Thursday 28 February 2013

REFLECTIONS ON GLENUGIE

Glenugie drill site on  8th February.  Traumatron to the right.
All has been quiet at the former Metgasco drill site at Glenugie now for about three weeks.  The drill and all the infrastructure have gone - except for the double fence.  Even that dramatic machine - the traumatron - which held up Metgasco's removal from the site, has gone.

The traumatron
It's interesting to look back on those from elsewhere who joined  Clarence Valley locals in the vigil and blockade.  Some of these supporters were day visitors but others camped along the side of the road or on nearby properties. There was some fancy accommodation (caravans and campervans), while some slept in vehicles and others in tents - many of these being makeshift shelters. Some  campers stayed for weeks; some remained for days, then took a break back home before returning to Glenugie.

Amonst the visiting supporters the Grafton KNAGs enjoyed meeting were our northern Nanna mentors - who showed their talents in knitting, crafting decorations and then displaying these on the protesters' Christmas tree.

Glenugie was visited by a number of politicians - Greens MLC Jeremy Buckingham and Federal Member for Clarence Janelle Saffin.  Another Greens MLC, Jan Barham from Byron Bay, joined the Knitting Nannas for a knit-in while she was at the site.

The Mayors of Lismore and Byron also visited as did several of their fellow councillors.

Interestingly most local politicians did not seem to think the Glenugie action of sufficient significance to rate a visit - even though they did not have far to travel!  Clarence Valley Councillors Margaret McKenna and Jason Kingsley were the exceptions.

Regrettably our local state member, Chris Gulaptis, did not visit the site.  When the Nannas spoke to him outside his office in Grafton on  January 25, they offered to escort him to the site so that he could see it for himself and talk to the  locals there.  He declined.  Later, in a letter to the Nannas he said that he would visit the site a a time mutually suitable to him and the property owner.

The Nannas don't know whether that happened - but his visit should have been made when Metgasco was working at the site.  A visit after they had left was pointless.

A sign left across the road from the deserted drill site says it all