Protest steps up

By Melissa Meehan
WARBURTON residents took part in a peaceful protest on Melbourne’s Parliament steps last week in an attempt to voice their concern about logging in water catchments.
Concerned residents from Warburton and surrounding townships ‘planted’ their own forest of recycled paper trees on the steps to give their community a voice.
Organiser Fairy Mu said the event was a success.
“It was a great day, a peaceful protest that allowed our community to voice their concerns about the impacts logging is having on water catchments,” Fairy Mu said.
“We thought, if the Government won’t come to us, we’ll take the forest to them.”
Fairy Mu said a number of supporters helped to make the 13 trees measuring five meters wide and up to three meters tall that matched the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party theme for the day.
Young school children were also given the opportunity to write messages to the Government on paper leaves about their feelings on the impact of logging in water catchments.
“The kids’ messages were taken into Parliament, which was one of the important parts of the protest.
“We really wanted to let Mr Brumby know how the community is feeling,” Fairy Mu said.
“It really is an important issue in the Yarra Valley and it not only affects us but they are logging in Melbourne’s water catchments.”
Fairy Mu said she hoped that the protest helped the State Government realise that logging in catchments were detrimental to the health and quality of the water. “It seems silly in a time of drought, and the introduction of the pipeline and desalination plant, that we are losing water by sending woodchips to Japan.”
Shire of Yarra Ranges councillor Samantha Dunn said she was proud to be a part of the “amazing presentation” on the steps of Parliament. “For a small town like Warburton to have such a wonderful turnout really shows that the community is against logging in water catchments,” Cr Dunn said.
“I really think that the message got across and that it needs to be a message that is ongoing.” Cr Dunn said that trees were essential to the health of water catchments.
“With the effects of climate change and severe drought conditions, we want the Brumby Government to know that the Shire of Yarra Ranges and its residents are not happy about logging in our catchment areas,” Cr Dunn said. “Our message is simple, logging in water catchments puts Melbourne’s water supply at risk and we will continue to voice our concerns.”
She said that it was important to note that there was growing support against logging in water catchments.
“Our shire has backed the community, and so have six other municipal councils in Victoria, it’s time for Mr Brumby to do the same,” Cr Dunn said.
Fairy Mu said that the community would continue to voice its concern until the Government took action.
“A new set of leaves, with comments from children at our local schools, will be sent to the Government each week.”