurry has attracted the support of Italian families and fishermen from as far away as Newcastle and Sydney, with busloads of people coming in to support the ceremony and fundraising events.
Boat owners are encouraged to decorate their boats as part of the Blessing of the Fleet, with prizes awarded to the most colourful boats.
Blessing of the Fleet ceremonies are staged all around Australia including Adelaide and Fremantle.
Here are some photos of the locals who took part in this event in 2006.
