Protest at Jondaryan

As a part of the research project, we undertook a field trip to the Western Downs where much of the coal seam gas mining was taking place. The first stop on the field tour was Jondaryan - a small locality where a protest was being held against a nearby coal dump. Our goal was to interview a number of key spokespeople who convened for the protest. The FAQ Research field trip team were: Director Mark Bahnisch, Project & Comms Manager Pandora Karavan and film-maker David Granato. This gallery is a photo essay about that event. I also wrote a media article for Crikey describing the event. Should you have further interest in this issue, you can find out more on the dedicated blog on the Crikey website.

Western Downs field reporting map
The stars indicate the rough locations of people we have scheduled to meet.
February 20th
We are headed west out past Toowoomba towards our first stop - the protest at Jondaryan.
Arriving at Jondaryn
The first stop on our reporting trip is Jondaryan - a small locality where a protest is being held against the a nearby coal dump. The stage 3 application for the Acland coal mine is also being resisted. We notice that the presence of many police as we drive into town.
London bus in the outback
We are struck by the vision of Bob Katter's Australian Party campaign bus on the rural landscape.
Protesters gather
Enthusiastic members of Friends of the Earth arrive on the scene.
Campaign leader
Drew Hutton, president of the campaign organisation Lock the Gate, is pictured here being interviewed by the media. Channel 7, 9 and the local television news group WIN were present among others.
Meeting the locals
I spoke with an interesting local indigenous man. His belt buckle is a prize he won for bull-riding - I was surprised to see it was dated 2002 - only 10 years ago.
A colourful day
A local man adds to the spectacle with his horse-drawn carriage.
Campaign characters
Campaigner Lee McNicoll is an erudite and charismatic farmer who has been instrumental in the development of the Lock the Gate campaign on the Western Downs. Lee, like Drew, was born on the Downs and went to school in Brisbane.
The gathering
The disparate group gather around the stage.
Welcome to country
A warm welcome to country is made by Indigenous Elder Lois Kelly.
An unlikely alliance
Right wing politician Bob Katter and former Greens spokesperson Drew Hutton share the stage.
Leadership
Lock the Gate camapign president Drew Hutton facilitates the day masterfully. I have recently dubbed him 'the man who radicalized the West'!
Bob Katter
Bob Katter was commanding and animated in his time on the stage.
Libby Connors
The graceful Queensland Greens spokesperson Libby Connors spoke emphatically about coal seam gas issues.
Alan Jones
The ever-contraversial shock jock Alan Jones delivered a strident oration.
Alan engages the assembly skilfully.
Larissa Waters
Greens Senator Larissa Waters addressed the crowd with a poised discourse.
Aidan McLindon
Aidan McLindon of the Katter Australian Party looked the part.
The march begins
The speeches were over and locals on horseback lead the march to the nearby Acland coal dump.
Leading the parade
The march was lead by Lock the Gate President Drew Hutton.
The march midway to the Acland coal dump.
Funny, what you see sometimes...
Guarded
We arrive at the site to find locked gates heavilly guarded by police.
Having arrived at the site, people gather to listen to further speeches.
The son of the iconic R.M. Williams – a tall, well-dressed, timid man in his forties – spoke with trembling lips about his love for country.
Uniting for a common cause
A man from Allora engaged the group in a sing-along with a rendition of Woody Guthrie’s ‘This Land is Your Land’ with his guitar and harmonica. At the end of each chorus the animated throng yelled ‘lock the gate!’, leaping and waving their placards in the air. There was a sense of joy and camaraderie. Note right-wing shock jock Alan Jones singing alongside Greens spokesperson Libby Connors.
Research interviews
My colleague Mark Bahnisch interviews Bob Katter, leader of Katter's Australian Party.
Mark interviews Aidan McLindon.
We interview the sincere Greens candidate for Whitsunday Jonathon Dykyj.
Late in the afternoon we see a road train pull up laden with CSG drilling pipes.
Leaving Jondaryan
After a enjoyable and fruitful day at Jondaryan we head off at sunset to our next stop - Dalby.
A beautiful country
...and the sun sank slowly in the west, as it had long before coal seam gas mining, and indeed long before a white man ever set foot on these plains.