The Battlers for Kelly Bush, also known as the "Battlers" were an Australian protest group founded in 1970 consisting of 13 women whom were dedicated to the protection of Kellys Bush, an area of bushland located in Hunters Hill, New South Wales. Partially due to the protection by the Battlers, Hunters Hill became the first ever "Green Ban" area in the world.[1][2]
| Nickname | Battlers |
|---|---|
| Formation | 27 September 1970 |
| Purpose | Protection of Kellys Bush Park from demolition by construction companies |
Region | New South Wales |
Membership | 13 members, all women from Hunter's Hill. |
They were dedicated to protecting Kelly's Bush from demolition by construction company AV Jennings. To achieve their aim of preventing the demolition the battlers enlisted the support of the Builders Labourers Federation.[3][4] This shocked many conservative members of the conservative Hunters Hill Trust, as many of the Builders Labourers Federation's leaders were Communists, including most notably Jack Mundey, Bob Pringle (trade unionist), and Joe Owens.[5]
According to the Dictionary of Sydney, the Battlers were supported by the National Trust of Australia, among many other conservation organisations.[5]
Names of 13 Battlers
editOf the 13 members of the Battlers, their names were Miriam Hamilton, Chris Dawson, Betty James, Jo Bell, Judy Taplin, Jack Mundey, Kath Lehany, Monica Sheehan, Joan Croll, Mary Farrell, Trude Kallir, Kathleen Chubb, Margaret Stobo, and Marjorie Fitzgerald.[6]
Legacy
editThe Battlers were successful in preventing the destruction of Kellys Bush. This set a precedent across Australia for the protection of green areas.[5]
In 2021 Hunters Hill Council commemorated the achievements of the Battlers by publishing a short video featuring one of the original Battlers members.[7]
Further reading and sources
edit- Pip Kalajzich (editor).The Battlers for Kelly's Bush: Thirteen Women and the World's First Green Ban. 1996.[8]
- Margaret Shaw. The History of the Battle to Save Kelly's Bush. 2021. Rack & Rune Publishing.
- State Library of New South Wales. Oral history interviews with Battlers for Kelly's Bush, Hunters Hill, Sydney. 1992–1994. MLOH 104.
References
edit- ^ Lesh, James (2020-05-11). "Our cities owe much of their surviving heritage to Jack Mundey". The Conversation. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ "Protestors support saving Kelly's Bush from development, 1971. Battlers for Kellys Bush. | Australia's Defining Moments Digital Classroom | National Museum of Australia". digital-classroom.nma.gov.au. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ "Battlers for Kelly's Bush | The Dictionary of Sydney". dictionaryofsydney.org. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ "What did a Hunters Hill resident and a union leader have in common in 1971? The safety of a piece of urban bushland..." ABC listen. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ a b c "Kelly's Bush | The Dictionary of Sydney". dictionaryofsydney.org. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ Vaughan, Lochie. "Kelly's Bush Area". The Heritage of Hunters Hill Green Book. Retrieved 2024-05-24.
- ^ Hunter's Hill Council (2021-06-17). The Battle for Kelly's Bush. Retrieved 2024-05-24 – via YouTube.
- ^ "The Battlers for Kelly's Bush/ [compiled and edited by Pip Kalajzich]". City of Sydney Archives. Retrieved 2024-05-24.