LEARD next to be TARED

The proposed coal mine at Maules Creek an hour out of Boggabri is another piece of madness this government is seemingly pushing through at pace.  The place is a disaster waiting to happen.  There is much concern because there is also Hydraulic Coal seam gas Mining intended for this region west of Gunnedah.  It seems the people of the neighbouring towns are not being listened to.  The Planning and assessment Commission is not listened to.  Who is pulling all these mining strings and making mining right in peoples back yards.  The mining of yesteryear is gone.  This type of mining is frowned upon now and people simply do not want this happening.  Both indigenous groups and  communities are banding together but none of these groups are being heard. 

At the time of writing this there is planning in the pipeline to proceed to bulldoze the land in readiness to commence the mine immediately.

Inland Vegetation

From the PAC Review Report

The project involves the clearing of 1665 ha of native vegetation, including 754 ha of critically
endangered box gum woodland. The forest has been found to support 26 listed fauna species and has a moderate to high likelihood of supporting 15 others. Despite its landform of undulating hills and proximity to the forested lands of the Nandewar Range and Kaputar National Park, the State Forest is currently mapped as part of the Liverpool Plains sub region. Consequently, despite its marginal location within the sub-region, the Leard State Forest is attributed particular conservation significance because of the extensive clearing of vegetation on the plains and the fragmented nature of the vegetated remnants.

The conservation corridors proposed to be developed would link directly to the Leard State Forest.  Currently mining applications are seeking to mine from the north and the south of the forest only leaving a narrow strip of undisturbed vegetation between them. The Commission does not believe this narrow corridor is adequate, on grounds both of integrity of the biodiversity corridor and also in relation to the potential for groundwater interactions between the two mines.

 The Koala has recently been listed as nationally vulnerable under Australian environment laws and this should be enough reason for this project to not get the go ahead and to be scrapped immediately due to the environmental risks posed to not only the animals but to people. 
People will inevitably have their way of life eroded away and no longer viable as farming in this area and the traditional owners of the land are further separated and the government wonders why there are so many indigenous issues.  The reason for this is the Australian Government is stupid.  They are in Band-aid mode and they thing the way out of the fiscal crisis is to dig the crap out of  Australia and it isn't going to happen because it appears too many people are now up set.  On  the ground everyone is mobilizing to fight this head on!

People are sick and tired of being ignored by government who favor big business over people.  They will not win this but it will be a long and bitter struggle.  But a struggle we all have to face together to show this government that we are a people who put environment first.  Because we are a people who understand that quality of life is important for ourselves but also for the lives of our children and grandchildren.

The Kaputar National Park is also not far away and so please click the link below to view the most beautiful stone monolithic rock structures. Mount Kaputar State Forest- Situated in County Murchison, Parish Rusden; located along the north east slopes of the Nandewar Range extending along the range for 1.5 kilometres north of Mount Kaputar for 2.5 kilometres south of Mount Kaputar; state forest no. 20 of 11,932 acres; assigned 22 September 1967.

http://bonzle.com/c/a?a=pic&fn=cfphnomr&s=3http://bonzle.com/c/a?a=pic&fn=cfphnomr&s=3

Image by Mezza - Inland vegetation