Christine Margaret Degan fined after anti-logging protest at Coffs Harbour

A member of the Knitting Nannas said she was happy to halt logging in a Coffs Harbour state forest, even though she’s copped a fine for the stunt.

Coffs Harbour Knitting Nannas founder Christine Degan outside Coffs Harbour Local Court on August 9. Picture: Chris Knight

Christine Margaret Degan has had her day in court after being involved in an anti-logging protest at a Coffs Harbour forest.

Degan, 74, was arrested after she and Susan Patricia Doyle, 76, of Valla, locked on to a harvester in Boambee State Forest on July 4.

On Wednesday, Degan - the founder of the Knitting Nannas Coffs Harbour Loop - pleaded guilty to enter forestry area without permission if prohibited by notice and contravene direction to leave forestry area given by officer.

The 74-year-old’s lawyer Alexander Edye from the Environmental Defenders’ Office told Coffs Harbour Local Court his client had “little to no record at all”.

Mr Edye said Degan and Doyle - also a Knitting Nanna - held beliefs about Forestry Corporation operations which made it “almost incumbent upon them to take these sorts of actions”.

Rural Fire Service volunteers extinguish a 'sacred fire' at an anti-logging protest at Newry State Forest on the southern outskirts of Coffs Harbour on July 31. Picture: Facebook

He told the court there had been no damage to the machinery as a result of the women locking-on.

According to police facts, Degan and Doyle were discovered early in the morning about 7km from the forest site entrance on Englands Rd.

“The accused and the co-accused had an arm each into a steel pipe that was welded,” court documents state.

“This immobilised the machinery and blocked all logging works.”

A police rescue unit managed to free the women from the pipe at about 2.30pm.

Degan, speaking outside of court, said she and her friend “sat there in the rain all day” during the protest.

“NSW Forestry Corporation are operating within the footprint of the (proposed) Great Koala National Park,” she said.

“It’s perfectly good habitat and they clear-fell it.”

The State Labor Government has committed to the concept of a Great Koala National Park from the Coffs Coast and south to the Nambucca Valley.

Degan said 20 per cent of NSW’s entire koala population lives in the area slated for the park.

“The government has promised it (the park) but they’ve also conceded to the unions (on forestry),” she said.

While planning to create the park continues, so do to logging operations in state forests.

The upshot has been a series of protests on the Coffs Coast, including treesits, lock-ons and a short-lived ‘sacred fire’.

Degan said she was happy her action had temporarily paused logging at the site, but hoped to avoid any further court appearances.

Magistrate Theresa Hamilton convicted Degan and fined her $500 on the charges.

Doyle was not present at the sentencing but was also convicted and fined $500 on the same charges.