You might find it a familiar image: Bob Brown, on a river, surrounded by NO DAM placards. Indeed you may ask, is this a scene from the eighties Franklin campaign in Tasmania? Well, no, the photo was taken in the year 2006 in Queensland, where, despite the fact that most First World nations now realise mega dams are not the best solution to increasing water problems, the debate is happening all over again.
This flotilla took place last May to draw media attention to the campaign against the Mary River dam at Traveston. Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown, sat proudly at the helm, leading more than a hundred canoes, kayaks, even surfboards, on a two hour journey down the Mary to Traveston Crossing—the site of the proposed dam wall.
The crowd on Traveston Crossing Bridge, waiting for the flotilla to approach. Beyond the trees in the distance, police guarded the drill site where officials were drilling bore holes to test the suitability of the ground for a mega dam. Experts predict the foundations will not be suitable. A scientist from the University of Queensland has stated that up to three metres of water could be lost each year to leakage, in addition to the metre already expected to be lost through evaporation!
that day, in the Kandanga Hall, the crowd nearly lifted the roof with applause and protest. We were a small group representing Hervey Bay—which has since become the norm at these campaign events. People downstream just don’t seem to understand how far reaching the effects of this dam will be.
During his speech Bob Brown declared he would personally take the fight against the proposed Traveston Crossing site to Canberra. ‘If I have anything to do with it, this dam will not go ahead!’ he said.
He compared the current battle with that of the Franklin which was won against unthinkable odds. Everybody except the environmentalists were for the Franklin dam. Everyone except the Beattie government, however, is united against the damming of the Mary. That has to count for something.
‘Dams are so last century,’ Sen. Brown said. ‘Water efficiency and recycling are the new way forward.'
This flotilla took place last May to draw media attention to the campaign against the Mary River dam at Traveston. Greens Leader, Senator Bob Brown, sat proudly at the helm, leading more than a hundred canoes, kayaks, even surfboards, on a two hour journey down the Mary to Traveston Crossing—the site of the proposed dam wall.
The crowd on Traveston Crossing Bridge, waiting for the flotilla to approach. Beyond the trees in the distance, police guarded the drill site where officials were drilling bore holes to test the suitability of the ground for a mega dam. Experts predict the foundations will not be suitable. A scientist from the University of Queensland has stated that up to three metres of water could be lost each year to leakage, in addition to the metre already expected to be lost through evaporation!
that day, in the Kandanga Hall, the crowd nearly lifted the roof with applause and protest. We were a small group representing Hervey Bay—which has since become the norm at these campaign events. People downstream just don’t seem to understand how far reaching the effects of this dam will be.
During his speech Bob Brown declared he would personally take the fight against the proposed Traveston Crossing site to Canberra. ‘If I have anything to do with it, this dam will not go ahead!’ he said.
He compared the current battle with that of the Franklin which was won against unthinkable odds. Everybody except the environmentalists were for the Franklin dam. Everyone except the Beattie government, however, is united against the damming of the Mary. That has to count for something.
‘Dams are so last century,’ Sen. Brown said. ‘Water efficiency and recycling are the new way forward.'
