Proclamation: keep kunanyi wild and natural

This is a proclamation that is read as part of the Dawn Vigils for kunanyi in Tasmania. Click here to read a report from Ross Coward about those vigils...

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Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge that every place within this island lutruwita/Tasmania, is not a ‘thing’ but country – a lived mystery of the sentient kinship that creates every detail of place, held in mind and tended by the tens of thousands of generations of people who walk before and with us, the muwinina (moo-we-nin-ah) and pal-a-wa people. We just accept our indebtedness to them, past, present and future, with respect and gratitude for this 40,000-year deep tap-root in time and refined awareness.

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We, as citizens of this city, nipaluna/Hobart, oppose and deplore this proposed cable car development on this mountain by the Mount Wellington Cableway Company.

We deplore this proposed development which is planned to run from South nipaluna/Hobart to the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington.

We deplore the loss of the grand and open views to the east from the summit. And we deplore the loss of the uncluttered views from the city to the mountain.

We deplore the gift of public land for this cable car enterprise and pinnacle centre which will destroy this ancient alpine garden and boulder field and subsequent loss of habitat. This mountain and the views to and from the mountain are not to be ‘gifted’ to private entrepreneurs seeking to exploit and profit from its beauty.

This private enterprise is not welcome on the people’s mountain.

This mountain is our home, Palawa and Tasmanian.

This mountain is our place.

This mountain is for all people.

This mountain belongs to everyone.

When Peter Dombrovskis spoke of kunanyi/Mt Wellington, it was that “It’s value is as a place where all people can come and know its wildness.”

We will continue to make our voices heard.

We will defend this mountain, the people’s mountain, our mountain, from this cable car enterprise that has no place on this mountain.

We ask that all citizens respect this mountain.

We ask for kunanyi to be allowed to remain wild and natural and as a place of refuge for plants, animals and humans alike.

We stand here today to bear witness, to hold this vigil, to protest against this proposal that is not wanted on this mountain – kunanyi.