Mullaley - Tuesday 6 September

After a while you start to run out of superlatives ... but we have not reached that point yet!

Mullaley (38km west of Gunnedah) gave us a great reception.

About 100 people crammed in to the Mullaley Hall for the Defend Our Water community meeting.

Section of the crowd at the meeting

Andrew Higgins, a barrister (a real one - not a coffee maker LOL), spoke about the issue of the gas pipeline Eastern Star Gas want to put through the area.

Those attending were extremely concerned about the potential impacts of coal seam gas exploration and extraction and particularly about the proposed pipeline. Eastern Star Gas propose to run the pipeline (40m wide) through over 60 properties in the area. They also refuse to give any assurance that additional pipelines won't be laid.

The pipeline was originally proposed to run to Wellington but it now seems that it will run to Newcastle to try to access the export market.

Again, we found that the stereotype of generosity and hospitality of country people runs true.

We stayed with Natasha and Don parish on their property. They have expansive views across the valley and it was a lovely interlude.

Natasha and Don

At the time the meeting was on members of the Mullaley Gas and Pipeline Accord were able to meet with Tony Windsor (local Federal MP) and Simon Crean. Tony is introducing a private members bill into federal parliament next week calling for a moratorium.

We also ran into a local who used to live at Murwillumbah (and her son still does). It was lovely to catch up with one of "our" locals while we are away.

As we left Mullaley this morning heading towards Mudgeee for our next series of community meetings we saw a local lanholder out putting up his Lock The Gate signs. It was the perfect send off.

Cheers

Michael & Julie