Join us this Sunday to celebrate the stunning bush in Parakiwai, Coromandel Forest Park. (Just 9km from the center of Whangamata).
Bush walk protest and picnic
Sunday July 7th, 2013 – 10 am
Meet at road end of Parakiwai Quarry Road, Whangamata.
Bring your friends, a picnic, instruments & banners
Picnic in town
11am – courtyard outside council office
If you can’t make bush walk meet here to hand out leaflets to raise awareness and have a picnic in solidarity with the protest
Newmont Waihi Gold and Glass Earth Gold are currently drilling in the Parakiwai Valley on conservation land that should be protected by Schedule 4. This area is the home to the endangered Archey’s Frogs, Helm’s Butterflies and Coromandel Brown Kiwi as well as other native species.
We believe conservation land should be off-limits to mining, yet the government and Newmont are doing their best to undermine the integrity of our most precious places. The Coromandel is too precious to mine – join us on Sunday to oppose drilling in conservation land and protect Parakiwai!
Directions: Driving through Whangamata heading south drive for 5km, turn right onto Parakiwai Quarry Road, drive for 3kms to roadend.
Tramping: This will involve tramping for 1hr 30mins one way to the drill site: an enjoyable, mostly flat walk that will be guided by a Whangamata local with extensive knowledge of the bush and the history of the area. There is also a beautiful waterfall at a 20 minute detour from where we turn off to the rig that people may want to visit on their way home.
Wet weather plan: We will still go with the day’s event unless it is bad weather, at this stage it looks like there will be light showers in which case we are all steam ahead – bring a raincoat.
For further information call Renee on 0220181764 or email on renee@watchdog.org.nz or visit www.watchdog.org.nz
– Parakiwai –
Parakiwai Valley is the next valley south of the Wentworth Valley, another popular spot, both backing in to Coromandel Forest Park managed by the Department of Conservation.
The valley’s hundred years of regeneration mean the Kauri are beginning to dominate the canopy, the Otahu river winds through the valley providing many picturesque swimming holes and beautiful walks frequently enjoyed by residents and visitors.
The historic building sites of the original gold mining village that was up there over a hundred years ago now provides habitat for moss and climbing vines, surrounded by maturing native bush. Gold mining may be a part of this area’s history but it doesn’t need to be its future, we deserve better and the gold mining industry has and always will be a boom and bust industry relying on the price of gold and this provides for much instability in mining towns. The cost of having millions of tonnes of toxic waste as a legacy for future generations is not worth short term economic benefits.
The Parakiwai Valley is a gem we should be able to enjoy, not to be destroyed by corporations like Newmont Gold!