---
title: The story of how a crazy idea became reality
date: 2015-04-01T21:29:12Z
modified: 2023-07-25T12:37:43Z
permalink: "https://350.org/a-big-crazy-idea/"
type: post
status: publish
excerpt: ""
wpid: 37319
categories:
  - Actions/Demonstrations
  - Featured
  - KIITG
  - Pacific
featured_image: /wp-content/uploads/2015/04/crazy-idea-cover1.jpg
author: The 350.org Team
---

On Friday 17th October 2014, 30 Pacific Warriors from 12 countries across the Pacific went to Australia to stand up for their homes in the face of the fossil fuel industry.

They were equipped with the traditional, hand made canoes which they used to barricade the world’s largest coal port in Newcastle Australia. Together, they stopped eight ships scheduled to leave the port that day.

Their story inspired thousands of people across Australia, and even more around the world to step up the fight against fossil fuels.

The organising team behind the Pacific Climate Warriors project was a unique mixture of Pacific Islanders, Australians and New Zealanders. One of those involved, 350.org’s Oceania Region Coordinator, Aaron Packard in this video tells the story of how the Newcastle flotilla went from a crazy idea to an inspiring reality. In coming months, we will be releasing videos and telling the stories of leaders from the Pacific Climate Warrior movement across the Pacific Islands.

This seven-minute documentary dives head first into the larger social and political issues behind climate change. In the third and final instalment of Canoes Vs. Coal, we hear from 350.org’s Oceania Region Coordinator, Aaron Packard and the birth of the idea that became the Newcastle Flotilla.
Combined with his quirky sense of humour and his very real passion for climate justice, 350.org’s Oceania Region Coordinator, Aaron Packard, talks about the conception of the Newcastle Blockade, sheds light on how inequality and climate change are related and how the Pacific Climate Warriors are leading the fight for climate justice.



### Canoes Vs. Coal

A quick two-minute snapshot of the accomplishments of the Pacific Warriors when they stopped eight coal ships from leaving the world’s largest coal port, Newcastle (Australia).



### Building the Vanuatu canoe: Ta reo Vanuatu

The canoe building process was an incredible process led by a grassroots movement of indigenous young people, that involved them connecting with elders and master canoe builders over a period of months to build the canoes that would blockade the coal port. This video shows the launch of the Vanuatu canoe.



The Canoe Vs. Coal series of videos were made by Melbourne Producer, [**Peter Yacono**](https://vimeo.com/peteryacono), with support from [**Mark Doyle**](https://vimeo.com/user19489392) and John Davis who were the videographers in Newcastle and were able to catch amazing footage on the day.

The Vanuatu videos were made by [Island Reach](https://www.berkshiresweetgold.com/Island_Reach.html) in partnership with [350 Vanuatu](https://www.facebook.com/pages/350-Vanuatu/1426986367592880?fref=ts).

To read more about The Pacific Climate Warriors and their story visit [**350pacific.org**](https://350pacific.org/)