PETER Willcox was nearly killed when French spies blew up Greenpeace's flagship, Rainbow Warrior, in Auckland Harbour in 1985.
More than 25 years later he's at the helm of the third Rainbow Warrior, which is visiting Queensland to highlight the importance of protecting the Great Barrier Reef.
The ship arrived on Wednesday in Brisbane where it will remain for three days before heading to ports in north Queensland, including the Abbot Point coal port near Bowen which is proposed for expansion.
Mr Willcox was the skipper of the first Rainbow Warrior when it was bombed by French spies on July 10, 1985, amid protests against French nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean.
Photographer Fernando Pereira was killed in the blast.
"I would say the most amazing thing of that whole incident was the knowledge that a group of hippies on an old trawler had scared the mighty government of France," he told reporters in Brisbane on Thursday.
"They were prepared to murder us to keep us from carrying out our plans."
For Mr Willcox and Greenpeace, the focus has turned to climate change.
"The reef is an example of what's going on with climate change," he said.
"We are greatly concerned that the burning of fossil fuels will do immeasurable damage to the reef."
Australia was contributing to this, he said, "by more than doubling coal exports".
Greenpeace CEO David Ritter is calling on the state and federal governments to stop all new developments and port expansions on the Queensland coast.
But state Environment Minister Andrew Powell says the reef is one of the best managed marine protection areas in the world.
"I am confident that we can carefully manage development and resource activities while ensuring the World Heritage values are protected," he said.
* The Rainbow Warrior is open for free tours on Thursday at Portside Wharf, Brisbane, from 9am to 2pm.
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