by Jason Zuidema (General Secretary ICMA)
Under a wide South Australian sky, I am spending time with colleagues and friends at a national seafarers’ welfare conference hosted by the Mission to Seafarers and partners in Adelaide. Before the conference began, a group of us travelled to the small town of Edithburgh to visit the Mission to Seafarers at Port Giles.
It was one of those days that reminds you why this work matters. Bright sun. Wide-open landscape. Grain silos rising near the jetty. Volunteers gathered around a barbecue, preparing lunch for us all. Delicious food, easy laughter, and rich conversation. The centre itself sits quietly behind St Mary the Virgin Anglican Church—a modest building, but full of welcome.
Port Giles was selected in the 1960s as a suitable deep-sea port for modern ships, and the jetty opened in 1970. Today, some 30 ships call each year, taking grain from South Australian farms to countries all over the world. Though a modest number, the ships remain several days in port, giving the Mission more time to get to know each seafarer personally. Nearly 600 men and women arrive annually as seafarers working on those vessels. There was once a jetty in the centre of Edithburgh, but now the grain jetty defines the port. Ships come, load, and depart.
Ray Agnew, retired Mayor of Yorke Peninsula and Chair of the Port Giles Seafarers’ Mission, explained that the mission began not long after the port was established. “When the seamen first started coming ashore, there was nothing. They couldn’t see a McDonald’s or any shopping or a hotel or anything like that.” Local residents saw the need and converted an unused hall behind the church into a place where crews could rest. “They can come in here now and relax. They can play music, they can play eight ball. They can pick up some clothes, and they can have drinks, just to relax.”
For Ray, the reason for the centre is simple and enduring. “They were so far from home, so lonely, and here was a place where they could actually unwind a bit from their day-to-day life on board a ship.” Even today, he noted, it is sustained by volunteers and supported over the years by generous local families who helped fund a small coach to bring crews ashore.
June Harrison, Lay Chaplain and Secretary of the Port Giles Mission, described what it is like when a ship arrives. “When they see us, they see our badge, and straight away they smile. They know we’re not there to inspect them.” That distinction matters. The visit begins not with authority, but with presence and care.
A number of community leaders graciously attended the luncheon, underscoring the local support behind the work. Current Yorke Peninsula Mayor Kylie Gray later reflected, “The Mission to Seafarers National Conference being held in Adelaide this year gave delegates from around the world a special opportunity to visit Edithburgh and see firsthand what has been achieved for seafarers arriving into Port Giles.” Commenting on her visit she wrote, “This work is important because it provides reliable, on-the-ground support that helps seafarers navigate their time in port safely and efficiently.”
June Harrison offered a beautiful image to think about caring for crew: “I think a ship’s a bit like a house. Some houses, you walk into it, you feel very comfortable straight away. Others, you feel a bit of tension.” When that happens, she explained, they ask a few more questions and take time to understand what might be needed.
Crews are brought ashore and given a drive around the district. They are shown the local IGA, the wind farm, the landscape. Then they come to the centre. “They then spend time just relaxing. They sit around this table with some cool drink or some beer. They’ll play the guitars, the organ, and just relax. They’ll play table tennis and pool.” Books and Bibles are available in multiple languages. The church next door is left open. “Quite often they’re wandering to the church. Sometimes they’ll say, ‘Will you come and pray with me?’”
During the COVID period, when shore leave was restricted, the team prepared bags of everyday essentials—deodorant, shaving cream, chocolate bars, beanies—and delivered them to the bottom of the gangway. Even when crews could not come ashore, the welcome still went aboard.
Find out more here https://www.mts.org.au/port-giles.