Lower Macquarie Floodplain under threat: Lower Macquarie Defenders demand some answers.

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There are credible reports of widespread acts of eco-vandalism by the new owners of an aggregation of properties in the Lower Macquarie Floodplain. 

This is whats at risk of being Australia's next
monocultural dustbowl

 Reports have been filed with a variety of government agencies all of which seem to think that acting to prevent this destruction is someone else's responsibility. Meanwhile the slash and burn operators hired by Harris Brothers controlled Corporate Agribusiness Kurraba Investments bulldoze and burn essential wildlife habitat free of scrutiny. We have highlighted some of the issues which concern us. 

Post by OccupySydney.

• Wildlife habitat destruction. Previous farm management as with many family broadacre farmers proved that wildlife and agriculture can co-exist. The monocultural methods now being deployed will make no provision for wildlife on the property.
• Overflow paths. Being on the Lower Macquarie floodplain any interference with the topography and soil retention capabilities will have direct impacts on neighbouring and downstream landholders and communities. No known Development application process has been completed or consents given to ensure the interests of surrounding and downstream stakeholders are protected.
• Aboriginal Heritage assessment. Aboriginal tools have previously been found on the property. As a food resource the area bounded by the Macquarie and Barwon Rivers would have been highly prized. 
• Toxins in the watercourse. The current methods of cotton farming for which Kurraba is noted locally and nationally uses Monsanto GMO Cotton and relies on 245-D as a weedicide. The impacts of this toxin entering river systems on the abundant native fishery as well as people swimming in the rivers needs to be considered.
• Dust. The typical farming methods used by Kurraba leave vast acreages of ploughed land as neighbourhood dust generators. 
• Damming: is this Australia's next Cubby Station? Do Kurraba plan to dam the Macquarie or the Barwon or both ? Locals concerns must be addressed.

  Are the checks and balances in place right? Or is the penalty for non-compliance so trivial that ecovandal investors simply pay the fine and get on with business? Do laws correctly target the ultimate beneficiary of such violations as may arise-or are they able to send a contractor or employee to jail for what they have been ordered to do?

 
The pictures below give an indication of the farming methods used by this agribusiness collosus and their disdain for sustainable agriculture.

Photos kindly provided by Jack Harris

Lower Macquarie eco destruction: out of sight out of mind?

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What's happening in the Lower Macquarie ? 
Over the next three weeks the Harris Aggregation have plans to slash and burn trees in a massive area of the Glenacre / Larrimar properties. 
The slash and burn operation which began about December the 18th 2014 has already cleared a large area. There was not even a notification to neighbours much less a public process giving the public and local stakeholders There are a number of concerns - our first being for the wildlife habitat. 
Death Adders lizards and other fauna depend on the dead logs in the wooded areas for their existence. Other fauna depend on the refuge of the many tree clusters which will be destroyed. 
 As there has been no public notice of development we have to wonder what they intend to do? We don't know for example if they plan to dam the Macquarie River. We don't know because there has been no public notification. No permits have been posted or sighted. 

The Harris Lower Macquarie aggregation's owners have some notoriety for flouting environmental laws and a gung ho approach to applying monocultural purely for profit agribusiness methods to their properties. Their approach to this vast out of sight out of mind aggregation is no different. Already the Harris aggregation have perhaps irrepairably destroyed the valued Mitchell Grass on the stock route through Brewon's Warners paddock forcing the many kangaroos who once foraged there to go elsewhere. What else will they do to turn the aggregation into a monocultural dustbowl? It beggars belief that government would consent to such widespread wanton environmental destruction. But perhaps government haven't been consulted. A place where the major rivers of an area meet is not just the concern of the owners- water and habitat is the concern of the community - and we are concerned...very concerned... so we are taking action. This unique place is a vital link in the regional ecosystem and must continue to be so
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