Six organisations, 40 people, one mission – to return a dolphin mother and her calf to freedom.

Bottle-Nosed Dolphins often weave their way up Ballina’s Richmond River and its seaward tributary, North Creek. Every now and then they chase a school of fish into Prospect Lake, a man-made waterway carved out of North Creek to create waterfront residences. The lake is connected to North Creek by a narrow channel, passable by dolphins at high tide only.

Last year Socrates the dolphin got into the lake. After giving him 10 days to find his own way out, a team comprising Australian Seabird Rescue volunteers, SeaWorld, the Cape Byron Marine Parks Authority, National Parks and Wildlife Service and NSW Fisheries was successful in herding the confused dolphin back into North Creek. A recommendation to Ballina Council to install a dolphin proof barrier across the channel saw no response.

Two weeks ago Socrates was back, this time with friends – a mother and her calf. It was estimated that there was enough fish in the lake to support them for a fortnight. Socrates left after a week, not before researchers realised that HE was probably a SHE since a mother and calf usually have female companions only.

On the 10th day, last Sunday, the combined rescue team tried to herd out the remaining pair. At the peak of high tide, SeaWorld’s huge net was deployed to surround the dolphins and move them slowly towards the channel. At the last moment they balked and fled, finding a way out underneath the net.

The SeaWorld rescue team returned to their Gold Coast base to organise a replacement net, this time much more heavily weighted along the bottom.

Last Wednesday morning the troops gathered once again. Lennox Head vet Evan Kosack joined us to monitor the dolphin’s health and an RSPCA officer monitored the operation. Ballina police assisted with crowd and traffic control. As curious locals and school holiday makers gathered, we were also joined by six TV news crews as well as photographers and reporters who would relay the event to millions of viewers throughout NSW and the Gold Coast.

It was a day of concern, co-operation and comraderie. Forty people united by purpose, five boats, a huge net, a specially designed marine mammal transport trailer and two nervous dolphins. As the net closed in on the dolphins, the calf – thought to be about 12 months old – was captured but his mother escaped. Care was taken to keep the little fellow’s beak in the water so that mother and son could continue communicating. Soon mum returned to her son’s side.

The net was redeployed. Within half an hour, his mum was captured.

“Turn them around so they’re facing each other,” instructed SeaWorld Rescue Team leader, Trevor Long. Both mother and calf seemed reassured.

It had been four tense hours and victory was ours. The dolphins were transported by road to the mouth of the Richmond River. Time seemed to stop as the they were lowered into the river.

In one split second we were all released – the dolphins to freedom, and rescuers to cheers and tears of relief and joy. In these troubled times, on this one day, together we all made a real and tangible difference. All that remains is for Ballina Shire Council to do the same.