Occupy Windsor Bridge protest is longest in Australian history
FORGET Occupy Wall Street. Entering their fifth year, Windsor Bridge protesters say they won’t stop their occupation of historic Thompson Square until the town gets a bypass.
Rouse Hill
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FORGET Occupy Wall Street.
The protest over economic inequality won global attention for a worthy cause but, for longevity, it pales against protesters’ efforts lobbying to preserve Thompson Square in Windsor.
The New York occupation lasted for a month and 29 days — Australia’s longest occupation has spanned almost five years.
The Community Action for Windsor Bridge group is campaigning against the removal of the historic two-lane Windsor Bridge and its planned replacement with a larger, higher structure to cross the Hawkesbury River.
There has only been one other crossing — the other at North Richmond — over the river for the past 140 years.
Some estimate the planned new bridge will take out a quarter of the heritage-listed square, the only remaining intact Georgian town square in Australia.
A group of 200 core volunteers from CAWB take turns at four-hour shifts come rain, hail or shine, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — including Christmas and New Year.
The protesters include professors, doctors, retirees, students and housewives who all share a passion for preserving history in their community.
Friendships have been forged, help is given to tourists needing directions, the homeless and those with social problems.
Every Wednesday Boris the boxer dog comes along for his free biscuits which are kept in a small fridge in the occupation tent.
The State Government is pushing ahead with the new bridge and has discounted the bypass the protesters say is the clear solution.
Building is expected to start next year but protesters have vowed not to surrender. They say they will lie down in front of bulldozers if it comes to that.
Last month, Macquarie federal Labor MP Susan Susan Templeman tabled a Bill in Parliament to secure federal heritage status for the bridge.
Riverstone state Liberal MP Kevin Conolly has backed the bridge instead of a bypass and has expressed his frustration at the delay.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE OCCUPATION
Pat Schwartz
“People with social problems, homeless people, they will come to the tent, and, yes, sometimes at night drunk people asking for help because they’ve lost keys or need help. It has become a bit of a spot. It makes me think about the times policemen would walk the beat. It adds quality to the community to have people out on the streets like us, so it’s been nice from a community point of view. Sometimes we are like a little tourist bureau — I think it will be quite a loss to the area when we do eventually pack up and leave.”
Paul Evans
“I have ancestors who came here as convicts and settled in this area, not because they wanted to, but they made a go of it. People like Andrew Thompson, who this square is named after, epitomised that sort of early spirit of getting on with things and I think it’s just wrong that they want to put through a piece of infrastructure that will destroy that heritage value.
One quarter of the square would have to go if the planned bridge goes through. It’s a huge concrete monstrosity driven right through the middle of the square which is unreasonable when traffic could be taken out of the square with a bypass.’’
Elaine Lally
“Sometimes people do shout out, ‘get a job’ but I laugh at that because I’m a retired academic and I’m here because I care passionately about this situation.
It’s a statement, a very clear statement that there is a strong community sentiment against what’s being proposed. I think it’s part of a long game. We probably didn’t realise at the beginning that we’d be here this long but we’ve seen out governments, we’ve seen out Premiers, we’ve seen out roads ministers, we are seeing a gradual turning of the broader opinion in our favour, I think.”
Claudia Khouri
“There are a lot of people I never would have met if I hadn’t been involved and it’s a diverse group of people too. A couple of times we’ve been described as dirty unwashed ratbags, well most people aren’t and have all come from good occupations and some people are still working and some are retired, so quite a variety of people involved. People who are new to the area can see that bridge is not any kind of solution. I would like to see our local member (state Treasurer Dominic Perrotet) at least come up here and see why we are on a campaign here for five years. As far as I know he’s never even been here to see what’s going on.”
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