Friday, May 6, 2011

Pause

I don't think I have been accused of being too quick in my life. Ever. Until the last few days (I secretly quite liked it!). It has been suggested that I am whipping through the Tanya and Nicole/ Julie and Julia project too fast. 
And, perhaps that I have got off to a head start because I actually have the book in my possession.
It seems, my postie is more efficient than some and others, well, it sounds like they are having a very disciplined wait until Mother's Day.
I did assure those commenters that I have been getting my confidence up with some of the smaller projects and that things will find a more reasonable pace soon.


But I will tell you about something entirely different today. 
Compulsory acquision of land- you know, like in the film, the Castle.
Well it's happening to us, to our farm- just a small bit of it, but our farm is only small to start off with and it all counts.
Can you tell how much fun is had in and around this tree.
Well, it's going to be cut down (probably- no details have been finalised). My children and their friends have spent hours up this tree, having all sorts of adventures (and surprisingly, no broken bones).
These trees?

Going as well.
Oh, I can feel my blood pressure rising as I start to think about it.
I feel- powerless, frustrated, sad, annoyed and a trillion other emotions in the mix as well.


We live in a farming area that has irrigation channels. Farmers irrigate their crops using this water. Some bright spark (?) has come up with the idea that if the channels are lined with plastic less water will be lost through it seeping out... (lined with plastic? Really? I wonder what will happen to the plastic in 10 years...)
Our house is basically right on the channel (you can see the house in the bottom photo). Over the next 3 months workers are going to be on our place (7.30am- 6pm because they have a tight time frame), rebuilding the channel and lining it with plastic, chopping down our trees and then they are going to fence it off and 'compensate' us for the land (to the tune of 30-40% of the land value). Apparently, according to the Water Act, that's all okay...they don't need our consent.


Just telling you how I feel. 

15 comments:

  1. Oh no, that's awful, you must feel so powerless! I don't know what else to say, it just seems so unfair!

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  2. Spewing!! So not fair. I can't get my head around how that will help let alone they can do that.

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  3. Unbelievable! Can they really do that? I would have thought that protecting the environment i.e. the trees, would also be a primary consideration. That really sucks.

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  4. CRAP!
    Some dithering beaurocrat will have thought that plastic in a channel is a good idea. NUF NUFs! How ridiculous!
    I hope there is something you can do as that seems like such a wasteful shame for no gain.

    (And I'm happy for you to blaze the way on Nikki's book. I just hope the instructions I have given for Mothers Day were understood, then I'll be able to follow)

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  5. PS I rarely have the word discipline associated with me. This might be the first time in a long time. Roll on Sunday so I can get my book. I had to tell Mr Boozle how talented he was to get me a signed copy...

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  6. This makes my blood boil. I grew up in the country. I spent summers swimming in irrigation channels. Lining them with plastic is ridiculous!

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  7. Crappity Crap Tan. Know exactly how you feel having friends go through the whole pipeline bizzo and current crown land related issues on my Dad's block it sucks and no one who can actually do anything will listen. Acquisition for no practical benefit is beyond ridiculous. Hugs.

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  8. I'm with Cam - I grew up swimming in irrigation channels (as you know, not far from your very own) and I'm just thinking.... PLASTIC???! Why do they have to aquire your land and trees to muck it up with plastic?

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  9. God, Tanya. That makes me feel ill thinking about it. It would be bad enough if it were for a worthy reason.

    There was a highway put in in Adelaide about a decade ago, now. People were 'compensated'. An elderly couple I know owned two houses in the area, which was quite close for the city. For what they got for those two houses they were able to buy a much smaller house, further out.

    Just ridiculous.

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  10. Bloody Hell! That is a horrible thing to happen. Will you and the kids be having a farewell ceremony around the tree?

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  11. Hiya
    I was just following some links and came across your blog - HELLO.
    Feel for you.
    My daughter is studying Natural Resources at Uni and I asked her what she thought about the plastic and tree killing thing and she says - Have they given thought to - Erosion? Algae on the plastic? Salinity problems? If trees are not using ground water, it rises and brings salt to the surface - Have they given thought to this? Have they done testing on the impact? Just seems bizarre and sad.
    How do you fight something like this? Old fashioned 'tie me to the tree' protest? viral youtube video?
    Bureaucrats :/
    Goodluck Tina

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  12. I am so sorry that you will lose that lovely tree TG they can't take away your memories xxx

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  13. woah, that really bites. can you talk to a lawyer?

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