THE Voices of West Belconnen community group is organising a rally to lobby for the protection of Ginninderra and Murrumbidgee Gorges.
Voices of West Belconnen president Chris Watson says the “Reopen The Gorge” rally is set to be held on December 2 from 11am-12pm at the front entry gate at the end of Parkwood Road.
“We are lobbying the ACT government to work with the NSW government, to achieve five goals,” he says.
To recognise Ginninderra and Murrumbidgee Gorges, including Ginninderra Falls, for their biodiversity, to ensure their long-term preservation and protection as a nature reserve.
To open the Ginninderra and Murrumbidgee Gorges to the public in the same way the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve is open to the public.
To not allow development to intrude on the Ginninderra and Murrumbidgee Gorges – “the impact of this development on the local wildlife and plant life has not been properly considered,” says Chris.
To recognise the Aboriginal initiation site and the value of Aboriginal cultural heritage in the area.
And, for the nearby quarry to cease operating and to be used as a carpark for the reserve.
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![Teacher Vanessa Jones has been living in Higgins since 2001, and while she loves the area, she says she is “fed up” with the neglectful ACT government.
The Higgins shops have been completely abandoned, says Vanessa, preventing the opportunity for residents to have a community-centred space to socialise.
They only received bins nine months ago, she says, and requests for a water station and repairs to the bus station have gone unanswered.
“It’s very, very slow,” says Vanessa.
“I asked for the zebra crossing on Fullagar [Crescent] to be repainted, and we had to wait about six or nine months.
“That’s just such a long time… we pay a lot of rates.”
Vanessa says assistance from the government only seems to go to communities with time-rich and assertive communities, leaving places such as Higgins, where the majority of households have both adults working full-time and English may not be the first language of the family, at an automatic disadvantage.
“If you’ve got two people working, paying a mortgage, raising two or three kids, they don’t have the time,” says Vanessa.
Vanessa says the lack of attention quieter places such as Higgins is receiving is starting to look a lot like favouritism.
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