By Liam Mitchell
On the Evans River at Evans Head in NSW, there used to be an extraordinary geological formation which was a sacred site. It acted as a bridge and was part of a songline or "natural corridor". Currently Graham Ingles of the Ingles Gold Coast Development Company is attempting to push through the long-awaited "Iron Gates" Gold Coast-style development on the banks of the Evans River.
Where the name "Iron Gates" came from is explained in a letter to the editor in the Northern Star newspaper of December 24, 1991, by T. McCormack, whose family has extensive interests in this project. The Iron Gates property "derived its name from the shelf of ironstone stretching across the Evans River at the southern end of the property. This formed a barrier or 'gate' impeding the flow between the fresh and salt water, quite often at different levels. The shelf has since been removed."
This natural dam formation was actually blown to smithereens by the army in 1914. Extensive Aboriginal investigation has discovered that the salt water never reached over this gate. It kept the fresh water in the wetlands, letting only flood levels past, and served as a bridge for crossing, as the Aboriginal people did since time immemorial.
Since the wetlands in the Bundjalung National Park were never exposed to salt water, it is certain that a highly sensitive eco-system was created. Also, due to acid-sulphate soils, sulphuric acid leaching into the Evans River may be at the most toxic levels in the world.
Because of this and the significance of the area as the birthplace of the Bundjalung — containing many sacred sites, middens and burial grounds — the area is under a native title claim by the Bundjalung and Aboriginal Land Council. The EPA has also been doing its utmost to stop development by Ingles.
The Evans River and its environs are known to Aborigines over as the area where the most numerous and brutal massacres of their people occurred. A book published by Northern Star Publications entitled River of Blood tells of massacres in the area between 1848 and 1870.
However, one Bundjalung man states that the killings cited in the book were all after 1870 and that the two most significant massacres occurred in 1842, when 300 men, women and children were killed, and in 1920, when eight high elders were killed by drunken whites on horseback.
This occurred on the songline where Ingles decided to put his "access" road, the size of a highway, contradicting maps that were drawn up with the natural custodians.
The custodians never opposed the development, and only at the last possible moment applied for a native title claim on one small area to protect the scarred trees which marked the site of the murder of the eight elders and also a midden, an ancient corroboree place which may or may not be a burial ground.
One white man, whose family has lived in the area since 1880, reports that a road leading east from the Pacific Highway near Broadwater (not far from Evans Head) which is called Kilgin Road, was up until 40 or 50 years ago, when the killing of Aboriginals was outlawed, always pronounced "kill a jin" road. This is reminiscent of a waterfall not far from Byron Bay named Killen Falls.
There is opposition to this development, and many protesters have been arrested for "intimidation of a bulldozer". The power of decision making for "Iron Gates" development applications has been transferred from Richmond River Shire Council to Craig Knowles, minister for urban affairs and planning.
Even though dozens of blockaders saw koalas in the wetlands, minister for the environment Pam Allen failed to act on koala protection laws which could have stopped this "access" road going through. It was her belief that no evidence had been shown, presumably by the National Parks and Wildlife Service, that koalas existed in the area.
One badly burned and injured koala was videotaped by the Irongate Protection Coalition. However, the local paper implied that it had been brought there and possibly injured by "the Greenies".
The first stage of the development consists of 610-850 houses, a resort, shops and possibly a marina. It has been difficult to find out about subsequent stages. One may wonder where they intend to get their water from, and indeed this is classified information.