GetUp! Climate Torch meets the
Save the Mary River campaign
- Traveston Crossing, Mary Valley, Qld
 

September 6, 2008
 

GetUp's national Climate Torch Relay came to the Sunshine Coast and Mary River! The torch featured in an amazing weekend of events along the Mary River to highlight the potential climate impact of the proposed Traveston Dam. Hard working campaigners know that the proposed Traveston Crossing Dam would have catastrophic impacts on climate change, and this was another opportunity to publicise the threat to the Mary Valley.

The torch began it's journey through the Mary Valley at the headwaters of the Mary River. From here it was relayed by joggers, horseriders, cyclists and other environmentally friendly means to meet Bob Brown (Greens party leader) and hundreds of excited protesters at Traveston Crossing, near the site of the proposed dam wall. Actions at Traveston Crossing included a human chain, as the crowd was swathed in the Knit for Mary scarf and formed a huge circle to pass the torch.

Later, the torch travelled north to Paradise Dam, on the Burnett River. Paradise Dam is the most recent dam constructed by the Qld government. It is fraught with environmental compliance issue and operational problems. It is particularly significant as the only other river in the world to be naturally home to the Qld Lungfish.

After taking a message to Paradise that couldn't be missed, the torch headed to Hervey Bay, and the mouth of the Mary River to spread the message of downstream impacts. From here, it left our care and continued on it's incredible journey around Australia to promote climate change action... NOW!

We'd like to send a huge thankyou to GetUp! (and in particular Sam McLean) for making this possible, and Bob Brown for taking time out of the Greens State Conference in Tasmania to join us. This event wouldn't have worked without tireless effort from Save the Mary campaigners and the hundreds of protesters that joined us. Thank you all. It clearly illustrates that the Save the Mary campaign is strong, focused, and NOT GOING AWAY!

Want to see more?
There a short clip on www.youtube.com/user/JerryinBrisbane
and keep an eye out on the Traveston Swamp forum and Facebook as more are posted.

Check out the official GetUp! Climate Torch website to find out more & to see if it's visiting a town near you.
www.climatetorch.com

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE MARY?
The Mary River simply cannot be dammed! Click here to use the online Letter Generator to send your own letter to the key politicians involved in the dam approval process. NOW is the time to tell them NO DAM!
 
Some ways you can get informed and involved include:
• Visit www.savethemaryriver.com
- follow links to other sites on downstream impacts, the current water crisis, discussion forums & more.
• Visit the Kandanga No Dam Info Centre. The Kandanga No Dam Info Centre is situated at the historic Kandanga Railway Station. Open 7 days a week from 10am to 4pm, ph. 07 5488 4800.
• Write letters to your State and Federal MP’s to express your concerns
• Use every public opportunity to denounce the plan (talkback radio, letters to the editor, online forums etc)
• Visit our online shop & invest in No Dam merchandise to financially support the campaign and display your opposition. 'Traveston Dam Sucks' - NO DAM candy available now!
• Make a donation
• Keep an ear out for public events or rallies planned near where you live, and attend
• Volunteer some time at the No Dam Info Centre
• Arrange a public display, info night or fundraising event in your hometown
• Use the proposed dam as a topic for school or Uni assignments (there’s plenty of scope… from social impacts to environmental devastation)
• Lend your skills (from filmmakers to frontline campaigners… lawyers to leaflet distributors…there’s room for you all!)
 

Get your dam facts straight with these other great websites:
www.savethemaryriver.com - official campaign site & online forum
www.savethemaryriver.com/shop - merchandise
www.ourgreatsandy.com - coastal and downstream impacts
www.swampnews.squarespace.com - news & articles
www.tiny.cc/save - shortcut to Facebook ‘Save the Mary River’ group