SAVE OUR ORARA RIVER

To All who live and enjoy our beautiful river, all soon will be lost as Blueberry farms are taking over the valley !

There will be Blueberries lining the banks of the Orara, over 1000 acres , already significant damage has been done on a once beautiful environmental area called the Chain Of Ponds, it was shrouded with tall trees and undergrowth and consisted of 21 undulating ponds ! The new owners of this property wiped out 20 ponds with a D8 bulldozer, all animals,birds, endagered frog species and platypus along with all other animals that relied on this area to live, be safe has all been lost ! Myself and my good neighbour have been fighting this issue, to be told by EPA if it for agriculture they can do what they want !

What about our Cattle farmers and people whom rely on the water from the orara for water for there cattle, showers ect, . The list of poisons used on Blueberries is massive,2 A4 pages of toxic chemicals, land is useless after such practices and will most definitely contaminate the Orara in a significant rain event, and if you have live in the valley for a long time, when we get flood rain all cattle will be poisoned, in which it will wipe out the industry, also cattle farmer that adjoins this toxic farm is a accredited chemical free Angus beef producer and the chemical spraying will travel through the air and contaminate his land, tragic circumstance as his farm and cattle are his life. If you smell smoke from a fire 20klm away, so would the chemicals travel in the air !

We have written endless letters to EPA, Fisheries, Council, Local Gov and more to be blocked every way possible in trying to stop this, the water used to irrigate said blueberries is massive, with approval granted ! BUT no metre on volume pumped and no monitoring of chemicals used and amount !

The property is on Old Glen Innes Rd leading to the historical Bawden Bridge/ Linden Park.

This is only one of many Blueberry farms starting up in the valley. Tabulum on the beautiful Clarence is inundated with Blueberry lots, its very concerning also for the indigenous that live and rely on the rive for food, such a turtle . I also fear after research there will be cancer clusters of people affected by this in years to come. Council and Government look good for employment rate drop, but most who work on these toxic farms are travellers or backpackers, very few local people employed,and who wants to be working in such a toxic environment, spraying , breathing and applying stuff that will eventually kill you !

Will keep you all updated on on fight for the Orara !

The more voices heard the better ! Oh and also asked the Daily Examiner would they come and see and hear our plight on Blueberrie farm, was told a reporter will call and arrange interview, and that was three weeks ago and im still waiting