Media Release, 9 September 2013

Paddle from Pee Dee Station to heritage-listed Bellbrook and discover the Macleay Valley’s magical upriver country, where bellbirds still tinkle in forested mountains and time has gone fishing.

Save Our Macleay River (SOMR) is hosting the Paddle on the Macleay event on Sunday, 29 September to raise awareness about the threat of mining in the upper catchment and to highlight the region’s splendor.

Organiser, Bernadette O’Sullivan, said SOMR hoped that by experiencing the Macleay River’s beauty first hand, members of the community would realise how much this amazing asset needed protecting.

‘The added bonus is that participants will get to explore sections of the river that they would never normally be able to access due to private land,’ Ms O’Sullivan added.

The four-hour paddle will begin at Pee Dee Station at 9.05 a.m. and end at Bellbrook Bridge.

Anyone wanting to join in on this aquatic adventure should be at Pee Dee Station before 8.30 a.m., as the gate will be closed afterward.

Participants will need to download the Event Registration Form off the SOMR website and have it filled in to handover before beginning the paddle. Visit www.saveourmacleayriver.com for more information.

At 8.45, Aboriginal Elder, Aunty Esther, will give a welcome to country address then at 8.55 Greens MLC, Jeremy Buckingham, will give a brief talk, before commencing the paddle himself.

There will be a band of volunteers on hand to ferry people back up to their car at paddle’s end, but Ms O’Sullivan asked that participants drive up to Bellbrook in two cars where possible.

SOMR, Lock the Mid North Coast, the Greens and the Environmental Defenders Office will also be displaying information about the threat of mining to the Macleay and other areas at the Bellbrook Hall.

Food and drinks will be available from the Bellbrook General Store and the Bellbrook Hotel, which will also feature live music.

Accommodation at Bellbrook ranges from riverside cabins to farmhouses, and a free campground at Blackbird Flat. For further details contact Macleay Valley Coast Tourism on 1800 642 480 or go to www.macleayvalleycoast.com.au

Media opportunities will be arranged at Pee Dee Station and Bellbrook.

MEDIA RELEASE 11-7-2013

Acclaimed Author at Public Forum

Author Sharyn Munro is just one famous face at the Save Our Macleay River’s (SOMRs) Public Forum on Saturday 20 July.

Her book Rich Land – Wasteland records the struggle many ordinary Australians are having trying to protect their communities from the adverse affects of mining.

About three years ago, Sharyn left her pristine mountain home and began a journey through rural Australia, visiting communities in mining areas.

While initially concentrating on coal mining, she soon found that coal wasn’t the only mining that impacted negatively on the environment.

“The unprecedented expansion of mining in Australia is like an invasion, Ms Munro said. “It leads to the destruction of our food and water security.”

Also speaking at the forum is Gavin Mudd, Course Director in Environmental Engineering at Monash University.

Mr Mudd is an expert in sustainable mining, environmental impacts, management of mine wastes and acid mine drainage with a good understanding of the downstream impacts as we experience them in the Macleay Valley.

“There are thousands of mine sites across Australia, both old and still operating, which leave a huge environmental legacy”, he explained. “We haven’t really dealt with that and given that mining is increasing all the time the challenge is only getting bigger and bigger.”

Taree Councillor and Chair of the Manning Alliance, Peter Epov is another speaker.

“’There are a number of unique parallels.  We have been working to insulate the Manning Valley and the entire catchment from the ravages of CSG from Gloucester and the Macleay Valley has similar issues.”

Also on the panel is Dhungutti Elder Fred Kelly who is concerned about existing health problems within the Indigenous community.

“It should be investigated whether these are related to contaminants already in the river like arsenic and antinomy”, he said.

The Forum will provide the community with an opportunity to raise awareness of past, current and potential future pollution from mining operations not only in the Macleay River catchment but also in other areas of Australia as well.

The Public Forum will kick off on Saturday 20 July at 10.30am at the Anglican Hall in West Kempsey with a free workshop by the Environmental Defenders’ Office (EDO).  The panel discussion begins at 1.30pm and will conclude with a Q&A session.  Lunch is available at 12.15

Contacts for interviews: Gavin Mudd  0419 117 494, Sharyn Munro  0438 052 685, Peter Epov  0412 158858

for more information visit www.saveourmacleayriver.com