Armidale Action on Coal Seam Gas and Mining (AACSGaM) and Progressive Cinema present Black Hole on Friday, 16 September, at 6pm at Kent House, 141 Faulkner Street. The screening will be followed by a community dinner.
Black Hole documents the on-going battle to save the Leard Forest from being turned into a big black hole.
Dr Kerri Clarke, Environmental Representative on the Maules Creek Community Consultative Committee, will be present to discuss recent developments and the work of the Wando Conservation and Cultural Centre.
“The protection of the Leard State Forest from coal mining has been a focus of AACSGaM from the start,” said Dr Clarke.
“The Leard State Forest was the largest area of remnant vegetation remaining in the Liverpool Plains and contained 3,421ha of the nationally-listed and critically endangered Box-Gum Woodland.
“The forest was home to 396 species of plants and animals and includes habitat for 34 threatened species and several endangered ecological communities.
“However, successive state governments have overseen the conversion of the Leard State Forest into a mega-mine complex.
“The three open-cut coal mines, Maules Creek and Tarrawonga, operated by Whitehaven Coal, and Boggabri Coal, operated by Idemitsu, have already cleared large areas of the forest.
“According to Whitehaven Coal’s website, the company owns two further mines on the Liverpool Plains and is planning to double production to sell 23Mt per annum by 2018.
“On top of that we have the Shenhua Watermark coal mine and the Vickery Project — the Liverpool Plains are in danger of being turned into a second Hunter Valley and we know what the consequences would be for local communities, agriculture and water.
“Dujon Pereira, who made Black Hole, said in June last year `Only one-and -a-half years after sending its first coal to Newcastle Port by rail, everything that was feared about the ecological and social ramifications from the creation of the Maules Creek coal mine is coming to pass.’
“The deck is stacked against local communities and Aboriginal peoples. We formed the Wando Conservation and Cultural Centre in May this year to provide support and bring people together.
“We are screening Black Hole to raise awareness and to seek support for the Wando Conservation and Cultural Centre.
“The Centre needs financial support as well as visitors — there is always something to do. Please join us on Friday, 16 September, at 6pm, at Kent House to find out more.”
All welcome. Screening and dinner free. Contact Bea on {mobile prefix oh for}58 752 680 for more information.
