MEDIA RELEASE 24-10-02

MEDIA RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

RE: WEST END UPRISING – DIRECT ACTION PROTEST TO SAVE ‘GULLY’ IN FULL SWING

Local community members have taken to placing themselves in ‘tree-sits’ and ‘lock-ons’ to stop the destruction of trees in a 1.9-hectare bush land site in Highgate Hill.

Alongside this, hundreds of community members are amassing at the Gully to protest the start of the development, which will include the removal of all vegetation.

The local community has been vocally opposed to the development because it will destroy a vital social and environmental space for inner city residents.

‘We are not just fighting for our ‘Gully’ this fight has implications for the wider community’ said Brendon Radford. ‘The local council and state government are responsible for the pathetic legislation that allows developers to fly in the face of community values and destroy cultural and environmental icons for profit. This development is a joke and should never have been allowed to get this far.’

The community has been fighting the development of the site for many years with little support from the council who have failed to protect the site despite massive support for the site to be saved.

The ‘Gully’, as it is known, is frequented by up to 70 species of birds and provides vital habitat for other animals and plants.

‘This is just another example of how the local community is being sacrificed at the hands of developers’ says Brendon Radford member of the Gully Action Group, ’places such as the ‘Gully’ are symbolic of the area and provide important community spaces for people to get in touch with nature. Its important to have bush land in the inner city as a way of encouraging people to appreciate these kind of habitats whilst providing essential ecosystem services’.

The local area currently does not have enough parkland space to meet the BCC guidelines for public parkland. With the population of West End expected to double under council plans the future livability and sustainability of West End is being threatened.

There is also anecdotal evidence that building materials where transported from a site at Southbank some years ago and dumped as fill in the Gully. Residents fear that existing fill may be contaminated with substances such as asbestos. As the fill is required to be removed this could potentially put residents and workers at risk.

The community is calling on the council to stop the development as it is not in line with community values in the area and will significantly reduce its cultural and environmental sustainability.

The community will do whatever it takes to stop the development.

6AM Friday 18th OCTOBER 18 BRYDON ST HIGHGATE HILL

For details/ interview call Brendon Radford on 0415 927 378

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