Port Fairy resident Maggie Cavalieri began a movement  in the town on October 26 to demonstrate her despair about the unfair treatment of children in detention.

She said it was an issue she had been following and one she and others were concerned about. 

It began with 52 bells to represent the number of children detained on the island and it has lessened as the weeks went on. The public were invited to bring a bell, drum or whistle to make some noise about the unjust treatment. 

At the time Mrs Cavalieri said she heard about Anglican churches around Australia who were ringing their bells to highlight the issue and decided to do something similar in Port Fairy.

She said in October she would keep the bells ringing for as long as it took for the children to be freed from Nauru, which has occurred. “The final remaining children and their parents are off Nauru so we’re going to have a celebratory ringing of the bells on Friday,” Mrs Cavalieri said. “It’s wonderful.

“The four children and their families will be transferred (from Nauru) I think to America, but there’s still a long way to go in terms of trying to change the government policy on dealing with refugees and asylum seekers,” she said. “We’ve still got a fair way to go.” 

She said the weekly sessions at 5pm on the Fiddlers Green attracted a range of ages.

“It’s been really lovely. It’s all positive, there’s not been anything negative. The numbers have waxed and waned but there’s been a steady consistent group of about a dozen people which has been great.

“A few visitors have wandered past and joined in, as have some of the younger ones who have came along. One woman, from Perth, was overcome with tears about the whole thing. There’s been a lot of emotion and discussion. Not just about the Nauru situation but about a lot of injustices. It’s been good.

“It’s lovely to see (the community spirit) but Port Fairy’s like that. It’s just a wonderful little town, no doubt about it.” 

The final bell ringing, which will be “less sombre and more celebratory” is on the Fiddlers Green at 5pm on Friday. 

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