Icons of Esperance 2009 by Julie Curtain

12 iconic images of Esperance, including paintings of Sammy and the Tanker Jetty, Dempster Head, Twilight Cove, The Bijou Theatre, Taylor Street Tearooms and Frenchman Peak.

In Memory of Sammy the Sea Lion

After hearing a story of Sammy the Sea lion, told by local identity Don Mackenzie, Julie decided that Sammy and the Tanker Jetty would be great choices for the front page of her calendar.

Preview Icons of Esperance 2009 Calendar

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Back in the late 60’s Don Mackenzie and his family lived on the Esplanade, just a stone’s throw from the beach. In those days the water came right up to the Norfolk Island Pines and the Mackenzies used a tree trunk for a mooring post for their fishing boat.

One day Don’s son Hugh noticed a sea lion hanging around the boat, and as it seemed unwell he slipped an aspirin into a sardine and fed it to the sea lion. This did the trick and Sammy, as she was then named, paid regular visits to the McKenzie’s home, and used to go swimming with there dog Splash. For years Sammy was often seen wandering up and down the road, and was well known by locals, until sadly she was hit by a truck and killed.

Since then there has been an Oscar the sea lion and many more including the one we see today. Locals and tourist alike are very passionate about our sea lion and the Tanker Jetty, which is now in its 73rd year.

Download Sammy the Sea Lion Screensaver
(with Sound Track)

Click to Download [4.03Mb Zip File]

Contact Julie Curtain to order the latest edition of her Icons of Esperance Calendar.