Water Bugs of the Washpool Creek, Booral

When I went to the Stroud area, recently, we went down to the Washpool Creek, a tributary of the Karuah River, to check out the water quality.
With a fine scoop net, and some plastic trays we examined in detail some of the creatures which call these creeks "home". It is pretty amazing doing this, if one has not done it before.

The most obvious creatures are Mayfly larvae. They are easy to identify as they have three parts to their "tails" (3 "caudal filaments"). In fact these are different stages of development, and possibly different species, but that's a matter I shall leave to the specialists.


These insects are "true bugs" but aquatic - they are the "Water Striders" - of the order "Gerridae".If you click to enlarge the image, you will see a tiny (minute) red creature floating on top of the surface of the water. I cannot tell what it is. It has numerous legs - maybe a kind of mite?

This is a Freshwater Shrimp,
(Palaemonid prawn)
along with a very heavily-built Mayfly larva (on right).

Click to read the notes, and to see these creatures in good detail.

This is another Shrimp, with a Water Strider.
This is a very poor shot.
But it is of a different type of bug from the others.
Possibly in the order Veliidae
This last creature is in a totally different group of aquatic life forms. I have been told it is a "Hydra", which would suit it - from the reference to the mythical many-headed beast (the Hydra of Lerna) which terrorised the ancient Greek sailors.

This is a minute creature (thank goodness - it is scary enough at 5mm long), which at first I thought might have been related to the leeches, from its soft body, and its manner of moving, which is to hunch itself up, then project the front end, grab hold of something and them pull itself forward.

Hunched up Hydra - about to stretch out to move forward.

The 5 arms are unusual and separate it from other creatures.
Hydra (if that is what it is) are related to Jelly fish.
Its body is semi-transparent, and obviously soft and flexible.

Red-necked Wallaby near Stroud, NSW

By contrast to the large Grey Kangaroos I showed you yesterday, here are some of the very pretty, and much smaller Red-necked Wallabies (Macropus Rufogriseus) which I saw last week near Stroud, north of Newcastle.

This is a genuinely "wild" male Red-necked Wallaby which I saw at a property adjacent to "Washpool Creek" (one of many creeks in NSW with that name), near Stroud.
By contrast, these images are of a group of equally wild, but "socialised" Wallabies. These lovely animals have trained my friends Amanda and Steve to cut the grass just outside the fence, and to offer them regular feed.

Here is the buck Red-necked WallabyA Doe, heavy with a joey in her pouch

Another male, keeping his distance

My favourite image of the same doe.
Her joey did poke its head out, briefly.
You can see the entrance to the pouch, visible just under her front paws.
(Click to enlarge)

Life is sweet for these Wallabies.

Farmers hopes dashed by acts of political spite

Farmers from across New South Wales today gathered outside what passes in this State for a Parliament.
They came in their hundreds believing that their representatives might consider their stories, their experiences and their views (if not their votes).No-one thought it would be easy. These people know that - they are farmers. "Easy" is not what farmers ever expect from their lot in life.
They assembled outside the Parliament building at 10:30 am, having left the Liverpool Plains at 3:30am. Many of them are in their seventies - life-long farming families. They take the threat to their livelihoods, and to their lifestyle, seriously.For them this is a battle for preserving family heritage. In many cases we are talking about three generations of family farming, sometimes more. Why would they not take that threat seriously?And then there is the economic issue - based around short term profits for foreign multinational companies (including the once great "Big Australian" - BHP Billiton, now primarily a South African controlled and administered mining conglomerate (their "Headquarters" in Melbourne is managed primarily by South African executives) - and the Chinese Mining company Shenhua and its proposed "Watermark" mine. The people from the Gloucester-Stroud area were also well represented, as well as people from the Mudgee district, the Central Coast, Illawarra and the Southern Highlands.All these groups of affected farmers posed the same economic question - Coal versus Food?
It is a short term versus long-term issue - short term profits (and short-term royalties for Government) versus rural communities providing sustainable income - in perpetuity.
Ultimately the farmers can grow food and rural produce worth infinitely more than the coal.
But not if their land is destroyed, either by the truly disastrous Open Cut mining (as proposed by Shenhua and Gloucester Coal) or by longwall mining, as proposed by BHP, which will drain the aquifers upon which the farmers depend. Either way they will be "stuffed".
IMAGE: The Hunter Region's Lemington coalmine - thanks to Hunter Valley Gliding Instructor Morgan Sandercock of www.sandercock.com (Image found at Project SafeCom website)

The rally was quite good natured, and there were even a few light-hearted moments, such as when Kim and Bernie from the Australian Water Network were "arrested" by Constable Mal from the Wilderness Society (in fancy dress).Here is the "Wanted" poster for Minister Ian Macdonald, Minister for Mineral Resources.Well, with the rally over, we went into the Parliament, to find that our presence, outside and inside the building was treated with suspicion (initially) and then disdain, and ultimately, with disrespect.

Firstly, prior to the resumption of the debate on the Bill, as scheduled as per the Orders of the Day, the Government attempted to introduce a condolence motion for a soldier killed in Afghanistan. This was clearly a stalling tactic, for the Condolence Motion had been on the Notice Paper for some 13 days. Suddenly it was brought forward as a matter of urgency. One Member, quite rightly berated the Government for attempting to use the death of a soldier as a stalling tactic to prevent the debate on another matter (the coal mining bill). As he said, he is the only Vietnam Veteran in any Parliament in Australia, and he felt sure all Vietnam Veterans and serving Soldiers would feel disgust that a soldier's death could be abused in such a callous and politically expedient manner. Duncan Gay, Deputy Leader of the National Party has put out a Press Release along these lines.

The bid to bring forward the debate on the Condolence Motion was withdrawn, but not before some precious time had been lost. The Government had simply wanted to avoid the substantive debate being brought on in front of an audience of farmers and environmental campaigners. The debate eventually started, with just one speaker, and was then adjourned when Question Time was called at 12:00 noon. Round one to the Government's delaying tactic.

During Question Time, Minister Macdonald answered a "Dorothy Dixer" (a friendly question on the subject from one of his own back-benchers). He spoke lovingly of being both the Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Mining - ignoring the obvious conflict of interest, as portrayed in the aerial picture above of a Hunter Valley Coal mine. Round two to the Government.
Mining wins over Agriculture, every time, when the miners do that to the earth.

We went to lunch at this point.

Tonight, when we came home to the Southern Highlands we heard on the radio that the bill had been defeated by a single vote.

Reverend the Hon Fred Nile, MLC, Assistant President of the Legislative Council of New South Wales voted against the Bill, because, as he is reported (by the ABC) to have said (Hansard reports are not yet available as I write this): "I can not support this bill. It's not because of the content, it is because if the bill is allowed (it) will give a great ability for the Green party to blow their trumpets," he said.

Did you get that, folks? The Reverend Fred Nile voted the Bill down, not because of the content of the Bill, but out of spite - because he cannot bear the thought of the Greens having a win.

I would dearly love to ask the Reverend Fred (a member of the "Christan Democrats Party") upon which Christian or Democratic principles he made that decision? The majority of the persons affected by the Bill which he voted down are old-fashioned "God Fearing Folks", from the country - some even as old as himself. Do they not have the right to some consideration? What about the future livelihoods of their families, about whom his Party would surely profess concern?

No doubt the vote by the Reverend Gentleman is based upon other issues, such as the Right to Life debate, and his well-known views against homosexuality. Neither of those issues bears any relevance to the debate. His vote would appear to be based not upon the arguments themselves (he said as much himself) as upon hatred of certain views of the proponents of the Bill. I conclude that, in all probability, he voted it down out of pure spite.

The words "Old Bastard" and "Hypocrite" spring to my mind, but I could not possibly use them to refer to the Reverend Gentleman, and Honourable Member of the NSW Legislative Council.

Fred Nile was joined in opposing the Bill by the two members of the Shooters Party (in the NSW Upper House). It is well known that the Greens party opposed the contruction of a large Rifle Range and Shooting Complex at Hill Top (near Mittagong), in the Southern Highlands. So their opposition to this Bill is presumably a "pay back" against the Greens for that issue - even though they won their case for the Shooting Range, with the support of the Gopvernment.

Ironic that - for the Shooters Party people claim to have many members who are farmers. Certainly many farmers are shooters. Yet they voted down a bill which would have advantaged their own class of constituents. Yet another example of voting according to spite, not principle, nor on the arguments of the case, nor on the economics of the case, nor even according to natural political sympathies nor presumed shared interests.

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

There is a salutary lesson to be learnt here.
Be careful who you choose as your friends, in Politics.

The farmers of NSW who were threatened by coal mining had little choice in going with the Greens - even though they might not be regarded as natural Greens constituents. Many would surely be more naturally regarded as either "old-money Liberals" or Nationals supporters (remember when they were the Country Party?). However, only Lee Rhiannon (the sponsor of this Bill) and the other Greens had shown much interest at all in opposing coal mining under prime agricultural land. When the Greens proposed this Bill, it seemed the farmers' only hope of gaining Legislative support. So, naturally they supported the Bill.

But the Bill was defeated precisely because it was sponsored by The Greens.

UPDATE: Hansard Extract - part of Speech by Rev'd the Hon Fred Nile, MLC:
"That is why I cannot support this bill. It is not because of the content; it is because the bill will give the Greens greater ability to blow their trumpets and claim a great victory in this State, and give them further political oxygen. During my time in this Parliament I have been working hard to deny political oxygen to the Greens." Fred Nile - 4 May 2009.
You may go to the Hansard link above to read the full debate.

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

The National Party member for the Upper Hunter, Mr George Souris has a track record of promoting coal mining, although he spoke to the crowd today of his support for this Bill. That speech brought tears to the eyes of the well-loved and well-respected member of the Liverpool Plains community, Mrs Duddy who said: "I have waited three long years for George Souris to say what he has said, here, today".

Front and Centre - Mrs Duddy
Photo: (AAP: Dean Lewins)
From the ABC report of the defeat of the Bill.

The decent farming folk of New South Wales do not deserve to be treated in the disgraceful manner in which they were treated today. In fact - nobody does.

At the very least we expect in a Parliamentary Democracy for debates to be treated upon the merits of the argument. We hope for nothing more. We got much, much less than that today. As a debate, it was a disgrace.

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

There is an up-side to this, however, for if I know these people, as I believe I do, they will not take it lying down. In fact, in all likelihood they will be stirred to a spirit akin the famous uprising at the Eureka Stockade:

• "The Eureka rebellion, which is often referred to as the 'Eureka Stockade' is a key event in the development of Australian democracy and Australian identity, with some people arguing that ‘Australian democracy was born at Eureka’.
• In my opinion, what passes for Democracy in NSW, died today in Macquarie Street, Sydney.
  
• Let us hope that it arises afresh, in the spirits of the people who were so disrespectfully treated today - people from Caroona, Liverpool Plains, the Upper Hunter and the Mudgee region, the Lower Hunter, the Gloucester, Stroud and Barrington Tops region, the central Coast, the Illawarra and the Southern Highlands.

Authorised by Denis Wilson, Robertson, NSW.

Rivers SOS meeting above Cataract Gorge, Douglas Park

The Rivers SOS group met at Caroline's place at Douglas Park, for our quarterly meeting, in May 2009.

Here are four images of the group, just getting the meeting under way.
Taken from the back end of the room.

From the top end of the room (with light behind me).
Here is a group photo of the Rivers SOS meeting, taken after our meeting adjourned.
It was good to be joined by a number of Environmental Studies students.
Caroline is very proud of the sign writing.
(Click to read the words)

After dinner (and a very fine dinner it was), we were entertained by two very fine musicians, Mirabai Peart (who has been a member of the Rivers SOS group for some time) and Mahesh Radhakrishnan. They play together in "Tapestries of Sound"

Mahesh sings and plays guitar, and Mirabai is a very fine violin player.

Here Mahesh is playing a Thamboura.After the music, we had an informal party.

Next morning, the resident Swamp Wallaby was up nice and early
tasting the delights of Caroline's vegetable garden.
This Wallaby has suffered some kind of injury, unfortunately.
After breakfast (his and ours) we went out to explore the local area.

We started with a quick look over the Cataract River Gorge.

Here is a zoom shot showing the river flowing below.

After the rain of the week before, there was a good flow happening.While walking back I noticed this plant, which I think is a Crowea exalata.
Then we drove over to the West Cliff Colliery.
I could not believe their "Zero Harm" slogan. Can you?

Then we went to "Marhnyes Hole", below Appin.
This is on the Georges River.

Here, Julie is explaining the damage which occurred after subsidence caused by BHP longwall mines. There has been much "remediation" work in this area. And, after a week of rain, the river was flowing reasonably well. Neville and Amanda are looking on.We hope to meet again, next time, at Stroud, to find out more about the efforts of the locals to save Mammy Johnson's River.
Neville ("Chappy") Williams is from Lake Cowal, in western NSW, where Barrick Gold's mine is destroying the lake, with the support of the NSW Government.

Mammy Johnson's Creek (Stroud NSW) under threat

On Saturday 20 September, Caroline Graham, of Rivers SOS, and I attended a meeting in Stroud, to hear about the threat to Mammy Johnson's Creek posed by coal mining.

Part of the crowd gathering together before the meeting got under way officially. A poster outside the School of Arts building in Stroud on Saturday.
The meeting was organised by the Johnson's Creek Conservation Committee and the Barrington, Gloucester, Stroud Preservation Alliance.
Mammy Johnson's Creek is just one of the many rivers which runs from the Barrington Tops area. This map shows the rivers and the mines which threaten them - just in the Gloucester-Stroud area.
Tony Tersteeg speaking at the Meeting. Tony has just been elected to the Gloucester Council. We wish him all the very best with his efforts on Council, for the community.
Amanda addressing the crowd. Amanda was the principal organiser of the meeting at Stroud."Bucket Man's" home-made poster And here is "Bucket Man" himself.

David reading from a difficult-to-read script, while Amanda helps with the microphone.Anti-Duralie Mine poster. You might quibble with the grammar, but the point is clear.A poster about Duralie Coal Mine, at Stroud, complete with a Press Release by Frank Sartor, former Minister for Planning, announcing the approval of Duralie Coal Mine, but under certain conditions. The company is now seeking to change those conditions. Caroline Graham, from the Cataract River at Douglas Park, with whom I attended the meeting, getting to know some of the Stroud and Gloucester people who are concerned about mining threatening to damage the local rivers.Dr Pauline Roberts from the Caroona Coal Action Group was one of the guest speakers. She outlined the activites of the Caroona and Liverpool Plains campaign against BHP's planned invasion of their area. There is currently a blockade taking place, preventing the mining company from getting on the properties where they wish to explore. Pauline is a very powerful speaker, and received great support from the crowd, while giving them great encouragement herself.

Car Window stickers - unambiguous in their messages.