Ryan's blog

Saturday, October 10, 5pm, Helensburgh NSW – Despite the rain, Climate Campers in Helensburgh are in high spirits in anticipation of tomorrow’s protest action at the site of the Metropolitan Collieries.

More than 300 people from across NSW and the Illawarra have pitched tents and participated in a range of workshops and discussions surrounding the future of coal in the Illawarra, jobs, the Copenhagen Climate talks, Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and grassroots activism.

Late in the day visitors arrived from the Northern Territory. Harry Jagamara Nelson from the Yuendumu community and Richard Downs from the Ampilatwatja community are on a speaking tour about the intervention and the impact it has had on communities in the Northern Territory. They offered their support to the camp and thanked participants for listening to their story. “Climate change is happening very fast. We’re feeling the impact now. We’re with you and you’re part of us too,”said Richard Downs.