Members of the community gathered at Bayside Park in Brunswick Heads, on Monday to hear Her Honour Justice Perry bring her findings in the Save Wallum Inc vs Clarence Property & Anor, and dismiss the community’s application for a permanent injunction on development work at the site known locally as ‘Wallum’.
Devastating was the collective response from the more than 100 people who gathered to hear the decision, live-streamed on YouTube from the Federal Court in Sydney.
Save Wallum Inc President, Luciana Bowen addressed the crowd after the announcement:
‘We lost the final judgement. Our application for permanent protection of the land has been dismissed. We don’t know why yet.’
‘We do however, have an undertaking from the developers that there will be no slashing, nor any work on the artificial frog ponds, with a temporary extension of the injunction for one week.’
‘It is an incredibly disappointing outcome considering what is at stake. Rainbow honey eaters are currently nesting on site, which they do in the sand, in ground hollows, right where they want to take the slasher next week.’
Bob Brown was dismayed by the judgment. He said ‘Wallum’s unique natural ecosystem has been betrayed by the system – big business, state and federal governments, bureaucrats and now a dismissive court which has dismissed the laws of nature.’
‘Wallum deserves total protection and its defenders deserve an Order of Australia, but instead the profiteers get to do as they want with this vital slice of Australia’s natural heritage. My heart goes out to the wise and good hearts of Save Wallum. This is a disgraceful outcome.’
‘It’s not over,’ Bowen told those gathered, ‘We have a week to work through the findings and see if there are grounds for appeal. It’s heartbreaking to say the least, why should the community have to carry the burden of protecting a place that environmental laws are supposed to protect? If those laws cannot prevent the destruction of threatened habitat, they are not worth the paper they are written on.’
Local Bayside resident, Lisa Sandstrom then thanked those who attended, and everyone who couldn’t be there.
‘Whatever happens with Wallum, this campaign has ignited the most incredible community of people who will genuinely be there for each other. We have worked so hard together and this community is magical and there is nothing we can’t do together.’
Save Wallum Inc is urging the community to stay engaged and informed via social media or you can also receive updates by texting Save Wallum to 0475 446 993.
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