MEREDITH Stanton and Jane St Vincent Welch have successfully appealed their fines and conviction over a year-long vigil to protect the Clouds Creek Greater Glider Sanctuary and a proposed part of the Great Koala National Park.
They were adamant they were acting lawfully and were on private property with the consent of the owner, during their protest against logging in January 2024.
A Forestry Corporation NSW (FCNSW) employee alleged they were on “a public road,” and that they were blocking access.
Police agreed and the trio was charged with “wilfully prevent free passage of person/vehicle/vessel”.
On Wednesday 28 May, Ms Stanton and Ms Welch’s appeals were upheld in the Coffs Harbour District Court.
Judge Michael McHugh ruled that the police prosecution in the February Local Court proceedings had failed to prove the charge, so they were dismissed.
“I am thrilled by the ruling, because being convicted as a criminal for caring about local endangered species habitats was a cruel injustice,” said Ms Stanton, a long-term Billy’s Creek resident.
“Since the 2019 bushfires burnt all of my 25-hectare block of private native forests, including the surrounding state forests, I no longer hear or see the yellow-bellied gliders and greater gliders.
“Their loss provoked in me a profound sadness and anger, but now [that] we have discovered a surviving population of gliders, I am determined to protect all of them from logging in Clouds Creek forests.
“With forest protection, the gliders may once again grace the trees around my home, in my lifetime.”
Ms Welch is a documentary maker who has been working on a film project called “A Year at Clouds Creek”.
“Today is a great victory for the Clouds Creek vigil,” she said.
“We are making our way towards our final victory to save Clouds Creek gliders and koalas, and to create The Great Koala National Park.”
By Andrew VIVIAN
