On the last weekend of September 1989, I answered the call to protect the ancient forests of south east New South Wales from being logged into wood chip. Our protests over that weekend were along a road which was being constructed into the Coolangubra near Myanba Creek.

In spite of newspaper advertisements inviting the public to visit these forests, when our large peaceful assembly and protest songs were detected (“rip rip wood chip, turn it into paper”), the Coolangubra was quickly declared closed and we were arrested. Of course this was claimed as victory by the authorities, but after a long legal battle we were found not guilty.

Driving over the Monaro and its treeless tablelands, which has practically been made arid by indiscriminate clearing and weed invasion, it is a joy to arrive today in South East Forests National Park. The tall stands of the Coolangubra still remain, and…