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Active Marine Marker Found at Beachcomber Holiday Park

In the evening, on Wednesday the 18th of January 2006, four sad fisherpeople (they hadn't caught any fish) made an important discovery.

Julia Halsey, Tom, James and Colin Briggs were walking back to the campsite along the beach from Tuross Lake when Tom and Julia noticed a grey cylinder on the sand. "We had no idea what it was," recalls Tom, "So we called dad (Colin) over."

"It had obviously been in the sea for a long time because it was very rusted and there were barnacles gripping to it," said Colin, "There was also a label but I couldn't read it because it was covered in barnacles."

Colin began to scratch the barnacles off until he could read:

Danger: Phosphorus
If found notify Police or M...

However, before he could scratch any more barnacles off after the M, the cylinder rolled a little, and according to James: "It started smoking and burning and making a fizzing noise. Dad told us to RUN!"

When they returned to the campsite, Colin and the children told the Holiday Park Proprietor Neil Fallshaw who phoned the police after being shown the cylinder.

The Narooma Fire Brigade team arrived and had a look, followed over the course of the night by the Hazardous Materials Unit, the Chief Inspector of the Fire Brigade, the Police and Terry Jonekin of the Australian Defence Force (Army). The Fire Brigade found the cylinder was emitting carbon dioxide.

The cylinder was identified as a marine marker, which is used to identify a place in the ocean by burning Phosphorus, which stains the water a certain colour.

This particular marker had been faulty and had only burnt half of its phosphorus when deployed which meant it was still active.

Once it had been identified it was decided to dispose of the marker at dawn by exploding it using two plastic detonators. The aim of the explosion was to force the carbon dioxide from the marker high over the sea where it couldn't harm anyone.

"It was an exciting event in a very wet beach holiday," said Julia.

Written by Alice D'Arcy - 19/1/06
Thanks to James Briggs
Information from Julia Halsey, James, Colin

The remains of the marine marker after being blown up.

Finders of the Marker.
From left Colin Briggs, James Briggs, Julia Halsey, Tom Briggs and Holiday Park Proprietor Neil Fallshaw.

Beachcomber Holiday Park - You'll want to stay forever

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Active Marine Marker Found at Beachcomber Holiday Park