Save Our Beaches – impact Anthony Psarros
I joined Henley and Grange Residents’ Association in 1992. Environmental issues were important to me. My background was in geography and environmental studies (Adelaide University). I understood the coast and local river systems. I knew where stormwater drains and the sewerage plants were located. I understood what the main pollutants were and why seagrasses were dead. I thought I might be able to make a difference at a local level, given my dissatisfaction with state and federal politics. I went to a few local monthly meetings and met a man named Doug Price. He was the heart and soul of the Henley and Grange Residents’ Association. Most of the positions were vacant on the committee at the time. This is my recollection; it may not be accurate. As soon as Doug saw me at the meeting, he reportedly said this is someone who can take over from me. He was desperate to get me involved. His son and I were friends at school, so he had known me for quite a while. I was voted in as the secretary of the Henley and Grange Residents’ Association and held that position for about three years. At that time, the residents’ association consisted of a small group of older people. They talked mainly about rates, rubbish and footpaths. I thought we needed to look at broader issues like stormwater and beach erosion. I wanted more consultation with Henley and Grange Council. Of course, that was before the merger with the larger council, so you could have a conversation with the local councillors. I became president and started to look for other people to become involved. Alan Shepherd was my secretary at the time. Eventually Jim Douglas joined us. I knew Jim through the union movement; he was a personal friend. As president, I oversaw constitutional reform. We worked on beach management policies and talked about the built environment – the way people wanted to live. We branched out a bit. In 1996, Bridget Bannear became president and Jim Douglas became secretary. I nominated myself as the environmental officer. I was involved with the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). Networking with environmentalists has always been important. If you talk about community mobilisation, the Save Our Beaches (1997-98) campaign was it. The West Beach Boat Harbour was to be a $10 million rock wall rising 10 metres from the seabed. It would be longer than Henley Beach Jetty. All professional advice warned against its construction. An environmental impact assessment (1996) stated that development was not an option. Initially Jim and I were a bit reticent being involved with the campaign, to be honest. We could see the amount of energy that needed to be put into it. But it was not up to us to kill it off either. We organised a public meeting to talk about what would happen if the boat harbour was to go ahead. Four hundred people rolled up at the Henley Town Hall. People were in the doorways, cheering throughout the presentations. The meeting elected an executive group to drive the campaign. I said to Jim: ‘How can we let this go now – it is so huge.’ Those at the meeting pledged to stop the West Beach Boat Harbour. So we went into the campaign. Picketing in the form of non-violent direct action would take place at Barcoo Road as soon as construction commenced.
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