25/11/2025
Media release
Traditional Custodians of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area speak up for their Countries against increasing impacts of mining and development.
Aunty Carol Cooper - Darug and Gundangara Traditional Custodian
Renee Sales - Darkinoong Traditional Custodian
Aunty Jacinta Tobin - Darug Traditional Custodian
Uncle Robert Bell - Wiradjuri Traditional Custodian
Cara Simon - Biripi, Weilwan Traditional Custodian
Kylie Manson - Wiradjuri (Warrabinga) Traditional Custodian
Uncle Martin De Launey - Wiradjuri (Native Title Claimant) Traditional Custodian
Annnabel Murray - Katoomba resident, and ‘two-way’ ecological scientist.
Whilst culturally we have the right to speak only for our own Countries, we feel the responsibility to also speak up for Countries, songlines and Aboriginal people across ‘Australia’ whose Countries continue to be impacted by fossil fuel mining and development-focused governance, policies, funding and actions.
As the state and federal governments remove environment protections from mining and development, Traditional Custodians want politicians, developers, governments mining companies and corporations to justify their actions that abuse Country. How are the politicians, mining companies and development corporations benefiting themsesleves?; and how are they going to address the climate crisis and protect species and ecosystyems, waterways and future generations from extinction?
Wirajduri Elders and Traditional Custodians are horrified to see more vital habitat being removed by corporate-owned renewables projects, when there are so many solar free-roof and land areas that are already degraded. This makes no sense and is bad governance to benefit big business. The Wollar renewable energy project near Mudgee has resulted in extensive habitat destruction, with many disoriented kangaroos losing their homes and habitat. In Lui NSW, in the Capertee Valley biodiversity hotspot, mining is being fast-tracked directly adjacent to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area on Wiradjuri Country. This will pollute waterways and greatly impact already depleted native flora and fauna that are still recovering from the 2019-2020 fires. The decimation of Dharrawal Country by endless heartless developments has seen the ecosystems and waterways of the eastern areas of the GBMWHA become much more vulnerable to urban heating and wildfires. Huge culturally significant scar trees that are keystone species were removed as recently as 1994. Dharrawal Country needs time and care to grow again. In Darkinoong Country, on the central coast this fast tracking of development is resulting in huge areas of habitat being open for removal for development without any further biodiversity assessment (see Map 1). In Katoomba, which is a high rainfall area, a multi dwelling high density block of apartments is being fast tracked to sit on the edge of Narrow Neck in a high fire risk area that is also prone to land slides from increased urban run off. On Darug Country, at Dharug Gunnya, near Frogmore house at North Werrington vital remaining Kangaroo and wetland habitat is slated for development by Western Sydney Uni, in a vastly altered landscape where local naitve species marginally persist. Rather than destroy what little is left, these areas should be valued and expanded to retain native species, cool urban environments, sequester carbon and restore waterway health for all species.
Map 1:
These actions are destroying our ways of life that are directly culturally connected to ecosystem, waterways and songline health. These actions are traumatising our people, culture and landscapes, particularly in the last few years. Things are getting worse, and the gaps for Aboriginal wellbeing are getting bigger. We want our songlines, waterways, ceremonies and ecosystems for our ways of life, cultures, children and closing the gaps now and for future generations. We are diverse nations and language groups, whose Countries contain diverse landscapes, ecosystems, species and needs that Traditional Custodians for each Country understand and have the cultural authority to speak for. We know and love our people and Countries. Our Countries are our homes. We want ot help all species and everybody who lives in our Countries, not just the rich minorities. Blanket fast-tracked legislations disrespect these diverse cultural ecosystem values.
Can you please explain to us the specific benefits that you are bringing to our communities. Our obligations to protect ecosystems, habitats, waterways and songlines are central to our cultural practices, ceremonies and caring for Country obligations, rights and protocols. In the millenia that we cared for our Countries prior to British invasion and ongoing colonial control and extraction, we have not decimated or annihilated any species, ecosystems or waterways. We have enabled multispecies benefit sharing, amenity comfort, abundance and joy for all. What benefits are you sharing?
We recommended that the Albanese, Minns, Greenhill and othe Local Governments stand up for Country and communities and end fossil fuel mining and production and support the establishment of community-owned power and affordable, sustainable use of existing buildings for local residents.
Yours sincerely,
Aunty Carol Cooper - Darug and Gundangara Traditional Custodian
Renee Sales - Darkinoong Traditional Custodian
Aunty Jacinta Tobin - Darug Traditional Custodian
Uncle Robert Bell - Wiradjuri Traditional Custodian
Cara Simon - Biripi, Weilwan Traditional Custodian
Kylie Manson - Wiradjuri (Warrabinga) Traditional Custodian
Uncle Martin De Launey - Wiradjuri (Native Title Claimant) Traditional Custodian
Annnabel Murray - Katoomba resident, and ‘two-way’ ecological scientist.
