Thin Green Line: Sean Willmore
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Thin Green Line: Sean Willmore

Picture this… you have a passion for exquisite animals, so you become a ranger where it is your duty to fight on the frontline for these beautiful creatures to live another day – or at least another week. You risk your life for this cause because you believe in their right for freedom, your number of comrades decreases every hour because the animals aren’t the only ones who die in this battle against the poachers. This is the cause The Thin Green Line Foundation was created to support the men and women who risk their lives to care for these dying breeds.
Green Line likes to think outside the box and what better way to raise funds and awareness than with a festival. Greenline Grooves for World Ranger Day, is a music event to honour and celebrate the men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect the endangered. With 100 per cent of donations going direct to the ground in 17 different projects around the world.
Not only will you be supporting an exceptional cause, but who wouldn’t want a nice cold bevy while reliving the wonder years with midnight oil covers. The event will focus on the iconic protest hits of Midnight Oil, recapturing the lyrics and what it meant, all in a cruisy reggae dub vibe performed by indigenous artists and put together by Declan Kelly.
Sean Willmore, the man with a plan, is the founding father of The Thin Green Line Foundation and president of the International Ranger Federation. Having travelled the globe to tell the world of the dangerous untold stories of his fellow rangers, Sean has put together an event not to be missed.
“People can be overwhelmed by everything happening around the world, just reading about rangers being killed people go, ‘Stop telling me bad news’,” he says.
“So it’s kind of our philosophy; we are going to tell you what’s going on but here’s something you can do about it. Part of that’s just coming to a gig, watching a band, having a good time – you’ve actually contributed. Rather than be overwhelming, we would rather be empowering.
“We’re reaching out to be people who aren’t necessarily converted as well. It’s just about the music, you can come have a beer, just relax, while the rangers are crawling on the frontline all we have to do is go to a gig, so we try to make it easy for you to get involved.”
The event will be held over two days, Friday night the 24th and Saturday afternoon the 25th to accommodate for families. Green Line Grooves will see Declan Kelly present Diesel n’Dub, featuring Emma Donovan, Declan Kelly, Radical Son, Pat Powell and Tony Hughes plus other special guests. Also appearing on the night will be Oscar Jimenez (Watussi) as Amaru Tribe and Yirrmal Marika (Yolngu Boys).
Sean’s main goal for this event is to see people having fun. “We want you to have a good time and want people to go away from it and think this is a really cool organisation that does really beautiful work and I want to get behind them, so bring your friends along and pack out the joint.”
To know more about the event and purchase tickets head to gasometer.oztix.com.au to donate to The Thin Green Line Foundation head to thingreenline.org.au.
When & Where: The Gasometer, Melbourne – July 24 & 25
Written by Jariah Travan