“Elusive” - Empire Bay’s Much Loved Dolphin – 10th Year Anniversary

This November will be the 10th anniversary of the tragic death of Empire Bay’s much-loved dolphin, “Elusive”. Brisbane Water’s lone dolphin, “Elusive”, who captured the hearts and imagination of the Empire Bay’s residents with her playful antics before her tragic death is immortalised with a memorial plaque in the retaining wall near the Empire Bay wharf, and a memorial stone near Woy Woy wharf.

Memorial to “Elusive” at Empire Bay wharf

The Express Advocate” reported (Nov 2015) “She captured our hearts with her uncanny appetite for human interaction on Brisbane Water for nearly two years. But now the Central Coast is mourning the loss of the popular lone dolphin which was found dead at Empire Bay.

Wild “Elusive” entertaining the commuters on the ferry trip to Empire Bay

The Express Advocate reported “She delighted ferry commuters, fisherman, boaties, and tourists with her friendly antics. But now the Central Coast is mourning the loss of its own flipper after the popular lone dolphin was found dead at Empire Bay. “I'm devastated” Empire Bay oyster farmer Warren Harvey said, “She would nudge my boat at 3:00 AM every morning to wake me up so she could head out with me. She'd been playing with us for a couple of years and would nudge the punt and sometimes move the propeller in her teeth to get us going.”

“Wiping away tears, Mr Harvey was one of a team of local fishermen and marine rescuers who helped retrieve the carcass of the beloved dolphin, who they dubbed “Elusive” on Wednesday morning. The juvenile marine mammal had been reported missing after it was spotted entangled in an anchor rope on Sunday. “After she was cut loose on Sunday, we didn't see her so assumed she had just swum off.” Mr Harvey said. It is such a big tragedy. On Monday, volunteers from the Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetacions in Australia (ORRCA) put out an alert for coasties to be on the lookout for the dolphin as there were fears for her wellbeing. But the following night two jet ski riders spotted the dolphin with rope tangled around her tail floating on the water. Empire Bay resident Jo Hillman then called ORRCA with the terrible news. “We used to sit out and watch her all the time, she was part of Empire Bay” Jo said. “She was our pet in the water and I was just a mess when we found out she was dead”. Jo was instrumental in organising the “Elusive” memorial plaque at the Empire Bay wharf.

ORRCA volunteers & divers worked with NPWS personnel and local oyster farmers and Central Coast ferries skipper, Daniel Rond, to cut the dolphin free and bring her to shore. “Elusive” often hitched a ride on the bow waves of the Central Coast ferry vessels to the delight of passengers and skipper” Mr Rond said. “Everyone is devastated” he said. “We had been looking for her after we heard she was missing, and a lot of regulars were visibly upset when they heard the news “.

Lorna Lorigan, ORRCA Vice President, said at the time, “She was a little dolphin when it first turned up in January 2014. It's what's known as a social solitary dolphin which is just a very fancy scientific name for a dolphin that lives by itself rather than with its family. We've been working very closely with everyone for two years to limit the interaction with the dolphin to keep the dolphin wild and to keep the dolphin free. This is just terrible news for the community and the ORRCA team”.

The long-term Empire Bay residents each have their story about our “Elusive”. The “Elusive” plaque is now in danger of collapsing into the Cockle Channel along with the stone wall near the wharf. The Progress Association is approaching the council to assist with rescuing the plaque and placing it in a better position.

Sources: Express Advocate, Jo Hillman.

Robert Thompson