Invisible Transfers.
As a young person, my father and I would often look through the binoculars, watching the pilot boats disembark at the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse. Due to the difficulty that large ships have entering Melbourne’s commercial port, shipping pilots managed by the Port Phillip Sea Pilots must board every large vessel that enters the harbour. This involves guiding their specialised and fast vessel alongside massive cargo and bunker ships so that the pilot can climb a single vertical rope ladder regardless of weather conditions. Melbourne’s port is the busiest in Australia, making pilots crucial to our globalised economy; however, their demanding work and the risks they face daily remain largely unseen by the public. This practice-led research project uses documentary photography and a methodology of relationship-building to share their story through images. Over 12 months, the research has gained unprecedented access to the Port Phillip Sea Pilot organisation to build rapport with the pilots and capture their daily routines. It has been an absolute privilege to be granted access on board the pilot boat launches from Torquay and tell the story of the Port Phillip Sea Pilots. If only my late father were alive to witness what I have achieved.
