CEA have just been made aware of another two areas in Kariong (we all thought were National Park) that have been claimed by Darkinjung Land Council/Developers!
This press release will well and truly put you in the picture.
Please consider contacting local Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch’s office today on 43 424122 and leave a polite but firm message saying the land next to the Scout Camp and behind Kariong Eco Gardens in NOT to be bulldozed for profit!
PLEASE SHARE THIS FAR AND WIDE & TAG FRIENDS WHO WOULD WANT TO KNOW.
[PRESS RELEASE…]
Kariong Bushland “under siege”
Community groups have again joined forces with Traditional Bloodline Custodians to oppose plans for more development in environmentally and culturally sensitive bushland in Kariong.
The developer, Darkinjung Local Aboriginal Land Council (DLALC) has already faced strong opposition to a development on 300 Woy Woy Road which adjoins to a registered sacred Aboriginal Place, is in the vicinity of a State and Federally listed Area of Regional Koala Significance (ARKS) and backs directly onto Brisbane Water National Park.
Opponents of the new developments have stated that the two sites are adjoined to Kariong Scout Camp and Kariong Ecovillage and are areas full of threatened species and cultural heritage.
Traditional Bloodline Custodian, Tracey Howie from the Guringai People, said ” I was absolutely mortified to see what DLALC has planned for these other two sites at Kariong. While we are unclear of their exact intentions, we have heard they are planning more housing developments. Myself and many others believed all this land to already be in the National Park and are hoping that our elected leaders can clarify exactly what DLALC are planning for the sites.”
“My ancestor’s lived and died in this area for 10’s of thousands of years, and left evidence of their occupation in the amazing, diverse and plentiful engravings which are etched into the sandstone on these parcels of land.”
“We are again calling on the community to support us in opposing the destruction of our cultural heritage and endangered ecosystems.”
“It’s important for the community to know that DLALC do not represent the First People of the Central Coast and they certainly don’t have our consent to exploit the land for profit.”
“There are members of DLALC who are well aware of the cultural significance of Kariong in regards to it being a meeting place for many mobs from different areas. Given that most of the members of DLALC are originally from other areas, and with great respect and hope, we are appealing to those individuals who deeply value our culture to step forward and support us in protecting the sites we have left here on the Central Coast.”
“There are a lot of extremely positive things going on with our local Aboriginal community and DLALC is a major player in providing employment and supporting Indigenous businesses to get up and running.”
“If DLALC has development aspirations also, we aren’t necessarily against that. We are realistic about people needing housing and the importance of Aboriginal organisations thriving in this largely non – Indigenous dominated economic landscape. But if we allow our history to be erased by allowing our most ecologically and culturally sensitive areas to be bulldozed, there’s no amount of money that can bring that back.”
Traditional Bloodline Custodian and Darkinoong woman, Renee Sales joined Howie and said “DLALC represent less than 4 per cent of the entire Aboriginal community on the Central Coast, but are the biggest private land owner, with over 1000 new land claims currently being assessed by the Government.”
“With 100’s of millions of dollars worth of development in the pipeline, DLALC simply don’t need to bulldoze the sacred sites at Kariong to get ahead financially, and we are really hoping that their own membership will push to have these areas preserved for future generations.”
“People need to know that the “Darkinjung Country” signs at key places across the Central Coast are false and misleading. The main tribes on the Central Coast are the Guringai, made up of the Walkaloa, Wannabe, Wanangine and Gurigal clans, and my ancestors are the Darkinoong to the West of these groups.”
“We are certainly not opposed to development, nor are we against DLALC getting ahead financially, but not at the cost of our irreplaceable cultural heritage and the bushland at Kariong that is one of the last bastions for endangered flora and fauna.”
“My ancestors new the importance of keeping the watercourses clear, unobstructed and flowing in order to maintain the health of the overall ecology of this area. Now many of these water courses are officially listed as endangered and it’s proposed developments like this that are the exact reason why.”
Kariong resident and campaigner for protecting the Kariong bushland, Lisa Bellamy, said ” Myself and others in the community are still trying to come to terms with the implications of DLALC attempting to develop these extremely ecologically and culturally sensitive parts of our precious Kariong Bushland.”
“We are again calling on our State Member for Gosford, Liesl Tesch, to support us in protecting our local bushland at Kariong. So far our efforts have been completely ignored by Ms Tesch, who publicly has supported the development of Kariong Sacred Lands. The Local, State or Federal Labor Government could work together to offer DLALC some developable land where they won’t have to destroy cultural heritage and have such a devastating impact on our pristine environment here at Kariong.”
Coast Environmental Alliance (CEA) founder and long-time campaigner for the protection of Kariong Sacred Lands, Jake Cassar, added “We have been saying all along that if we don’t rise up together to oppose the destruction of some of our most vulnerable bushland around Kariong, that DLALC would be going for more and more of our precious bushland areas across the Central Coast. After DLALC successfully claimed all of the bushland behind Soldiers Beach at Norah Head, a large portion of Kincumber Mountain, and these huge parcels of land at Kariong, that threat is now becoming a reality. CEA are calling on other local environmental groups and others in the community to join us in protecting our local bushland before it is lost forever.”
Community groups are inviting the public to come together at Kariong Progress Hall at 6pm – 8pm on Friday August 23rd for a Town hall-style meeting to discuss the potential developments.
Town Hall Meeting for Kariong event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1469028853799223
The groups encouraged the community to follow the Facebook pages Coast Environmental Alliance (CEA) and Save Kariong Sacred Lands to follow the campaign to protect these sites, and to write to the State Member for Gosford Liesl Tesch to gain her support for protecting the Kariong bushland.
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