h OfThe Art Of ProtestLearnings from the Traveston CrossingLearnings from  the Traveston Crossing 

Dam ProposalGlenda PICKERSGILL and Zela BISSETTSave the Mary River Coordinating Group, y g p,

Australia

The Mary Riverfl   th f  flows north from Maleny to Hervey 

Bay in Qld, Australia

2006 ‐ Traveston C i D dCrossing Dam proposed2009 ‐ proposal rejected Mi i GMinister Garrett 2010 ‐Mary ROP l dreleased

The Mary River is the most significant unregulated coastal river in SE Qld from a biodiversity and 

conservation perspective .  (Arthington and Bunn, 2008) The Mary River flow is unpredictable and intermittent

(Kennard et al 2010)

The Mary River winds through fertile alluvial farming l d i f h t t th R tl d fland carrying fresh water to the Ramsar wetlands of  

the Great Sandy Strait.   

It is home to:27 species of Mollusc, 

160 species of Fish160 species of  Fish ,

Dugong,

6 species of Turtle and 

3 species of Dolphins

Group ResourcesGroup Resources.

ll l i i i hAll volunteers ‐ Scientists, engineers, teachers, landholders, IT skills, sign writers, journalists, cartoonists, photographers, Councillors. 

Teams focussed on strategy, fundraising, the science, websites and on‐line forum, media, info centre, stalls, signscentre, stalls, signs

AchievementsAchievements• 3 groups formed to save the river g p

–Save the Mary River Coordinating Group.‐ Save the Mary Brisbane Group.

–Greater Mary Association (downstream)Greater Mary Association (downstream)

• Websites eg savethemaryriver.com

• Save the Mary info centre open 7 days/wk.

• Federal assessment under the EPBC Act• Federal assessment under the EPBC Act. 

AchievementsAchievements

• Reports, submissions and scientific  papers.

• Council of Mayors ‐ Study on dam alternativesCouncil of Mayors  Study on dam alternatives

• SCEC froggy award.

• International Green Dragon award.

• CD For the Love of Mary• CD  ‐ For the Love of Mary.

• DVD/video clips eg Damning the Mary.

AchievementsAchievements• Federal Senate Inquiry – Apr 2007.q y p

• > 16,000 submissions to EIS.

• Thousands of  protest letters.

• Dozens of protest rallies and stalls.Dozens of protest rallies and stalls.

• Petitions to state & federal parliament.

• Raised over $200,000 in funds.

Standing togetherStanding together

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H ll iHall meetings

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'Fl ill ''Floatillas'

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Colour signageColour, signage

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Public ralliesPublic rallies

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Connection with natureConnection with nature

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Photography video design booksPhotography, video, design, books 

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HumourHumour

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WebsitesWebsites

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Epic jo rne s storiesEpic journeys, stories

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TheatreTheatre

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The Sisters of MaryThe Sisters of Mary. 

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S mbolismSymbolism

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Media politicsMedia politics 

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People and policePeople and police

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M sic social e entsMusic, social events

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Horse RidesHorse Rides

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Craft 'quiet' activismCraft,  quiet  activism

Knit For Mary was a project which combinesKnit For Mary was a project which combines activism, public awareness and a good dose of therapy Images from stoppress com autherapy Images from stoppress.com.au

Information centreInformation centre

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MerchandiseMerchandise

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Explaining negotiatingExplaining,  negotiating.

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Science: impact? yield?Science: impact? yield?

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Public educationPublic education

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'the'the Book''

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Emotional supportEmotional support

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Iconic threatened speciesIconic threatened species

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Community legal action against state corporationagainst state corporation

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100 000's of letters submissions100,000 s of letters, submissions

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Costumes artCostumes, art

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Electoral politicsElectoral politics

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Showing people the riverShowing people the river

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The “NO DAM” decisionThe  NO DAM  decision

We survived the siegeWe survived the siege

'Renewal' projectsRenewal   projects

Museum and River EducationMuseum and River Education Centre

Mary River FestivalMary River Festival

Community Water Solutions

SEQ residential water use from 300 t 150 L/ /d i 3300  to 150 L/p/d in 3 years.

Can we do better?  YES!!More rainwater tanksDemand managementDry cooling for power housesy g pMore Recycling Desalination during droughtsDesalination during droughtsAll these before new dams or       

weirsweirs

Lots of stormwater to harvestLots of stormwater to harvest.(Ref: International Water Centre 2008)

A river forever?A river forever? ...

MaryValleyRenewal.orgMaryValleyRenewal.orgSaveTheMaryRiver.comMRCCC.org.au

River renewal:

Draft Resource Operations Plan ?Draft Resource Operations Plan ?• Based on a flawedWater Resource Plan.

•Water trading being introduced based on full allocations which has never been experiencedallocations which has never been experienced.

• Climate change impacts already evident  and doesn't use last decade of data.

•No legal requirement for fresh water flows toNo legal requirement for fresh water flows to the sea.  Barrages used as dams with 100% allocationallocation.

• Flawed biopassage rules for the barrages.p g g

Needs for the draft Mary Basin ROP?Needs for the draft Mary Basin ROP?• Review of rules during overallocated dry times of the year.  

• Review of water sharing rules for the Lower• Review of water sharing rules for the Lower Mary scheme ‐water levels in the barrages above the operating level for the fishway 1.7m.

• A fishery management plan for operating the• A fishery management plan for operating the fishways on the Barrages.

• Fresh water flows for the Mary Estuary and ramsar listed Great Sandy Strait.ramsar listed Great Sandy Strait.

•

Mary Basin  Resource Operations Plan

Document available for public comment until 22Document available for public comment until 22 Oct 2010 from: 

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wrp/maryhttp://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wrp/mary

My Storyabout the Mary River 

1992 2010

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