Gathering at Rosebud
Tomorrow, Sunday 17 February is a last public gathering and Rally to support the halting of this massive channel widening and deepening and the restructruing of our Melbourne City into a huge industrial monolith. This is not just about saving the Bay – which is an enormously noble and worthy campaign in itself. It is also about the vision we have for our City of Melbourne and its surrounding suburbs lining a Marine Sanctuary. It is about our way of life and the access we have to beautiful, healthy, natural resources.
I live in Rye on the mornington peninsular. Yesterday, my local gourmet butcher(king island meats and delicacies abound), informed me he was closing on sundays now. His regular customers, built up over the last two summers since he’d taken over the business, are both local and the usual transient tourists and holiday house part time folk. “They are thinking twice now about coming down here now if the dredging goes ahead”, he said mournfully. “They have noticed the change in the water already.” I sat at the Blairgowrie village this morning (Saturday) and watched the line of cars and people heading for the beach. The water is murky – cloudy.
I read Tracee Hutchison’s article in the Age while I enjoyed my coffee:
Running out of time to save our great bay I gazed out across the bay and let the sparkling sunlight tickle my eyes. I wondered why the scientific tests and expertise of the Port of Melbourne team fail to pick up what our own natural human senses can: the taste of metal in the mouth, the cloudy water, the lower levels of oxygen and fresh air coming off the bay. Somehow, that cleansing invigorating feeling has gone: the people know it, the swimmers know it, the divers know it, the marine life knows it. Why don’t the tests of scientists show it? Common sense tells us that the residue in the bottom of the channel WILL contain metals, oils and dirty sand. The thousands of ships travelling along those channels are from all over the world. Who knows what they enter our port with and how many defy the laws and empty their bilge in our Bay?
And now the butcher knows it too. He’s going diving on Sunday instead of opening his shop. He’ll report next week what he and his son discover.
So tomorrow we are gathering at Rosebud Foreshore. There will be speakers, workshops, activities for the kiddies. In the local Rosebud Memorial Hall, there will be an exhibition of marine photography and art works. So many people love this bay. The oppressive draconian climate in Victoria discourages activism on a grand scale. And this process has been so drawn out that many are resigned now. But we know. Many a thinking person knows. It just does not add up: financially, sociologically, environmentally and aesthetically. So why is it going ahead? I know many have tried to find out more: but the FOI restrictions prevent in depth investigation. I shudder – an instinctive response.
Eventually, the truth will oust – it always does as demonstrated so beautifully this past week. But a whole network of groups and caring folk are trying to prevent damage in the meantime. It’s the human way, the human spirit.
Rosebud Foreshore 1 – 4 pm.
South of Rosebud Pier (Mel 158 E11)