Two First Nation’s people of the Abbot Point area have launched a petition calling on Queensland Minister Curtis Pitt to ensure threatened cultural sites are preserved.
Juru traditional owners Aunty Carol Prior and Andrew Morrel are concerned that ancient rock art sites and burial grounds will be damaged or become inaccessible when mining corporation Adani builds its rail line.
Mr Morrel says they were involved in negotiations over the coal port but weren’t discussed in relation to the rail line.
Carol says, ‘Abbot Point is a beautiful and unique place. I want to see it preserved for my grandchildren, so they can see, appreciate and understand their country.
‘Everything on country has a very special and unique meaning for Aboriginal people. It makes us who we are. That’s why we need to have it protected.
‘As Aboriginal people, we have to take care of Mother Earth, whether it’s our burial grounds or the Earth itself, because we rely on her,’ concluded Ms Prior.
Image: Fight for the Reef
