Discussions at this month’s Regional Knitting Nanna Zoom meeting included Milton’s giant fig, Illawarra and new planning laws, Rising Tide Protestival, and reports from Coffs Harbour, Mt Alexander (VIC), the Hunter and Central West NSW.
Save Milton’s giant fig
Knitting Nannas in the MUD (Milton Ulladulla District) are working on a campaign to save the magnificent Milton Meadow’s giant fig from developers on the NSW south coast.
Currently hidden in a disused scrubby area of Milton, the fig (ficus obliqua) is about to be surrounded by a retirement village development – potentially too close to its roots for its health. The 30m exclusion zone is inadequate as the tree’s drip line is 50m. Nannas had a Knit-In at a community protest on the Princes Highway on Saturday 11 October. A petition to the local Council seeks heritage status for this irreplaceable tree.
Illawarra Nannas Knit-In at NSW Minister for Planning office
The NSW Government introduced the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025 into the NSW Parliament on 17 September without public consultation and with no detailed explanatory material. The government is expected to try to rush it through both Houses of Parliament in this sitting.
Illawarra Nannas held a Knit-In at the electoral office of the Minister for Planning, Paul Scully on 13 October. They are calling on local people to phone Minister Scully’s office and say that while we need more housing, it is critical that environmental impacts, and expert and community consultation are a central part of development assessments in NSW.
Other Nannas are contacting their state MPs to complain about the changes to the NSW Planning system. The Premier and the Planning Minister Scully say the bill is about speeding up the development of new housing, but it is about all developments. If legislated as it is currently drafted, it would mean giving extraordinary powers to the Minister and the Planning Secretary.
The NSW Legislative Assembly passed the Environmental Planning and Assessment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025 on 16 October with amendments. It will now be debated in the Legislative council.
After a lot of pressure, the Minns Government moved an amendment to exclude designated development (coal mines, electricity generating stations, concrete works, etc.) See the Environmental Defenders Office update on the Amendments and more
New federal environment laws
All the Knitting Nanna loops are meeting with their federal MPs or their staffers to request they push for the proposed new Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act to consider climate impacts in development assessments. Regional communities are bearing the brunt of climate-related extreme weather events – an obvious truth that should not be lost of regional MPs.
Rising Tide Protestival
Thursday 27 November to Tuesday 2 December – Protest Camp
Saturday Sunday 29-30 November – Protestival – Flotilla Blockades and Festivities
Saturday 29 November – Climate Concert
Registrations for The People’s Blockade are now open. They want people to register now to show the council that thousands of people are coming from across the country.
Newcastle council gave the final tick of approval for camping at Foreshore Park for the 2025 People’s Blockade! Sign the petition to stop coal ships entering the harbour over the weekend of the event.
Nannas will have two gazebos, one for Nanna Care (sunscreen, hats) and information and the other an area for bag storage. The set up time to be confirmed.
Nanna loops are asked to bring a small banner with their loop name to add to the gazebo decorations. The Nanna Care tent is a good space to show the huge reach of the Knitting Nannas.
Nannas will be singing and there will be a meet up so all Nannas can gather for introductions to new loops, a group photo and discussions. A time will be set to fit in with the Rising Tide Program.
Coffs Harbour Nannas take a break from logging protests
Coffs Harbour Nannas have taken a break from protesting outside Forestry’s offices since the announcement by the Minns Government of the logging moratorium in the proposed Great Koala National Park.
They have joined a campaign to stop building apartment blocks along the Coffs Harbour Jetty Foreshore. At the 2024 Council elections 68.8% of the community voted against high and medium high rise on the foreshore.
Foreshore for All website
Foreshore for All Submission
Blueberries farming is big business around Coffs Harbour but a banned chemical has been found by scientist in fresh berries sold at NSW supermarkets. (ABC News)
Blicks River Guardians have been awarded the Triumph Over Greed Award (TOGA) from the North Coast Environment Council (NCEC) for their record-length successful forest protection of the Clouds Creek Greater Glider Sanctuary.
Their Clouds Creek Glider Reviver stopped industrial logging for 420 working days (January 2024-September 2025) and ensured that these globally significant forests were placed under a logging moratorium and identified for inclusion in the Great Koala National Park by the Minns Government.
Mt Alexander Nannas (VIC)
Mt Alexander Nannas have had some good news. They are based in Castlemaine in the Bendigo region and have been advised that three new national parks will soon be declared in their region. The parks will ensure the ongoing protection of native forests.
In Victoria Loops are finding it harder to get access to local MPs offices as staff are being told to not engage due to ‘safety concerns’.
Mt Alexander Nannas joined a Saving Scott Reef campaign during a week of action organised by Greenpeace and Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF). They found their MP’s office empty and locked when they went there on Friday 3 October. Consequently no one took their petition of nearly 3,000 signatures of Bendigo voters. One Nanna rang 30 MPs about saving Scott Reef, and had many meaningful conversations with staffers. Gold medal work!
The group is also campaigning against Woolworths purchasing beef from deforested lands. (ACF Website has more info here)
Up to seven Nannas from Mt Alexander are planning to come to Rising Tide.
Hunter Nannas
Hunter Nannas recently volunteered at the Pilliga Ultra a trail running event. This was an opportunity for new Nannas to see the Pilliga Forest where Santos want to drill 850 coal seam gas wells. GasWatch tours of the current gas fields, conducted by Northwest Protection Advocacy (NWPA), were an eyeopener for the new Nannas.
Hunter Nannas are very happy with the Independent Planning Commission’s decision to reject Redbank Power Station’s proposed bioenergy hub.
Going forward they will be working hard to support Rising Tide and campaigning to protect the Link Rd Forest near Newcastle from a housing development.
Central West Nannas
Gold mining in NSW Central West is the focus of this loop as waterways (particularly the Belubula River, which ends up in the Murry Darling) are badly impacted by leaking toxins from tailing dams. Gens Z seems to be investing in gold as a ‘safe commodity’, driving up the price of gold. This could make all the arguments about the risks of gold mining operations to clean water and safe food even harder to land.
NSW EPA has been blamed for the slow contamination warning on Belubula River (ABC News)