With porcelain tea cups, lace-covered tables and plenty of knitting the Knitting Nannas Against Greed (KNAG) headed to the basecamp of the Save Wallum group offering ‘Nanna Care’ to supporters and visitors on the frontline yesterday.
‘Their familiar yellow t-shirts and knitted triangles were a bright and welcome addition to the peaceful community presence that has gathered to Save Wallum,’ said a Save Wallum spokesperson.
‘Wallum is rare old-growth heathland in Bayside, Brunswick Heads with an immense ecological and cultural value to traditional custodians of the Bundjalung Nation. However, the Northern Rivers Planning Panel (NRPP) has given developers permission to turn it into a housing development.’
Knitting Nannas started in protest to Coal Seam Gas mining, and KNAG has been active for 12 years and there are now more than 40 groups across the globe. Usually knitting in Lismore on a Thursday, the group welcomed the idea from Nanna Rosie to show their support to Save Wallum. An ex-Bayside resident, Nanna Rosie enjoyed the natural environment which is part of Bayside while living there.
With young eco-warriors sleeping in the trees at Wallum, these older eco-warriors have years of experience, ‘Yes, the Nannas are here and we are watching, so watch out!’ warns Nanna Rosie.
‘The environment is front and centre of what we do,’ says Nanna Judi, one of the original Nanna activists. ‘We bear witness, to save the land and the water for the kiddies – the future generations.’
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