The Big Blueberry on the North Coast of NSW

The coastline of Spain is known as the ‘Sea of Plastic’ ("Mar de Plástico”) (film)  It is the world’s largest plastic greenhouse complex with 350 square km of fruit and vegetables grown by immigrant  labour for the horticultural industry.

Will the North Coast of NSW become such an industrial plastic wrapped landscape?

This ‘country’ has had 229 years of extractive industries. The extraction and export of natural resources in colonial times and now leads to conflicts with residential areas.

Small scale rural landholdings populate the coast and the hinterland. The commons protects National Parks and reserves to afford biodiversity a home. The interface of nature reserves, human settlement and industrial production is that of conflict. “Residents and council do not know about a blueberry farm development until they are there”. (source)

The high rainfall area has been also ‘discovered’ by multinational agribusiness. Once, some of the Coffs Harbour area was know as the ‘Big Banana’, it seems now the North Coast is being developed into the BIG BLUEBERRY.

The cash crop is grown for export. After the land is cleared (image) and all Australian flora and fauna have been made homeless, the crops are grown with agri-chemicals (pesticide, fungicide etc). Runoff impacts the surrounding areas. The berries and the incorporated water and soil are sent overseas. The legacy remains.

Increased machine noise and traffic impact on residents and remaining wildlife.

The promise of ‘jobs’ reads more like ’The Grapes of Wrath’. It has been found that backpackers and non-English speaking background workers from o.s. are underpaid and exploited. (here, here, here)

The farm workers go, but residents are stuck in a neighbourhood that is becoming an industrial site. The conflict between locals and large corporate agribusiness interests needs attention by the regulatory bodies.

As coastal urbanisation increases, the space and resources shrink. The horticultural industry expands in Bellingen, Boambee Valley, Coffs Coast, Corindi, Crossmaglen, Woolgoolga, Repton, Valla, Valery and Nambucca. At Bruxner Park the views towards Coffs Harbour and the ocean are starting to look like the above plastic netting landscape, white plastic nets are gobbling up the green coastal landscape.

The 21st century could offer a chance to refrain from treating ‘country’ as a BIG QUARRY. A future beyond extraction and exploitation. Care for the commons, the water bodies, soil and biodiversity.

Authorities can regulate and monitor ‘land use’ and prevent abuse in the interest of all.

 

Quotes:

- A meeting at the CWA on Monday, March 13 at 7pm

“Intensive Horticulture is creeping into the Bellinger Valley by stealth and residents across the Shire will gather to discuss largely unmonitored and unregulated development of intensive horticulture as a new plantation has now become evident to worried neighbours from Valery,” Bellingen Environment Centre spokesperson Caroline Joseph said. (source)

- Valla: “There is no visual flow in Deep Creek and still pumping continues" (source)

- Repton: “A key feature of the village is the natural setting, surrounded by the Bongil Bongil National Park and Pine Creek State Forest. The conversion of land zoned R5 to provide for an agricultural development is wholly at odds with the primary objective of the zone.”

“Thirty-Two separate chemicals are listed in the NSW Department of Primary Industry’s Blueberry Plant protection Guide 2015-2016 for use on blueberries in NSW to control disease and pests...Of the 32 chemicals approved one third of the chemicals are identified as likely to have a long-lasting, negative off-target impact … most disturbing is that pesticides can have both immediate (acute) effects and long term (chronic) effects on the health of people who are exposed to them. ... (The) main concern is spray drift over to nearby houses whose only water is collected in tanks and consequently we will drink.” (source)

- Woolgoolga: “The development of a blueberry farm near his property further west on Newmans Rd resulted in a reduction of kangaroos in that area.” (source)

Links:

Blueberry farm in the Shire reignites the debate, Bellingen Courier, 28.02.2017

Repton resistance  Bellingen Courier, 29.11.2015 

Like living in a war zone, abc 01.03.2017 

Australian agriculture safeguarding against climate change. Structures for larger-scale growers to cover whole paddocks or orchards. abc 04.03.2017

Warning against the deliberate exploitation of young people and visa holders, Bellingen Courier, 06.03.2017

https://calculate.fairwork.gov.au/

Wildlife friendly netting

Updates:

 

Blueberry blues: how the cash crop is causing a contamination crisis in Coffs Harbour, 29.09.2022 The Guardian  

 

Calls for royal commission as report details allegations blueberry farmers pay workers $3 an hour 3.12.2020

 Concerned residents want blueberry farms to need a DA 

“We were shocked to learn that there is no monitoring or compliance required at a local (council) level to clear privately owned,forested land or to establish intensive horticulture plantations and that this concern about unregulated development is being shared across the region,” Bellingen Environment Centre’s Caroline Joseph said... Pine Creek is dying ..." Bellingen Courier, 14.03.2017

Deregulate, deregulate - "Productivity Commission recommends a wide slash of farm red tape, except biosecurity and food safety. It also recommends agricultural land should be used for its highest value, even if that means resource development." abc rural 29.03.2017

"Europe's Dirty Little Secret: Moroccan Slaves and a 'Sea of Plastic' " or landscapes a perennial plastic greenhouses, Ecowatch 2015

 

Marine scientists fingerprint sources of nitrogen on the Coffs coast. Nearly all creeks with agriculture (blueberry, macadamia) and urban land use have (sewage) water quality issues. Bellingen Courier, 16.09.2020

 

Images:

Greenhouses of the Campo de Dalías, Almería Province, Spain , NASA’s Earth Observatory

Organic blueberries

The March of Business, Bellingen graffiti 

 

More images:

Mar del Plastico, Bernhard Lang

The Shark Free Beaches of NSW

The beach is without a doubt the playground for Australians. The formation of national identity is pinned on beach culture. "Australians are islanders and we've come to expect - almost as a kind of birthright, as much as a lifestyle - a certain kind of access to open beaches..." (source) From family holidays (if not in Bali) to national surf events and festivals it is the space to be in. On 2,000 kilometres of New South Wales coast, locals and visitors showcase their beach bodies, swim, surf, play sport and empty their dogs. It appears to be the place of equality. 'Our beach' turf is fiercely defended against 'the other' (Cronulla riots). Its is the only place of summer culture.

The beach as money-making machine
Urban beaches are manicured with fossil fuel and 'renourished' with sand when climate extremes gnaw on the edges. They are artifacts with fences, furniture, nets, signs and flags. Business, surf /events/ competitions - culture, recreation space: gym/sports groups etc monetize this space and depend on it functioning. When the 'cash cow' is closed there is an outcry.

Coastal sprawl and marine urbanisation
Historically the beach turned from a place of work to a (commercialised) leisure ground with the urbanisation of the coast. 85% of people live within 50 kilometres of the coastline today. Coastal sprawl and marine urbanisation seem to concrete the coast from Cairns to Melbourne merging swelling urban centers. The large cities boast degraded biodiversity (and shark nets) and it has become relatively safe to use the beach as if it is a pool. Polluting jet skis, inflatable rescue boats and helicopters are buzzing around swimmers at city beaches for the 'safety of beachgoers'. "Beaches around Sydney, Newcastle and the Central Coast are protected by shark nets, but there is no meshing on beaches in the far north." (source)

 
More people in shark habitats
Population growth (sea change /tree change etc) on the north coast of NSW brings more human beings into the ocean than ever before. "Data from the Australian Shark Attack File indicates the increase in Australian shark attacks coincides with the increasing human population, more people visiting beaches, a rise in the popularity of water-based fitness and recreational activities and people accessing previously isolated coastal areas." (source)
Swimming, diving and some surfing take place in the shallow water. In the deeper water, the ocean is conquered by new adventurous forms of activities going deeper and further in (paddle ski, kayaking, surfing, diving, windsurfing and whale watching in tinnies etc) These plastic-aided adventure activities take place well beyond the flags and far from the mainland.

"Let's not forget the ocean is the domain of the shark." (source)
Various (no take) refuges for marine biodiversity have been established along the coast. Sharks keep the ocean healthy. "Sharks and other ocean predators help protect the ocean's carbon stores by keeping other wildlife in check." (source)

How the presence of sharks and risks are further increased
Heating the ocean through our combustion of biomass seems to benefit the ancient marine predator that has been in the ocean for the last 400 million years. Various human activities, like polluting rivers, throwing fish offal into the beach, fishing or tourism operators using bait to deliberately attract sharks increase the presence of sharks and risks.

 
Shark encounters
Recently there have been 13 shark encounters, including one death off the north coast of NSW this year. (source) Various groups react in fear and want sharks culled or repelled. "Surfers on NSW north coast call for partial cull of sharks after recent months" (source) "Long-time surfers say they are now scared to get into the water." (source) The "far north NSW communities call for shark nets, immediate action to prevent shark attacks." (source)

Extinction - we are working on it...
"Australians in particular have a peculiar, pathological feeling about sharks." (source) Ideally the species should be wiped out (like so many other Australian species) so that man can industrialise the aquatic territory without fear. In the marine habitat, the shark is framed as usual as 'the problem' that needs a 'solution'. A feel-good self-deception, also known as denial could serve to kill this 'monster' and conquer the space for human purposes once and for all. Whatever 'fix' will win, it must be cost effective and be based on technology or fossil fuel. The aim is to 'cleanse' the 'playground' of the competing apex predators (sharks, crocodiles, etc.) so that no people or business interests are harmed. It is known that there is "no “silver bullet” for deterring sharks or stopping attacks." (source). No method is 100% effective, but doing anything would soothe the mind and business as usual could continue. To turn the ocean into a shark-free pool might continue to be a pipe dream.

Risks

The comparative 'tolls' for shark mauling, dog attacks and killings by motor cars makes one wonder, that if by that logic one ought to cull dogs and take these deadly combustion machines off the roads:

• There have been 15 shark-related incidents on the NSW coastline this year, 12 of them on the north coast. (source)
• There were 1,191 dog attacks in the 3rd quarter of 2014/2015 in NSW. (source)
• There have been 260 people killed  in NSW from crashing vehicles so far this year (the injured are not included) (source)

"The day you fail to find sharks cruising your favourite beach is the day you should really start to worry." (source)



Resources:
Concrete coastlines: it’s time to tackle our marine ‘urban sprawl’
http://theconversation.com/concrete-coastlines-its-time-to-tackle-our-marine-urban-sprawl-38175

Australian Shark Attack File
https://taronga.org.au/conservation/conservation-science-research/australian-shark-attack-file

New South Wales beaches closed for 24 hours after shark attack
http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/aug/23/new-south-wales-beaches-closed-for-24-hours-after-shark-attack?CMP=soc_568

Surfers on NSW north coast call for partial shark cull
http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2015/s4291914.htm

There is deep unease about sharks in northern New South Wales, 02.10.2015
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/02/could-big-game-fishing-solve-the-problem-of-shark-attacks

Ballina Mayor David Wright fears Richmond River water quality could be to blame for shark activity
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-21/shark-meeting/6635678

Recreational fishermen may have unwittingly helped attract sharks to Coffs Harbour beach 16.06.2015
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-16/recreational-fishermen-might-have-unwittingly-helped-attract-sh/6549142

A dramatic increase in shark fishing, fuelled by the lucrative shark fin market, is threatening already endangered species along the NSW coast
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/fears-for-endangered-species-as-shark-fin-market-grows/2007/08/11/1186530673607.html

Man bites shark, The day you fail to find sharks cruising your favourite beach is the day you should really start to worry.
http://conservationbytes.com/2009/01/07/man-bites-shark/

Ellison, Elizabeth (2014) On the beach : exploring the complex egalitarianism of the Australian beach. In Horatschek, Anna-Margaretha, Roseberg, Yvonne, & Schaebler, Daniel (Eds.) Navigating Cultural Spaces : Maritime Places. Rodopi, Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 221-235. (PDF)

Updates:
Shields and smart buoys: new technology to protect sharks and people 06.10.2015
WA Premier tells Broome to 'quietly get rid of crocodiles' on Cable Beach to protect tourism abc 09.10.2015

One of the Margaret River region's two surf life saving clubs is experiencing a downturn in membership due to increased shark activity."Going to the beach is an inherent part of the West Australian lifestyle" abc 15.10.2015

Darimont CT, Fox CH, Bryan HM, and Reimchen TE (2015) The unique ecology of human predators. Science 21: 858-860.

The NSW government announces a $16m high-tech strategy to combat shark attacks along the 2,000 kilometres of beach line. 25.10.2015 SMH

"Recreational users want to go and enjoy the water undisturbed or without the fear of being disturbed by a shark." Professor Bax 28.10.2015 abc

Shark attacks hit NSW North Coast tourism’s bottom line 30.11.2015 coffs coast advocate

Shark nets used at most beaches do not protect swimmers, research suggests  Guardian 09.02.2016

Two rare Japanese stingrays killed by Queensland's shark control program on the Gold Coast
"Successive governments have recognised the vital role the shark control program has played in protecting human life at those beaches which attract tourists from all over the world and throughout the year.” abc 22.02.2016

IMAGES:
A crowded ocean, tiles Sydney
Man in Ocean, tiles
Shark mural, Coffs Harbour
Shark without a fin, Coffs Harbour Jetty

Sawtell Hail Storm

Toormina and Sawtell battered by mid-afternoon hailstorm 16.11.13
Severe weather: alert for Coffs Coast and eastern seaboard. Golfball-sized hail has been reported at Bellingen. (again!) 16.11.13
Massive hail buckets down on Queensland's Sunshine Coast abc 16.11.13 
Hail damage to Coffs Coast worst outside metropolitan area 17.11.13 
Weekend hailstorm on the Coffs Coast causes millions of dollars worth of damage 18.11.13 
Hail at Sawtell November 16, 2013, 18.11.13 
Dorrigo's town centre has been blanketed in hail as a severe thunderstorm continues to track over the coast. 18.11.13
Dorrigo hail storm - 181113 
Sawtell hail,16.11.13 video

And here we go again 21.11.14 
Brisbane hail: "We had to run to get out of there, the speed of the hailstones were like bullets. The place looked like a warzone." 281114 

2021:"Apocalyptic" hailstorm. Hail up to 30cms deep in the Coffs Harbour region. The roof in Toormina mall collapses and turns into a waterfall. Any link to climate disruption?