Here, where endangered flora and fauna species make their home, Barrick Gold plans to construct a huge pit 1 kilometre long and 325 metres deep to produce less than half a gram of gold for every tonne of ore.

On Easter Weekend, a Corroboree was held at Lake Cowal to protect this sacred “Heartland of the Wiradjuri Nation”. We were also here to protect the more than 170 species of waterbirds that make their home at Lake Cowal including many migratory birds from China and Japan that use the lake as habitat.

Over a hundred people arrived in cars and buses as well as bicycles from up north and from down south.

We entered at dusk into a beautiful camp with colourful flags and sculptures, healing centre, clean and well stocked kitchen, portaloos, gum trees, and even an op shop. A warm friendly atmosphere and we were personally greeted and guided to our campsite.

On Friday night, we gathered around the Sacred Fire and Uncle Chappy spoke eloquently about the proposed Cowal Gold Project.

Uncle Chappy explained that Lake Cowal is the Wiradjuri Dreaming Place and Sacred Site and is rich in artefacts; "Some are as old as the pyramids of Egypt." He went on to talk of the massacre that occurred of his people at Lake Cowal "staining red the shores of the Lake".

“Now, Barrick Gold has permission from the court to destroy ALL the Wiradjuri sites, artefacts and cultural objects, including very old marked river red gums, within the proposed gold mine area at Lake Cowal. Some of the river red gums in the mine area are hundreds of years old."

Many people in the circle called out additional environmental impacts and information that they already knew about the mine; a very impressive and well informed group was evidently gathered.

To complete the ceremony, the three didge players started up again while each person offered a branch of gum leaves to the fire.

I fell asleep to the rolling rhythmns of the drums which wooed all of us to stay connected with Lake Cowal and help protect her.

On Saturday, the shuttle bus to and from Condobolin operated none stop with some of the Elders walking many many kilometres just to get a ride over to the Lake.There were more circles both talking and music as well as johnny cakes and dampers cooked over the fire by one of the Uncles.

Uncle Chappy shows us an artefact, one of many that
he found during our walk around the proposed mining site.

Saturday afternoon, about 50 of us went for a walk with Uncle Chappy over to the Game Reserve. It was such an honour to walk with this man. Along the way, Uncle Chappy discovered at least 10 artefacts including several that were on the road itself. Others were on a small excavation area where all artefacts were supposed to have been surveyed and removed.

Towards the end of the walk, we came upon an old-growth red gum tree. A spontaneous ceremony with didge and a bit of dance ensued as we all prayed for the well being of this tree and this Lake.

We returned to camp at dusk where little dinner parties were happening in what now seemed more like a village. Perhaps this is what could be here, I thought, if this mine were stopped. Perhaps the Lake Cowal embassy would be a place where Wiradjuri and non-Wiradjuri could come together to share these sorts of experiences together.

Later as I returned to my tent, I could hear doof music starting up in the near distance and indeed several people told me later that a hoppin' dance party went on to all hours while others of us sat around and strategised a-z on how to halt the proposed gold mine at Lake Cowal. Look out!

Sunday, A smoking ceremony was held in front of the Barrick compound after most people walked the kilometre or two in the heat of the day. The 4 cops and 3 security people were soon joined by others so in the end there were about 14 police. Double time and a half on Easter Sunday for all of them!

Uncle Chappy's talk from earlier that day was broadcasted during the ceremony. There was also some dancing and one cop was seen swaying with the dancers!

“I and other Wiradjuri Traditional Owners feel that the Wiradjuri Peoples have been denied our religious freedom, which is our right under the Australian Constitution, section 116." says Uncle Chappy. "Our culture, heritage and tradition are as old as time itself. Wiradjuri is one of the oldest continuing cultures in the world today. It is time we are given the Respect we deserve.

Later, as I returned to Sydney, Radio National had a special on about perspectives on the Assimilation Program of the 1950s and 1960s. A very apt finale to my time at Corroboree. This was followed by a live broadcast of Michael Franti and Spearhead with the words of peace and social justice. "You can bomb the world to pieces but you can't bomb it into peace."

Here's to peace and justice for indigenous people worldwide!

Here's to clean water, clean air!

Water's More Precious Than Gold. Leave it in the Ground. Barrick Go Home, Don't destroy the Sacred Heartland of the Wiradjuri Nation.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE PROPOSED GOLD MINE

Australia has already lost 89% of its wetlands over the last century so it’s vital that we protect the remaining few.

The environmental consequences of such a mine could be huge. Cyanide is lethal. One teaspoon of a 2% solution can kill an adult human. Tailings ponds are known to leak and spill on a regular basis. Every week another cyanide incident is reported in the news. The consequences could be devastating to small birds that might see the tailings ponds, filled with cyanide complexes, as potential habitat.

The tailings ponds would also contain arsenic as would the huge mounds of waste rock. Arsenic could leach into the groundwater system causing untold damage to wildlife in the area, affecting drinking water and entering into the Murray Darling Basin.

The risks we take environmentally and the destruction of Aboriginal Culture are huge in light of the fact that over 78% of newly mined gold each year goes towards jewelry fabrication – rings, bracelets, earrings and so on. And demand continues to rise worldwide what with many unsuspecting consumers wishing to fit the image of wealth and status as portrayed by the media. It is these high demands for jewelry that legitimate the large scale gold mining industry’s further exploitation of the resource.

But with over 35,000 tons of gold reserves in the world's central banks, there’s enough gold to cover demand for primary metal at the current levels of use for more than 14 years. If our consumption of gold jewelry were significantly reduced, the gold stored in reserves could last us for close to a century. We simply don’t need to mine any new gold, let alone with the use of cyanide leach technology!

 

To order the video or for further information,
contact Ruth Rosenhek
c/o Rainforest Information Centre
PO Box 368, Lismore 2480 NSW
(02) 66213294
http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/gold/lakep.html