Longreach Leader’s ‘Galilee Basin News’ June 25th 2010

The Longreach Leader’s new publication, the ‘Galilee Basin News’, has provided an invaluable opportunity for the community to engage in discussion about the imminent mega-developments in central-western Queensland. The editors are encouraging the exposure of news and views regarding both the positive and negative consequences on the people and land in the Alpha region. If it wasn’t for this paper, this kind of forum simply wouldn’t exist – strange considering the scale of the impact the region is due to experience in the coming decades. This in itself is probably a reflection of how little power the community has when it comes to these so-called ‘state significant’ projects.

The first edition of the Galilee Basin News in late June 2010 featured a number of important articles, and we thank the editor for permission to post a couple here. ‘Mines in the making near Alpha‘ displays a map and overview of the four projects currently planned. ‘Environmental concerns over mega coal mines‘ focuses on Bimblebox and the environmental impacts likely for the broader region. (Note that rather than being ‘restored to native vegetation’, Bimblebox actually hosts 95% remnant, that is, uncleared, native vegetation.)