Everyone is asking how it was to be locked on, so I have written about it.
Well it’s an adrenaline rush, scary before I locked on, but surprisingly easy, and not scary when I did lock on.
The details- A reported came to the Pilliga camp phone that a PAC truck, which moves CSG production well drilling rigs, passed the new Pilliga camp on private property heading down the Newell Highway.
I have said for the last year that I would lock on when I was required. Someone at camp ask me if I was up for it. My lock on device had got lost in the camp move when the environmentalists were forced out of the forest. My husband Allen had made a shorter model that fitted my arms from light weight exhaust pipe metal tubing. I had tested locking on with a standard lock-on device in the camp many months ago and found it too heavy to move quickly and lock on.
My lock-on device had been mixed up in with the others, I found it. It had been repainted. I dashed to the toilet, essential before locking on, then to the car with a friend driving and another directing. We travelled rather quickly down the Newel Highway to catch up to the truck. While we were driving I borrowed a shirt and raincoat and put them on ready to lock-on, and spent the time practicing locking and unlocking from my devise. The girls decided on an alternative route to the truck through the rough dirt Pilliga Forest roads to avoid Santos security in X line Road.
All of this end of Pilliga forest has been closed by forestry, with a fine of up to $2,200 for entering enclosed lands. This is an attempt to keep protesters from the gas fields.
They phoned a bloke who was in the forest. He drove to X Line road from the other direction and blocked the road, stopping the PAC truck by parking his ute one side of the road and standing on the other. I jumped out of the 4WD with the girls and walked towards the truck hiding my lock-on device from security, they were trying to get him to move off the road. The girls said to get under the truck and lock on to the axle. 2 security guards were coming towards me and I didn’t think I would make it, so I locked on to a bar on the outside that holds the spare tyre. The girls told me that they may get me off fairly easily as the bar was bolted on not welded. They gave me a water bottle and they put a bag of nuts and lollies in my pocket from their 4WD. They also put a self inflating mat under me and fixed an umbrella to the truck, it was drizzling rain. They phoned both my husband and daughter and held the phone while I talked to them. The Santos security guards said the police would be there in about ½ hour, so I told the girls to leave as they could be arrested just for being in the forest, I was dry, as comfortable as is possible while attached to a big rig and felt safe (surprisingly).
After a time the security guards got spanners and started undoing the bar that I was attached to. From my vantage point under the truck I could see the axle that the girls had suggested that I lock-on to. I undid the clip in my lock-on device and held the pin in the lock-on devise with my fingers so my hand wouldn’t slip out. I waited for a chance to move. The spanner did not fit the 4th bolt they attempted, and both men wandered round to their ute to get more tools. I quickly unattached, ran round the truck wheels crawled under the truck and got my lock-on device over the axle. Security grabbed my arm just as I clipped on. I made it. They immediately left me saying ‘she’s slippery’, and put the bolts back in the truck. Some blokes came from the camp to check I was OK. I asked for my mat to be moved under me for added comfort, and for a pillow as I had strain on my arms in the new position. He climbed under the truck and made me comfortable with a lovely clean pillow, and interviewed me, recoding it on his video camera. They left to avoid arrest.
Two very nice police officers arrived. They took turns in asking me questions, Many of which I did not answer, such as my name and address. The police woman asked me why I was doing this; I replied ‘I have been trying to stop Santos coal seam gas mining in the Pilliga for 3 years. I do not believe they can do this without destroying the Great Artesian Basin. I will do whatever it takes to stop coal seam gas mining in The Pilliga and that is why I am locked on to this truck’. Both police officers spoke to me respectfully, and asked if I was well, and if I had any problems, I thanked them for their consideration and for being polite, and assured them I was OK. The police woman told me that Search and Rescue would not be there until the morning. I said OK. They left me with the 2 Santos security guards.
I remained locked-on for a total of about 4-5 hours, it was very dark, no moon. I decided to do a runner. I was getting cold. No point in getting arrested and fined. I checked for security, they were not visible, unlocked, had some nuts and a drink of water and moved to a point that I could run from between the prime mover and trailer. Just as I was preparing to depart and a security guard came up behind me, I ran with my lock-on device and The girls self inflating mat. I was doing well running through the wet undergrowth, strewn with fallen logs. I tripped and almost got caught. The security guard asked me to return to the road and I ran again. He returned to his vehicle, I heard them contacting the police, he tried to follow me in his vehicle, I hid behind a big tree for about 5-10 minutes and he then must have assumed I had got away and drove further up the road, shining a very bright torch around. Every time he shone the torch in my direction I lay on the ground and covered myself with the brown mat. He went further up the road. I was out of sight of the rig and so crossed X Line Road and carefully made my way down the side he was not searching. To avoid getting lost I had to keep X Line Road in sight, but could not walk on the road, it was slow going in the dark. Each time a vehicle passed searching for me I lay down and covered myself with the mat, they shone torches around. I had given my specs to the girls for safe keeping, they are very expensive, and could not read numbers on my phone. I had to use recently used numbers, and guess them. I phoned my husband and told him I was on the run. He laughed. I phoned the girls and asked to be picked up, she sent some blokes to get me. I was not able to show myself until I could see the side of the ute to identify it, They passed by, didn’t see me and I couldn’t stop them. I phoned the girls and they contacted them. The police stopped my rescuers and defected the ute, and came back down the road, probably knowing I was waiting for the blokes. I stepped out, believing it was them. They arrested me. No point in running and adding resisting arrest to the list of charges. I nearly made it!
I climbed into the back of the paddy wagon as instructed and had a smooth ride to Narrabri police station. I then co-operated fully with the police. They treated me well, sent for dry clothes for me and gave me privacy to change. I was unable to sign anything, still no glasses. I got questioned, one question was ‘Have you been arrested in the last 4 months’. I answered; ‘I haven’t been arrested in the last 63 years’. I was finger printed, photographed and released on bail 3 hours after arrest with a bundle of paper work. No bail conditions, no money to be put up. My sister- in law Lorrie and Frank came to collect me. I am charged with ‘pedestrian impeding a driver’ and ‘failure to follow a reasonable police order’. Neither carrying expensive fines. I again thanked the police as they had been very polite and considerate while doing their job.
We returned to the camp and I enjoyed dinner at 1am.
Should anyone be considering locking-on I would say go for it. It is not as difficult, dangerous or scary as you might think. I don’t recommend running through the forest in the dark, that’s as difficult, dangerous and scary as you might think.
By: Pat Schultz
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