SAVE Our Macleay River community group hosted a novel event last Sunday to raise awareness of the threat proposed mines pose to the river.
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More than 100 people participated in Paddle on the Macleay - a four hour journey via canoe from Pee Dee Station, in the upper catchment, to heritage listed Bellbrook township.
The first paddlers arrive at historic Bellbrook after paddling over three hours from beautiful Pee Dee Station. Click on this image to see more photos in our online gallery.
Macleay River winds its way eastward from the verdant escarpment down through Kempsey and out to the ocean.
Bracken Resources plans to reopen the Hillgrove gold and antinomy mine, located near Armidale, which was fined by the Environmental Protection Authority for contaminating the river with run-off under previous ownership.
More than 100 people participated in a four hour journey via canoe for the Save Our Macleay River group. Click on this image to see more photos in our online gallery.
Nearby, another company is exploring with an eye to open a polymetallic underground mine on historic Jeogla station.
Paddle organiser Bernadette O'Sullivan, of Pee Dee Station, wants baseline water quality data measured prior to mining.
She said the event was "better then we could have hoped for".
"I wanted it to be positive and engaging for the community, not to preach but for people to experience the beauty of the river as it is."
Click on this image to see more photos in our online gallery.
