Yesterday, Wednesday 16th of September, Vivien (22) appeared at the Coffs Harbour Courthouse. Pleading guilty to the five charges delivered regarding her action in which she halted logging operations in Pine Creek State Forest.
On June 25th, Vivien locked herself onto log harvesting machinery, stopping controversial logging for hours in Pine Creek State Forest, which is recognised for its deep ecological and cultural significance to Gumbaynggirr people, local community and the wider environmental network.
“I accept these charges, I don’t accept why we need to receive them. We need to wake up real quick to the beauty of this land before we lose it” – Vivien
The magistrate dismissed two charges, but imposed a $500 fine, nine month community corrections order and a recorded conviction for one charge.
This action is aligned with a community call to stop logging in Pine Creek, which provides essential connectivity between Bongil Bongil and Bindarri National Parks, as well as koala habitat in its own right. The action was part of an ongoing campaign by forest defenders to protect Pine Creek forests and Gumbaynggirr land.
