Serving Seafarers in Port Giles, Australia: A Heartfelt Mission

Port Giles may be small, but it’s full of heart. On the South Australian coast, lay chaplain June Harrison explains how she has become a surrogate grandma for the seafarers who travel through.  

What is Port Giles like?  

Port Giles is a very small, purpose-built grain port—really, it’s just the wharfs, the silos, and some bunkers. There’s no town, no houses. Only one ship can dock at a time. We’re about 250 kilometres from Adelaide, and the most common reaction we get from seafarers is, ‘Where’s the mall?’ We only got our first supermarket last October!  

How did you become involved in the Mission? 

My husband and I decided to retire here in our holiday ‘shack’. We planned to travel, be ‘grey nomads’ and travel around the country in our van. But our Bishop asked if we’d help start a mission at Port Giles—there was a port, but no one to look after the seafarers. At first we said no. But somehow, God changed our minds. We turned a hall behind our church into a seafarers centre thanks to grants, elbow grease, many helpers, and a lot of faith. My husband and son even built an alfresco area and an outdoor barbecue kitchen.  

Why do seafarers love Port Giles? 

Time. That’s our magic. We only have one ship at a time, so we can sit down, share cake, laugh, pray, and listen. I think of them as my sons and daughters. When they leave, I always give them a hug and say, ‘God bless you.’ And they hug back—some don’t want to let go. One young Filipino called me ‘Grandma’ and came back just to ask for another hug. Moments like that, they stay with you.

What do you wish more people understood about seafarers? 

That they are invisible—and vital. Without them, we wouldn’t have food, clothes, electronics—anything. One seafarer described his boat as a ‘prison on the water’. They make huge sacrifices. I once spoke to a young seafarer who broke down talking about his son. He hates being at sea, but he’s doing it for his child’s education. We all rely on these men and women, but most people don’t even see them. 

What keeps you going? 

My husband passed away two and a half years ago—he was the first lay chaplain here. Before he died, I told him, ‘I’ll keep going as long as I can.’ I am blessed with a great team of volunteers and supporters, however we desperately need more. I’m nearly 81, and I just pray for the strength to keep doing this work. But I’ll carry on as long as God gives me strength.