His search and their saga – ever so long,  told PK quite clearly that something was wrong!
For months on end, that stretched to years, calling through fences with their tears

Across that void – that fierce road,
the trucks, the cars – their rushing load.

But now the best bit will unfold
As Pk’s stories now are told

One early evening waiting near the talking tree for his mother dear, he heard the wrens and bush birds say that to get to the coast there WAS a way
It was very long, and took some skill, and involved a risk of getting killed
Pk ask more from his flying friends, and they told him of roads that had no ends
However if game, they said that PK could travel those roads for part of the way

“Stick to the edges, and watch for the lights they’ll freeze you and fix you and BOY those cars bite”
“So stay in the shadows, and travel with stealth and you’ll get to a place which is full of ill health -
the drained swamps of coastlands” – the refugees called, but take take care of  dogs so that you won’t be mauled

God speed you PK, called the Birds of the Land, as he started his journey with their helping hand.

Familiar with Mooball and Cudgerra Creek, his crossing of this place took more than a week.
Then suddenly there he was ,over THAT ROAD – that huge roaring thoroughfare with it’s faceless load.

Now where to begin to start tracking his Mum? Her scent was not there on the road he had come,
so sniffing the breeze in the quiet morning light, he touched on a memory ever so slight.
The “feel” of his mother! It came from these trees- she’d been here before, but it had been some years.

The urge to continue, to follow his nose – led him to a high fence and again more loud roads.

Yet our hero undaunted, his mother he’d find -  then suddenly Pk saw one of his kind……..

A cousin – a cousin! There in the tree – he called out “KOALA! it’s PK!…. it’s ME!!”
The cousin’s eye’s opened   his nose sniffed PK.   Then he slowly pointed north,    saying     “that is the way”.

Now trembling with fatigues of his open road walk, our darling PK said “so sorry- can’t talk”. For gone were those days of the safe bushland life, now the people of Tweed were  giving them strife.
The human machines screamed and roared all the day, the constant truck noise – the people – the fray.
Bravely PK lumbered slowly along, to the east and the north where it felt very wrong.

Something was happening that made PK sick – he’d felt it before, it was like a bad trick.
And there – in the distance, from a tall tree he spied, the lay of King’s Forest. Was it there he could hide?

For all about PK, was nothing but bare – all cleared and flat land and the trees were nowhere! There were fences and houses, and small shrubs and trees, but the way to the forest was filled with disease.

The waters were putrid, the sparse old trees ill. Yet PK kept going, with his strong free will
He “knew” that his Mother would be near this place – this great fading Forest – ( Tweed Coast’s disgrace)
Past cypress and tea tree, our little friend ran, then though a sharp fence and across the bare land

And suddenly there he was facing his MUM! She cried out PK – you really have come!

OH reader, now listen of PK’s delight! To find his dear mother at last – what a sight!

Full adventure was over, he could rest .. he could talk. Then he told his Mama about his “LONG WALK”,

so proud of her son and his clever repose – big roads and big fences- do more than we suppose.

*******************************************************************

The above Poem, about Phantom Koala and how he finds his mother and becomes a Hero, reminds us that Koalas  are at very high risk here, on the NE Coast of NSW.

The actions and work by the Australian Government has done nothing to save the plight of the Coastal Koala, here in SE QLD and NE NSW. Koala population Numbers are dropping dramatically, and the same habitat destroying development is continuing at an alarming pace, all along the coast.

However: THERE IS A WAY!!!

Download some KOALA info here:- from the EPA, QLD.

“Koala (Phascolartos cinereus) survey and habitat assessment of Lot 4 on RP 35335 Doolong South Rd, Wondunna, Hervey Bay, Queensland / conducted for the Hervey Bay City Council” -  by ddwfauna August 2005,  is a good start….

” When Phantom Koala was Young -  A Koala Saga “ : my wordpress version of the first PK poem at Balance of Faeries blog.

“A Balance of Faeries” 1989 by al at bluecray – a story about koala habitat destruction – little by little – and the consequences

Kings Forest at articles Balance of Faeries blog and more links

Wisdom in the Land blog has Koala Planning Dreaming : a simple guideline for developing land, hand in hand with nature

Kings Forest : articles at bluecray.org and more links

***And, for inspiration……Some beautiful Koala ART WORK and a poem “Winter Koala” by Carol McCormack

]]> http://bluecray.org/advocacy/there-is-a-way-06.08.2009/feed 0 http://bluecray.org/advocacy/kings-forest-development-by-leda-the-nsw-state-government-and-part-3a-of-the-environmental-planning-and-assessment-act-1979-will-it-cause-a-change-in-nsw-environmental-planning-laws-01.03.2009 http://bluecray.org/advocacy/kings-forest-development-by-leda-the-nsw-state-government-and-part-3a-of-the-environmental-planning-and-assessment-act-1979-will-it-cause-a-change-in-nsw-environmental-planning-laws-01.03.2009#comments Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:53:39 +0000 al http://bluecray.org/?p=734 ...»»]]> The Kings Forest Development (Leda Group) shows us some interesting facts about the “perceived right of way” by developers concerning inappropriate development of sensitive areas on the Far North Coast of New South Wales.

The EDO (Environmental Defenders)  has highlighted that  Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 has resulted in “The limited capacity for members of the community, or even other environmental agencies, to have their voice heard and the reduced rights to seek justice in the Land and Environment Court also suggest that the NSW Government considers that development ranks ahead of the environment, whether that development is sustainable or not”.

It is interesting to think that government decisions that condone inappropriate, non sustainable engineering would exist today given that so much law is being created, money and effort being spent in preserving our crisis ridden environment and its critical disappearance of biodiverse habitats.

I should think that, if one NSW Government Minister/ Director General has the right to veto or modify or condone non sustainable development  at Kings Forest, then this can happen anywhere in the State of NSW.  What will this upcoming decision mean for NSW?  - for Australia? – for the biodiversity of the world?

Stateline NSW : “NSW planning laws under further scrutiny” 2nd Oct. 2009 and the Stateline NSW archive .

Well, if the Minister/Director General vetos, halts or otherwise restricts development in Kings Forest, then State Significant Sites, such as Kings Forest will remain that – Significant.

A precautionary word here.  Should the Minister/Director General and hence, NSW Government, chose to let inappropriate and very damaging land clearing, habitat destruction and inappropriate residential development occur, then clearly, will it be those individuals who are directly responsible for the damage?

Where does the legal responsibility lie here?  How do courts even manage to test this case, if it is not able to be tested in a court of law? Where does the responsibility lie? If not in the courts, does this mean that it is the direct responsibility of the Minister/Director General  alone?

And what type of government is not accountable to the people who elected it?  Surely this NSW Government is accountable somewhere, for it’s development approval decisions.

• “Administrative Law in an Environmental Context” search results at bluecray Environmental search engine
• Duty of care and the precautionary principle : search results at bluecray environmental search engine.

Development is something that will always occur, given the social and economic structure of the world. Developers will always be part of this society and economy, as it goes. Not all developments are “bad”, non sustainable or destructive to the environment.

The Kings Forest Residential Development  ( Tweed Shire ), as seen by the planning documents, is extremely inappropriate and threatening to already threatened species.  The Kings Forest Residential Development, as stands, IS indeed potentially very damaging.  21 threatened species, their restricted and already fragmented habitats, their vulnerability, their capacity to survive intense non sustainable development practices testify to this.

The Kings Forest planning documents show little ” fact”  to convince me that sustainable outcomes (for those 21 species of  threatened native fauna and the vital part they play in the fragile network of threatened species within the NE NSW Region and Mt Warning Caldera Region) will be realised by such a development. This development is on a large scale. Kings Forest IS a State Significant Site. It contains a very large number of threatened species in an already fragmented habitat situation.

Development assurances only on paper, caring “motherhood statements” by developer paid consultants, inability to have standard legal avenues open to protect and advocate for these threatened species – all these things need to be addressed.

The   Caldera Environment Centre in NE NSW, Australia shows insights,  in their submission to the NSW Government and objection to the planned Kings Forest and Cobakai Lakes Development , summing up  the King’s Forest Project situation very clearly. You should have a read of this Submission HERE.

Kings Forest is a powerful place, and development within this area has been historically hard to implement.

The Australian Government, in its wisdom, chose to not list the Koala as a threatened species, although documents show that the Koala is increasingly under pressure within the North Coast region of NSW.  Why did Australia chose to be part of the Agenda 21?

Kings Forest is  a powerful place. Generations of spiritual  guardians, and land custodians have held this place in a natural heritage beauty and sustainable biodiverse capacity and resilience for thousands of years.  The taking away of even small biodiverse components from an area, so fragmented and isolated now, and, as other developments increase within and about it, will result in an immediate lack of biodiversity and cultural heritage significance.

However, I suspect, that bigger wheels are in play here. And while the big wheels of government and money turn powerfully, the biggest wheel of all is nature.

Environmental Planning and Assessment Act1979 – New South Wales Consolidated Acts at AustLII (Australasian Legal Information Institute - A joint facility of UTS and UNSW Faculties of Law)

News Article referring to Kings Beach Development Proposal as a “world standard” environmental management plan by Leda Development’s Regional Manager- Mr Van Rij , December 2008

Ecological communities - their importance, linking, laws, learning at NSW Government of Environment & Climate Change – Threatened Species & Ecological Communities

“A preliminary investigation of the distribution of koalas and their potential habitat in the Tweed Shire, and implications for management”  by Judy Faulks . Find article at – Australian Zoologist, June 1991 Vol. 27(1 & 2)

search for  Aboriginal  (Indigenous peoples) research literature for the North Coast of NSW at the Libraries Australia Search

Ian Cohen media release :Kings Forest 11th March 2010

Engineering and developments that cause land to become bare, vegetation to become fragmented and biodiversity to lessen for long, or even relatively short periods of time hold no place in this modern world of stress and foreseeable biological disaster.

The precautionary principle,  “Where the possibility exists of serious or irreversible harm, lack of scientific certainty should not preclude cautious action by decision-makers to prevent such harm. Management needs to anticipate the possibility of ecological damage, rather than react to it as it occurs”, is one legal principle that can lead to Courts helping biodiversity being saved in a region.

• “Administrative Law in an Environmental Context” search results at bluecray Environmental search engine
• Duty of care and the precautionary principle : search results at bluecray environmental search engine.

However, it is up to each and every individual to work to help this planet today. Development Groups such as Leda make much money from large scale development at the cost to nature, valuable regional resources and biodiversity health, well being and sustainability of natural resources. This type of development (Kings Forest Residential Project)  flies in the face of current government trends to create policy and Australian and Global legal treaties to protect biodiversity at a regional level.

Little Bat finds NE NSW Coast Lifestyle, near Kings Forest to much to survive in

This little Bat in the above photo is a consequence of development – dead on the doorstep of a duplex in the housing development west of Pottsville, Tweed Shire. With 21 threatened fauna species threatened even more byLeda and the development proposed, what will be the costs, if all that stands between them, and survival, is documents written, verbal provisions made and “intentions”  outlined, when the bulldozers and engineering machinery move into Kings Forest and further develop this area?

Bluecray – previous article on Kingscliff – Kings Forest Development by Leda

Kings Forest Kingscliff  Tweed Development Planning Documents for perusal and comment ( due 2nd March 2009)

Development project threatens second largest Koala Colony in Tweed Shire - candobetter.org ** this is a good article to help you understand this development, with contact details for the project and some great Koala info

Australian Native Vegetation Policies at Australian Government Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & the Arts – “This Framework is a joint initiative of the Australian, state and territory governments, and is designed to provide a mechanism through which the native vegetation management commitments agreed to by all Australian governments can be progressed.” - 2001, the Native Vegetation Framework or NVF

NSW Woody Vegetation Change Report 2006-2007 Google HTML Doc of PDF Report at   NSW Government Department of Environment & Climate Change (Native Vegetation Management : Information Sheets & Publications)

Friends of the Koala – article about Kings Forest Development and Koala Concerns in the Far North Coaster online (Online Magazine for Far North Coast of NSW)

Sydney Morning Herald article –  an  historical news item re Kings Forest (November 8th, 2004) – “Development yeilds nothing but a crop of Litigation” by Anne Davies

• Some Australian Aboriginal  (Indigenous peoples) research literature for the North Coast of NSW at the Libraries Australia Search

Below are a few more threatened species that will suffer from the increasing non-sustainable development on the Tweed Coast:-

Rose-crowned Fruit- Dove (Ptilinopus regina) – and images .

Grass Owl (Tyto capensis) – and images

Masked Owl (Tyto novaehollandiae) – and images

Black Bittern (Ixobrychus flavicollis) – and images.

Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus ) – and images .

Bush stone-curlew  (Burhinus grallarius) (Aust. Govt) and at NSW Govt- and images .

Bush-hen (Amaurornis olivaceus) – and images .

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) – and images .

Eastern False Pipistrelle (Falsistrellus tasmaniensis) – and images .

Yellow-bellied sheathtail Bat (Saccolaimus flaviventris) – and images .

Common blossom Bat (Syconycteris australis) - and images .

Common Planigale (Planigale maculata) -  and images .

Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) – and images .

Red-legged Pademelon (Thylogale stigmatica) – and images .

Grey-headed flying-fox(Pteropus poliocephalus) and images .

Olongburra Frog (Litoria olongburensis) and images .

Wallum Froglet (Crinia tinnula) and images .

Glossy Black-cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami) and images .

ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY : Coastal Cypress Pine Forest (Callitris columellaris Forest) ****ENDANGERED****- and images

There are many more species threatened by this development (State Significant Site under the NSW planning law and Part 3A), and the developments that have already been occurring on the Tweed Coast. The above list is incomplete, but will give you an indication of what type of losses can occur, should this development be allowed by the Director General and Minister for Planning in NSW.

shop till you drop bop till you pop
the Bluesfest of Byron is near
the Belongil site’s ready
and Tyagarah looks steady

The Byron Bay Bluesfest 2009 clearly illustrates that the  dichotomy of human rational, ignorance and self-gratuitous environmental belief systems is alive and well in Byron Bay, 2009. The Byron Bay Bluesfest has a long history within the Mt Warning Caldera Region and beyond.
And the slow subtle degradation of habitats and environmental health in the Byron Shire also has a long history.  Players in this field (Belongil Fields and beyond) can pat themselves on the back, preen their egos and shuffle their heads back into the sand. I just wonder how many cigarette butts, bottle tops and pieces of plastic they will find there, after the Byron Bay Bluesfest 2009 is gone and the animals that have survived the trauma of forced relocation come back to their homes to continue their lives.
I love music, I love the land, I love the animals and the human spirits that live in this beautiful Mt Warning Caldera Region.  I pray with all my might that some mass consciousness shift occurs at the Byron Bay Bluesfest at Belongil Fields (or is it Tyagarah?) this year (2009), so that the coming years of Bluesfest “mania” (Tyagarah ?)become directly, immediately and thoroughly accountable to the authentic spiritual land guardians of the Mt Warning Caldera Region.
I say this, because it is clear to me that the Byron Shire is incapable of taking care of this beautiful part of the world – one only has to walk along the shoreline at Byron and through the parklands to see just how much plastic, rubbish, cigarette butts, bottle tops, batteries and god know’s how much unseen waste and toxins have infiltrated the habitats that they proclaim to protect.
The Arakwal people are the historical custodians of the land in this area. Their land stewardship preserved a unique and diverse environmental heritage, much of which has now been swallowed up by inappropriate 19th, 20th and now 21st century development.  Today, more and more people have an increasing  impact on this area and region, and from what I can see, the heritage and rights for the native animals that live in the Habitats of the Byron Shire have been severely compromised.
Words like “precautionary principle”, “environmental sustainability”, “caring for country” and “global crisis” mean nothing, when the current dichotomy of human words and actions are let loose on the planet. Please don’t let the “vision fade”.

2009 Spendour in the Grass Festival Yelgun

Byron Shire Council and the Splendour in the Grass Festival – article in Byron Shire Echo 27th January 2009

Environmental Defender’s Office NSW

EDO Compliance Portal – a tool to assist citizens in enforcing environmental law

Byron Flora and Fauna Study 1999 (google HTML) or at Byron Shire Council publications website

NOAA Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has some current info on Tsunamis.

USGS Earthquake Hazards Program has an Earthquakes Centre with updates on recent earthquakes, maps, data and much more. This link will take you to a WORLD MAP showing Recent Earthquake Animations.

International Tsunami Information Centre (ITIC) .

What are Tsunamis, and what causes them?

Tsunami Facts and Information at Australian Bureau of Meterology

The Australian Spaceguard Survey has some interesting articles on Tsunamis, and is worth looking at for much reference material, concerning Australia and Tsunamis. They include:

• Tsunami from Asteroid/comet impacts .
• Tsunami Hazard to Coastal Populations in Australia .

Catalyst, on ABC TV has archived a presentation on Tsunamis and asteroids from 24.10.2002

Probabilistic Analysis of Strong Ground Motion and Tsunami Hazards in SE Asia – this is a HTML  document  generated by google from  http://www.riskfrontiers.com/index.html .

Geological and Historical Records of Tsunami in Australia - this is a HTML  document  generated by google from University of Sydney School of Geosciences . A copy of this article can be found at Sciencedirect.com in the Marine Geology Journal 239 Issues 1-2 .

NSW State Emergency Service : Tsunamis .

Qld State Emergency Service :

Australian Tsunami Warning System explained: Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM)

Geoscience Australia : Australian Government Geoscience Website – connecting you to Energy, Minerals, Earth Monitoring, Natural Hazards, Online Mapping, Oil & Gas, Satellite Imagery, Geomagnetism, Carbon Capture & Storage, Educational Information and much much more

Geoscience Australia  : Tsunami information .

I was looking for some internet articles that I had earlier read, concerning myths and stories from aboriginal populations of NSW re Tsunamis, but so far, haven’t found them. Hopefully, they shall turn up, so that I can add them to this article.