These photos of drought affected Gomeroi Country in North Western New South Wales were taken in 2018 on a tour of the Pilliga and Leard State forests, where Whitehaven’s coal mine had cleared vast swathes. In the past, we had gotten in their way. This time, we were just there to bear witness.
As a part of the tour, we met and spoke with local farmers who talked to us about the many impacts of mining in the area. Perhaps the most concerning was the effect on local groundwater.
It was strongly suspected that Whitehaven’s mine had dug deep enough that it had caused the ground water to spill up through the bottom of one of the pits, depressurising the entire system and causing a drop in level for the local area. On top of this, the mine was pumping water from the Namoi River despite it being at a dangerously low level.
The coal industry will happily steal the last drop of water while the region is ravaged by drought—another small cog of capitalism that will see a complete collapse of the most basic of requirements for survival unless it is brought to heel. Coming face to face with this crisis and the people living it every day was sobering to say the least.
Seeing what is being done to the land tends to provide fuel for the fight, whether it be the everlasting rage and grief let loose by seeing that giant hole in the ground, or the inspiration given by those that stay long term to fight it out with these psychopathic companies. Perhaps most of all it’s the growing understanding that strengthening and expanding our community connections as we go forward into a less certain future is beyond imperative. We are going to need each other as we face crises, whatever that may look like.
Manic Seeds Media is a independent frontline journalist and activist from Aotearoa who travels all over this continent documenting frontline struggles for climate justice and First Nations sovereignty. This piece was written on Wurundjeri Country and features images from the lands of the Gomeroi people. Particular mention of Sam & Jarrett, Gomeroi men who guided us on that tour and fought against the mine respectively.
Expedition led by Mystery Dingo Environmental Tours
Aerial Photo Credit: Tom Mullaney