We’ve been back in Court to stand up for Human Rights!

Last Friday (August 7, 2020) The Bimblebox Alliance and Youth Verdict contested Waratah Coal’s application to limit their use of Queensland’s new Human Rights Act in their objection to Clive Palmer’s (Waratah’s) Galilee Mine Project.

TBA will argue that the approval of the mine impacts our human rights, and the rights of future generations to a liveable climate and a natural world that is still intact. Waratah Coal lodged its Strike-out application in July as it seeks to rob us of that basic of all rights, as provided under the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The court will likely make its determination later in August, and we will keep you posted.

Thank you for continuing to support Bimblebox. You will be pleased to know that we raised more than $23,600 in our Chuffed fundraiser last month. This will enable us to renovate and upgrade camp facilities for volunteers, scientists, artists and decision makers visiting Bimblebox.

A moment at the 2016 Art, Science and Nature Camp, captured by Tangible Media.

In addition, we were successful in being awarded a grant to produce five short promotional videos about Bimblebox to get the word out further and hopefully gather more supporters. The first of these, Saving Bimblebox, is being launched today (August 12, 2020). We’d like to thank Professor Ian Lowe for narrating on this important video.

The video highlights the natural wonders of Bimblebox Nature Refuge. It will give you a taste of Queensland’s Desert Uplands Bioregion and show you why Bimblebox must be saved.

Over the coming months we plan to release more videos, and beautiful images on social media showcasing the wildlife and plants of the Nature Refuge. In June we launched the #FrogsFriday digital campaign. Every Friday a new image highlights well-known – and some less familiar – inhabitants of Bimblebox, like the cute Bettong below. We hope you are enjoying them. Please share far and wide on Facebook (Bimblebox Nature Refuge), Twitter (@BimbleboxNR) and Instagram (bimblebox_nature_refuge).

The next key date for your diary is 28 August 2020, by which we dare to hope that the Land Court judge will decide in our favour, and Queensland’s Human Rights Act will remain available to us to challenge destructive coal mines.

As always, spread the word, share your outrage with local media, visit us on Facebook, and be sure to follow us on Twitter and Instagram.

We hope you are staying safe and keeping well in these strange times.Thank you again for your wonderful support.
Paola Cassoni and The Bimblebox Alliance