GRAFTON NANNAS CELEBRATE BENTLEY ACHIEVEMENT

This afternoon a group of Grafon Nannas gathered outside the office of Chris Gulaptis, Member for Clarence, to celebrate the wonderful achievement of all those who supported the Bentley blockade. The Nannas enjoyed a sedate nanna afternoon tea, a wonderful chat, plenty of laughs (particularly over a Media Release from local politicians). In a change from their usual knit-ins, not a stitch was knitted!  Guess this was more of a chat-in.

Nanna Audrey's delicious biscuits were a hit.

The Nannas were hoping that their MP would join them for a cuppa and a chat.  But, alas, he was in Casino and, according to a  member of his office staff, launching his disperse the flying foxes petition there.  This made the Nannas wonder if he was planning another petition which we would have all supported with considerable enthusiasm - DISPERSE THE GAS MINING COMPANIES.  Oh, well, we can but wish .....

Nannas present letter at Mr Gulaptis' office

The Nannas left a letter outlining their hope that Mr Gulaptis would take a stronger line on the gas mining issue which would reflect the concerns of his constituents.  The text of this letter is printed below:

The Grafton Loop of the Knitting Nannas Against Gas is delighted that the NSW Government has at last listened to the concerns of the local community about the activities of gas miner Metgasco.  The suspension of  Metgasco's right to drill an exploration well at the Bentley Rosella site is a step in the right direction.

We were very interested to see the joint media release "North Coast Nationals Welcome Suspension of Metgasco Licence" in which you participated.  While it appears that you and your fellow North Coast National MPs are finally responding to the concerns of a significant proportion of your constituents, there is much more that you could be doing.

While we welcome the suspension, we are concerned that it is a temporary measure. 
As the Knitting Nannas have told you on a number of occasions, we do not believe that gas mining – whether it be conventional CSG mining or unconventional mining such as would have occurred at Bentley – is an appropriate industry for the Northern Rivers area.  Gas mining is an invasive industry completely unsuited to this wonderfully biodiverse and rich agricultural region.  The risks gas-mining poses to agriculture, to water resources, to the region's ecology, to human health and to our lifestyle mean it should never be allowed here.
We call on you, as our elected representative, to strongly lobby your government to revoke the mining PELs in the Northern Rivers area.  Are you prepared to do this?

GRAFTON KNIT-IN 13TH MAY

A lively group of Grafton Nannas met once again outside Clarence MP Chris Gulaptis' office in Grafton today.

 
The Grafton Nannas are strong supporters of the protest at Bentley. This weekend some of the local nannas will be travelling north to the protest camp to join their northern nanna compatriots and all the other community members trying to get the message across to the state government  and Metgasco that gas-mining in our region should be abandoned.

We saw the amazingly colourful knitting of Trinette who has been very busy flashing the needles since we last saw her.  She's  become a snake knitter of note.  And these snakes look great wound around poles.

There was a suggestion that we might see some pole-dancing near the green snake - but it didn't eventuate!

Dorothy has also been adding to her wonderful menagerie of knitted wildlife.  She unveiled her baby echidna to join its mother.  And next time she'll be bringing along her new rainbow serpent.  (What is it with these Nannas and snakes??)

Baby echidna joins its mother.

For more photos of this Knit-in, check out our Knit In page

RECENT GRAFTON KNIT-INS

Tuesday May 6 Knit-In
The cold weather is certainly affecting the old bones as a few stalwart Grafton Nannas had to rug up well for a knit-in lastTuesday  outside Mr Gulaptis' office.  We didn't see Mr Gulaptis and assume that he was in Parliament supporting the Clarence electorate. (Can we hope that he was telling his Government colleagues that people of the Northern Rivers don't want any gas mining in their area ???!!!)

We admired Dorothy's colourful crocheted medallions which she will make into a cushion.

 Suzanne told us about her recent visit to the protest camp at Bentley and her plans to "frock up" for the event there on Friday. She' also planning an outfit for a friend who will be accompanying her.  The Bentleyites obviously know how to provide some entertainment to lighten the serious effort they are engaged in!

And listening to our chatter and checking on the passers-by we had Dorothy's wonderful knitted echidna and platypus ably supported by Suzanne's knitted doll, Suzie.

Tuesday April 15
At this knit-in we were joined by Sarah's friend Carol who was catching up with Sarah on a short visit to Australia.  Carol hails from Omaha in the U.S. state of Nebraska. Carol told us about her concerns about a local environmental issue - the proposed TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline which will carry oil sourced from the Canadian tar sands across the U.S. to the Gulf of Mexico.

Nannas are great untanglers!

 

 

Having a knitted ring helps with creativity.

GRAFTON NANNAS VISIT BENTLEY

Looking down on the camp from the track from the drillsite.  Much of the camp is not visible in this photo.

Five Nannas from the Grafton Loop and one Nanna supporter travelled north to Metgasco's Bentley drill site on Friday April 4.

As well as giving us an opportunity to survey the latest area under threat from Metgasco's drilling plans, it gave us a chance to meet again with our northern Nanna compatriots and with others we'd met during the Glenugie and Doubtful Creek campaigns.

We were very impressed with the organisation of the camp which has been laid out like a small town with streets in a grid pattern . The camp, which a few days earlier had housed around 2000 people, is downhill from the drillsite and on an adjacent property. Shelters are mainly tents - and a few teepees -  but there are also campervans and a few caravans.

A gate-keeper directs day visitors to parking below the camping area.

The Lismore Nannas' shelter

The Grafton Nannas joined the Lismore Nannas  at their shelter, a structure reminiscent of igloo-type hangars in shape, consisting of parallel semi-circular metal supports covered with tarps.  It was a comfortable, well-equipped headquarters and even boasted a small "dormitory" in the rear.

Message wall near the gate of the protest camp

Bentley is currently in Thomas George's Lismore electorate.  However, there has been an electoral redistribution.  At the next State Election (in March 2015), Bentley will be in the Clarence electorate.

So Mr Gulaptis, our local member, will have a further experience of gas drilling in his electorate. (Not to say that he had any direct experience by visiting Glenugie when it was operational!  He only heard about it second or third hand - despite many invitations to visit and see for himself.)  We wonder if he might go and check this one out.  But ... we Nannas aren't really hopeful about this happening!

Some of the Grafton Nannas took photos.  I took many photos, some of which I intended to use on this blog but - alas - as a result of a really irritating Nanna moment, I deleted them all!  I only hope that this Nanna has  learnt her lesson and will be MUCH more careful in future. The photos I do have for this post are courtesy of Sarah Fletcher.  Thanks very much, Sarah.

Tripod near the entrance to the drill site

NANNAS ARE AT IT AGAIN

A small group of dedicated Nannas gathered again outside the office of our local MP Chris Gulaptis to knit (and crochet) AND NATTER.  (Some  of us are better at nattering than knitting - or crocheting!).

What we really appreciate is that Nannas come when they can.  Most of us lead busy Nanna lives and can't make it every week - but we click and clack our needles on the street whenever we can.

After our knit-in we learned that Mr Gulaptis was planning to attend a science forum on CSG in the Parliamentary Theatrette in Sydney.  We hope that he learns more about what concerns us Nannas about how gas-mining is going to affect the  life of the kiddies in the future. There is a really urgent need for our representatives to learn more about the problems of this industry.  AND we hope that ALL of Mr Gulaptis' National Party colleagues also attend the forum. 

Who but a Nanna could devise a wig as elegant as this?

 

Dorothy's wonderful cushion cover

It must be serious when even the dolls are protesting !!

GRAFTON NANNAS CALL ON GULAPTIS TO ACT TO PROTECT LAND AND WATER SUPPLIES

 The Grafton Nannas have written to their State Member of Parliament, Chris Gulaptis, calling on him to urge his Government to halt immediately all unconventional gas  mining in NSW.  The letter was delivered  to his office on Thursday 13th March.  A similar letter from the Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition was also delivered at this time.

Below is  the text of the KNAG letter.

Following the recent contamination to the groundwater in the Pilliga State Forest , The Knitting Nannas Against Gas – Grafton Loop are calling on the State Government to put a stop to all unconventional gas mining in NSW.

It is time our MPs took the step to protect the land and water supplies of the people in their electorates.

It is unacceptable that communities have to live with the threat of contamination from this invasive industry.

Below are quotes from the EPA and Public Health:

"On Friday, EPA chief environmental regulator Mark Gifford confirmed the contamination was caused by water leaking from the pond and that lead, aluminium, arsenic, barium, boron, nickel and uranium had been detected in an aquifer at levels ''elevated when compared to livestock, irrigation and health guidelines''.
 SMH, 8th March 2014

“The heavy metals in the water and particularly the high levels of aluminium are certainly a concern if this industry is going to spread.  I’m not confident the EPA has the appropriate testing methodology to deal with or prepare for such a contamination situation and the ongoing repercussions.”
Dr Con Costa, public health physician and GP, media release 12th March 2014

The industry has now been proven to be unsafe and as such should be halted immediately.

 The delegation presenting letters at the office of Chris Gulaptis

Nannas, Nannas everywhere!

I see them here, I see them there,
I see them everywhere
Nannas in Clarence,
Nannas in Lismore,
Nannas in Ballina
Nannas in QLD,
Nannas in Armidale I hear!
Nannas in the UK,
Nannas in the US of A
Knitting out and about each week,
Clicking up a storm, Oh what cheek!

Saving our Land & Water for the Kiddies - never doubt the power of a Nanna!!!!

Nannas with style

Nannas with flair

Nannas that care

Nannas who create

Wow those needles are great!

Nannas just chatting

and Nannas with art in their hair!