Last year during Spring, the WRC was held in our region, during the native wild life's breeding season.
There was an Ecological Study done, prior to the event, but this was conducted during the late summer months. We are planning to get another Ecological Study performed, this time during springs breeding season, when young koala males are coming down from their trees, and re-locating in search for a mate.
It is not really known, what effect the rally actually had on all the wildlife living along the various rally stages, despite the post racing, roadside checks. Granted there were few relatively minor road-kill incidents, seen immediately afterwards, it is the unseen casualties, that hop off into the bush to die through stress, or the birds that abandon their nests, that are the real victims.
One of the many reasons, that many are opposed to this event being held on these local roads, is that they are residential roads, and alongside or through forests, (State Forest and National Parks). The Rally Drivers and their mechanics, told us, that this is just not allowed in Europe, and they were shocked, that we had not opposed this event happening here.
We HAD opposed this event, and protested to our local government (Shire Council), whilst the Development Application was supposedly being drawn up, but we were totally over ridden by our State Government, when they cow-towed to a request from the head of the FIA, and over-rode 12 Laws, with a 'Special Legislation' !
We then tried to protest and gain an Interim Injunction, from The Federal Court in Sydney, but due to the tardiness of replies from various Rally Organisers, it was considered too late, for such like to happen.
Many of us are still vehemently opposed to the WRC Rally returning to this region next year 2011 again in Spring, in fact there are even more locals, joining with us, now that they know what this event brings and does not bring, in benefits to our region.
The local Rally Organisers and the Media, made many 'stories' of the benefits, both economic and for our tourism.They 'spun' stories of "Rocks Being Thrown by Protesters !" which, although finally corrected by the Police, that "No, Rocks were not thrown, on the Byrrill Creek stage !" that story, is still being used to vilify the locals who stood up, repeatedly, and came out to attend protests.
Those who did 'protest' this event, far from being "radical hippies", driving "old smoky vehicles", are in fact, very respectable members of the 'older generation', who had never been 'active protesters' of anything before! Now ! they are 'experienced' and many of them, are so enraged by the treatment we received, that they are far more prepared to be more 'radical', in their actions, if the FIA continue their plans to return to this Biodiverse World Heritage Environment.
Please forward this story on to anyone you know, related to WRC rallies, the Drivers the Sponsors, the Organisers, and maybe we will get our message out, where it counts.
Our winding, rural residential roads, are just not suitable, for either Rally Stages or even the liaison roads between stages, and we don't want our local youth to be tempted to copy Rally Drivers on any of our roads, as they are too narrow with cliffs and rivers on either side.
Please help spread the word, most locals do not want this event in this area.
