#goolengook

Disco Dozer.

Napalm Death - goolengook, 1998

WOODSTOP 1998- a not-festival at Goolengook, lots of actions over a few weeks, lots of people, and the capture of a lovely dozer which was putting roading through some rivers which was kept for a week and underwent a glorious change at the hands of activists, thus the Disco Dozer was born.  

Once again it is always good to document and share activist history, this was a successful part of Australian activist history that should not be forgotten! Brutal as fuck!

Some GECO history - warning, this can be quite full on to watch.

In February 2000 a bunch of about 30 burly loggers (and some kids, yes some of the loggers bought their children along to watch) descended on the blockade camp at Goolengook in the middle of the night, they bashed, terrorised and yelled abuse at anyone they found.  They trashed the camp, including cars and motorbikes resulting in an estimated 30 thousand loss for environmentalists.  The cops were called, in fact they were even there but were too scared to leave their car.  Meanwhile a car full of eight activists who had been warned that many fwd vehicles were seen heading up Goolengook Rd were on their way to Goolengook in fear of what was happening to their friends at camp, they were unfortunate enough to get there just in time for the loggers who were leaving to stop them on the road.  The loggers smashed all the windows of the activists car, constantly screaming abuse, pulled people out of windows, and started to rock the car which was on the edge of a cliff forcing those remaining in the car to jump out before it was pushed over the edge.  The loggers then made the activists kneel on the ground while they spat on them, punched them, and screamed abuse at them.  

This did not stop GECO from continuing to protect that forest which was what the loggers goal was, to intimidate and scare people so badly that no one would blockade any more.  It had the opposite affect.  People came, and the Goolengook fort was born.  Goolengook was blockaded for another two years after the bashings until in 2002 the full force of the Government descended upon Goolengook managing to log 3 1/2 coupes whilst spending millions to achieve this.  Activists from all walks of life also descended on Goolengook and those coupes were not finished without a constant battle, however this is another story.  The remaining forest is now part of the national park due to the dedication of hundreds of people and especially due to the efforts of all those involved in GECO (Goongerah Environment Centre & Office).

For an in depth look at the Goolengook campaign, the longest running blockade in Australia, check out 'Goolengook: the story so far...' on youtube.  It is a documentary made entirely by activists and filmed by activists and gives an amazing insight to the passion, dedication, and life at the Goolengook blockade, but most importantly shows why so many people the world over called for this amazingly special place to be protected.