Swimmers at Christmas Beach got a rare treat last week.
As the storm was about to hit the Shire – Hannah, an actual mermaid, came ashore for a splash and a quick photo before splishing off to Byron Bay.
Hannah Mermaid, aka Hannah Fraser, has swum to Byron waters to visit her non-flipper-and-finned family and to share her watery knowledge with those wanting to know the secrets of mermaidery.
As the world’s first professional mermaid, Hannah has merged her artistic talents with her dedication to ocean conservation.
An international icon
From her early days in Byron Bay, she has become an international icon, captivating audiences with underwater performances and her advocacy for marine life.
Hannah’s mermaid journey began in childhood, when she filled sketchbooks with images of mermaids, dolphins, whales, and other aquatic creatures, making her first mermaid tail inspired by the movie Splash when she was just nine.
After moving to Byron Bay in the mid ’90s, she transformed her artistic talents into a career, selling her creations at local markets and boutique stores around the country.
This soon led her to discover underwater modelling, where she could fully embody the mythical mermaids she had once only imagined.
Thus began her career as the world’s first professional freelance mermaid, combining creativity, aquatic skills, and activism.
Marine activist
Hannah was a key activist in the Oscar-winning documentary, The Cove, paddling out in blood-stained water to protest the dolphin slaughter in Taiji, Japan. This impactful film brought international attention to the cruel practices.
Next week in Byron Bay, Hannah is hosting workshops in collaboration with renowned underwater photographer, Brett Stanley, to turn participants into real, live, merfolk.
For more information, visit: www.hannahmermaid.com.
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