In the final training session before the people’s blockade of the world’s biggest coal port, activists from Rising Tide Northern Rivers paddled from Brunswick Heads to the Wallum site and back last week.
The blockade aims to bring together 10,000 people to stop coal ships from entering or leaving the harbour for at least 50 hours, in an escalation of last year’s blockade, when around 3,000 people closed the port for 32 hours.
Using kayaks, SUPs, surfboards and anything that floats, activists will prevent all exports of coal from Newcastle from November 22 to 24, before taking the message to Canberra.
Epic protestival planned
As part of the ‘protestival’, hundreds of surfers will paddle out into the harbour on Saturday 23 November at 2pm as a symbol of unity and commitment to the planet. John Butler and Tijuana Cartel will be playing on the beach later that afternoon.
People from the Tweed Coast all the way to Lismore have been honing their kayaking skills in monthly training sessions in preparation for the blockade, which promises to be the largest ever civil disobedience for the climate in Australia’s history.
The activists enjoyed perfect conditions on Monday paddling to the Wallum site, where they shared food and information on the day before security dismantled the camp, which is on crown land.
Rising Tide Northern Rivers member Cathie Dosba-Thomson said, ‘I’m a social worker in the Northern Rivers and I was part of the recovery efforts after 2022 flood event.
‘I realised that we need to act on climate change now,’ she said.
‘After that, I attended the 2023 People’s Blockade of the World’s Largest Coalport and it was fabulous experience for anyone starting their journey in getting involved in the climate justice movement.’
For more information and to register, see the Rising Tide website at
https://www.risingtide.org.au/ or email [email protected].
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