It's been 17 days since Heath Ledger died. Earler today in Australia, his loved ones said their goodbyes. I've cobbled together various news reports and some photos of the services for this superb actor who left us much too soon... At the memorial, Michelle Williams and Heath's family arrived in a fleet of black BMWs. Wearing sunglasses and appearing grief-stricken, Williams held the hand of Ledger's sister Kate as they walked into the school about 12:30 p.m. Saturday, local time. Ledger's parents arrived afterward – first mother Sally Ledger Bell, with her husband Roger Bell, then father Kim Ledger and his wife Ines.

One mourner, Western Australian Liberal MP Barbara Scott, described the service as "tastefully done, beautiful and moving".
"Kate (Ledger) spoke of the unique bond she shared with her brother, how he would ring her three or four times a day and how he never forgot his friends even at the height of his fame."

At least 300 people attended the service, including model – and close friend to Heath – Gemma Ward – Australian actors Cate Blanchett and Bryan Brown and Australian Rules football stars Ben Cousins and David Wirrpanda, both friends of Heath's.

Attendees of the two-hour tribute received a memorial program featuring a photograph of Ledger. At the start of the ceremony, a select group of songs were played, including “These Days” by Australian band Powderfinger; “Wish You Were Here” by Pink Floyd; “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder; “The Times They Are A-Changin’” by Bob Dylan, “Seven Nation Army” by the White Stripes, and a song by The Shins.

One of the first speakers was sister Kate Ledger, who addressed the attendants with a montage set to the tune of the Beatles’ “Here Comes The Sun” playing in the background.

Blanchett made an unexpected appearance and later delivered an emotional eulogy to Ledger, who died in his New York apartment from an accidental drug overdose. He was 28. She spoke of her sadness at the loss of a gifted actor and fellow Hollywood Australian - and his "great potential" that would not be realised. "He achieved so much in his short life and was capable of so much in the future."

"It's a pretty sad time. We're finding it difficult to cope," Ledger's father Kim (above) said Saturday morning, local time, before heading to the memorial at Penrhos College, a boarding school in the Perth suburb of Como. The ceremony was held in the school's theatre, where as a child Ledger would often sit in the front row watching his sister, Kate, perform in school plays.

Following a memorial at Penrhos College for hundreds of mourners, Williams, escorted by police, arrived with a small entourage of Ledger's closest family for a more intimate service at Fremantle Cemetery, just outside Perth, Australia. The chapel at Fremantle, which was blacked out with sheets and scaffolding, has only eight wooden pews and a lectern. There, Williams read William Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”).

Less than an hour after arriving, the mourners were spotted putting their arms around a clearly distressed Williams and hugging the chaplain in gratitude as they departed. From there, they headed to the Indiana Tea House on Cottesloe Beach, where attendees from the earlier memorial could be seen smoking and drinking beer and red and white wine on the patio of the establishment, which has a spectacular view of the ocean. What started out as a subdued wake after Ledger's funeral ended in an emotional goodbye by mourners including Williams, who all took a plunge into the ocean as the sun began to set.

"It's exactly what Heath would have wanted," one mourner told PEOPLE, dripping wet in his underwear as he made his way out of the water.

An unidentified man led Williams by the hand, followed by several guests, who walked down the stairs behind the Indiana Tea House on Cottesloe Beach, the site of the wake and one of Ledger's favorite spots. At least 50 people attending the wake ran onto the beach and many began to take off their clothes. While some women took the plunge in their black dresses, other men and women stripped down to just their underwear and jumped into the ocean.

Williams, still wearing her cream-colored sundress and black sunglasses, was briefly dragged into the water as everyone cheered. She was then quickly surrounded by a group of mourners, creating a protective circle around the actress. Those in the water laughed and cheered as Michelle watched from the shore. Ledger's sister Kate also took a dive into the water and was surrounded by pals splashing around her while her father Kim Ledger watched from the restaurant's balcony and shouted, "Hip hip hooray! Hip hip hooray!" giving two thumbs up in the air.

As the sun began to set, the swimmers came on shore and stood in a line on both sides of Williams and linked arms. In the last five minutes, as the sun moved toward the horizon, the mourners stood in silence, watching and embracing. Williams hugged Kate Ledger and smiled as she watched the sunset at 8:15 p.m., local time.

Two mourners in the group summoned up the moment as they stood behind Williams.
"The sun goes down on our love," they said. "But it will never go down on Heathy."

Williams left the wake with Ledger's mother at 9:20 p.m., local time. Sally Ledger Bell held on to Michelle as they got into a black SUV. Once inside, Sally rested her head on Williams' shoulder as the car drove away.