Qld: Mary Valley to celebrate Traveston dam victory

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2009
Qld: Mary Valley to celebrate Traveston dam victory

BRISBANE, Dec 12 AAP - Music and champagne will flow in the Mary Valley in southeast
Queensland on Saturday, with residents celebrating their triumph over the Traveston Crossing
Dam.

Federal environment minister Peter Garrett last month rejected the Queensland government's
proposal to build the dam, saying it would damage the environment and harm wildlife.

Organisers of today's celebrations say they'll rejoice at the lifting of three-and-a-half
years of trauma caused by the state government.

Save the Mary River Coordinating Group president Glenda Pickersgill extended an invitation
"to everyone who had done anything to make sure this dam didn't go ahead".

"This has been an incredible rallying of a community, not just immediately following
the announcement (that the dam would be built), but in the hard years since, when great
depths of resilience were called upon to counter the government's unwavering assertion
that the dam was a goer," Ms Pickersgill said.

A suite of songs written specifically for the Save the Mary River campaign will feature
among the entertainment to start at 3pm (AEST) at the Kandanga showgrounds.

AAP ka/jpm

KEYWORD: TRAVESTON AM UPDATE

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