Update Day 2

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. 

Uncle Dootch Kennedy, of the Illawarra Aboriginal Land Council, welcomed all newcomers onto Dharwal country, and said that climate camp could be a strong forum to create major political changes.

Organisers expect more than1700 people to attend tomorrow’s demonstration at the controversial mine to voice their concerns about the NSW Government’s disregard for climate, water and renewable energy jobs.

Members of local community group Rivers SOS visited the Woronora Special Area of the Sydney Water Catchment to capture its pristine condition before the approved expansion ofthe Metropolitan Collieries.

 "Undermining Woronora is dangerously compromising Sydney’s water,” said Caroline Graham, spokesperson for Rivers SOS. Rivers SOS is an alliance of environmental and community groups concerned about the destruction caused to rivers in NSW by mining operations.

 Climate Camp spokesperson James Hitchcock simply stated “Some things are just more important than coal.The government is refusing to put our climate, our water and our future before the extraction of coal.  This Sunday will we do everythingwithin our power to peacefully put our future first.”