Muzz and the protectors HALT DEFORESTATION work at Leards NSW

I wish I was there now,  we went out there a little prematurely,  but we went out and we know what to expect now.   There is a huge job to do to support the local people of that area who are the custodians of that land - the GOMEROI PEOPLE!

Murray Dreschler has done a superb job so far protecting this from whitehaven with various others along the way, but now it is time to get out there and help STOP THIS!

Last Friday over 20 Gomeroi traditional custodians of the area met at Whitehaven Coal's Boggabri office .   They were  protesting the failure by WHITEHAVEN to pay the due respect Aboriginal burial sites carry and by Australian Law as well.

One of the traditional owners, Stephen Talbot reported:

 "Traditional owners have been locked out of the process of assessing potential heritage sites at the Maules Creek project, one of the state's biggest open-cut coal mines".

LEARDS STATE FOREST NSW

 Today this happens because WHITEHAVEN are seemingly a law unto themselves not following the process through as is expected. 

  I found this on Sky NEWS

 Protesters have launched a blockade at Whitehaven's controversial Maules Creek coal mine project to stop construction at the site.

Anti-mining alliance Lock the Gate said the blockade began on Monday at the site near Boggabri, in northwest NSW, and aimed to turn back 'vehicles seeking to clear the forest for construction of rail infrastructure'.

'Protesters have established a blockade at the edge of the forest, and are preventing bulldozers from felling trees for an access road,' Lock the Gate said in a statement.

'Construction work has been halted and the protesters are vowing to remain in place.'

The group claims the project will clear-fell a large area of the Leard State Forest that comprises endangered woodland and wildlife habitat.

'It's opposed by members of the local farming community,' Lock the Gate added.

In December, protesters blockading at the mine site were arrested by police.

That action came after the Federal Court dismissed an application by the Northern Inland Council for the Environment (NICE), which had called for the approval granted by former environment minister Tony Burke of the $767 million Maules Creek mine to be overturned.

Whitehaven has previously said the project will create 800-plus jobs and had support from most local residents.

Mine construction is due to begin early this year.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

Related articles

• Protesters 'blockade' NSW mine project
• Maules Creek protestors blockade mine construction
• Traditional owners protest Whitehaven's handling of burial sites

Dripping Rock

Approaching Dripping Rock you are surrounded by a lush forest of Melaleucas.   The car park is at the top of the track and its a  short walk down from the carpark to the rock pool.  As you walk down there are many spectacular sights to take in, there are huge boulders dangling on their points and maiden hair fern grows prolifically amongst the rocks in the shady areas.

As you emerge from the trees you will be greeted by a spectacular half circle cliff rising up in front of you and a rock pool is at the base of this. When water is flowing, water would tumble from about fifty meters up over the edge cascading down into this pool. The cliff is sedimentary and this allows water to continually seep through the rock and this causes continuous  condesation.   This is why the name Dripping Rock for this beautiful place.

We walked down into the melaleuca forest with excitement, carrying out towels and picnic lunch we had prepared back at camp at Leards Forest.  Kathy, Bec and myself were all hot and dusty from the coal trucks beating the dust down our throats as they passed the camp at break neck speed.   We were looking forward to this cool refreshing change.    It was hard for me to not stop and photograph more.  

We explored the area thoroughly and  decided the leaches were way too large to swim happily in the rock pool or to frolic in the water for any length of time so we just sat and splashed ourselves in the mid day sunshine.   We were well shaded and protected where were.   We had some lunch and  talked about how we could stop the mining companies destroying such a wonderful and magical place as where we were sitting at that moment.  To comtemplate this was even traumatic.

I talked about clay licks and then two parrots came and sat and licked the rock above us way up high.  How fascinating is the universe when it gives you live examples just so swiftly as this.   We all made a solemn ask of the universe while we sat in the water here.   We simply said to the universe,  " We have asked and now our words will not return void,  Please end the mining that is clearly  for greed purposes on the planet, right now lets start with Australia, can we do this please, Stop the Mining now". 

That is what we said and all three agreed and that is what we sent out to the universe.  We felt that was a given in such a humbling place as where we were sitting cooling our toes.  The entire landscape was listening and watching our every move while we sat and talked.  I could feel the ancient spirits telling me to say it, to instigate the change in the spirit realm and bring it into the physical realm of existence where the mining is the problem.  The greed has gotten to a point that it is sickening and families are being destroyed for money.

Images @ Eminpee Fotography

The Koala is at serious risk

Koala food trees risk coal and gas wipe out: new survey shows | Stop Pilliga Coal Seam Gas

A little known eucalypt tree, the Pilliga Box, is likely to be a critical link to Koala survival in Northwest NSW, and needs elevated recognition of its significance, according to latest survey results to be presented by Koala expert, David Paull at the 58th meeting of the Australian Mammal Society in South Australia today.

“These recent Koala survey data from Leard Forest show that Eucalyptus Pilligaensis, or Pilliga Box as it is commonly known, is a primary food tree rather than a secondary tree as is currently accepted under the Koala Recovery Plan” states Mr Paull.
“This is because it grows in low lying depressions which are often waterlogged, providing suitable moisture levels in the leaves for the Koala to feed.

“This tree species is extremely important on a regional scale across the Pilliga and Leard State Forests. In the Pilliga where this tree is common, box flats of this species, along with creek lines, are central to the distribution of this species.
Both the Leard and Pilliga State forests are under imminent threat of becoming either an open cut coal mine or an industrial coal seam gas field.
“If approved, the open cut coal mines in Leard State Forest will completely destroy thousands of hecatres of forest dense with critical Koala food trees, red gums, Pilliga Box and White Box – severely impacting the Koala’s chances of survival in the region and its ability to disperse.

 

 “Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke has a decision to make on both the Boggabri and Maules Creek coal mines in coming months and I hope that this new information will now be urgently considered by the Federal Government to inform that decision” he said.
“Santos has made their plans to turn the Pilliga, a critical habitat area for Koalas, into a coal seam gas industrial zone – posing a massive risk to fragile Koala populations” said Naomi Hogan, campaigner with The Wilderness Society Newcastle.
“The Koala is now a nationally listed threatened species and Burke should not give the green light to Koala food tree destruction either in Leard State Forest or the Pilliga. The Koala needs our protection now more than ever ‐ not a Koala food tree forest wipe out” she said.

Related articles

• Drastic drop in NSW, Queensland koala numbers (abc.net.au)
• Things To Do In The State Forest: Hiking, Camping, Coal Mining... (theglobalmail.org)
• ABC Wednesday: K is for Koala (myjourneywithdepression.wordpress.com)