Perth Voice Interactive

OVER the years the colour, spectacle and history of the Blessing of the Fleet has been captured by a myriad of photographers.

So much so that the organising committee found themselves with dozens of stunning images propped up and stacked around their office; but they weren’t sure what to do with them.

Some show the first festival in 1950, another the visit of the original Madonna from Capo D’Orlando (said to be hundreds of years old); two young boys dressed as Carabinieri are now amongst the Italian community’s revered elders.

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It was Freo’s mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge who hit on a great idea for the photos during a meeting — hold an exhibition at the City’s new Walyalup Civic Centre to promote the Blessing.

“It’s lovely to be able to use the Walyalup Civic Centre and the people who pass through it every day to profile some of the things that happen in the community,” Ms Fitzhardinge said.

“It seems every year, people don’t remember that it’s on until it’s on.

“So we’re trying to get it in people’s psyche earlier, to say ‘put the date in your diary’, but also to show the rich history.

“Even just standing here looking at some of the buildings [in the photos], there’s a whole history of our city that sits alongside the history of the procession and the stories of individuals, families, community and industry in the city,” Ms Fitzhardinge said.

Blessing committee president John Minutillo says the exhibition is a “great advertisement for the festival.

“A lot of the old photos go back to 1948 to 1950 and it’s a way of us getting it out to the community when the festival is on.”

Mr Minutillo says the photos bring back great memories.

“All these photos there, they’re all of the old boats, the old Jennys; it’s great to see the old photos – beautiful.”

The exhibition is in the entrance to the Walyalup Civic Centre.