Activists get land for base

A PROPERTY southwest of Bowen has been bought for protesters to use as a base for their fight against Adani.

According to property records, the residence at 384 Normanby Rd, Bowen, was purchased by Brighter Future Solutions Pty Ltd on November 10, 2017.

The ABN for the company, which is registered to Scott Mackenzie, was created just days before the property sold on November 6.

According to the records, Mr Mackenzie is from Hamilton, NSW while his ABN’s registered address is 67 Forestry Rd, Brandy Creek, near Cannonvale.

The Bulletin understands the land was bought to be used primarily for protests in a continued bid to derail Adani’s $ 16.5 billion coal mine.

A police source told the Bulletin the trust related back to activist group Frontline Action on Coal.

“Scott ( Mackenzie), we believe does all the work of motivating ( protesters) and running the camp,” the source said.

“He does have one charge pending before the court.

“Back in November there was an Adani core drill- machine doing an exploratory drill on the side of the road about 12km west of Collinsville.

“It’s alleged he went over and hit the emergency shutdown button on that.”

The source said protesters had previously stayed almost directly opposite the Normanby Rd address.

“We’re monitoring it ( address) the best we can but there’s no way to get a good sight on it,” the source said. “It has a sign on the gate that has a number that council, government and police have to ring.”

A resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said people had moved on to the property before Christmas.

“Brighter Future Solutions, that’s the Greens,” he said.

“I’ve been going back through some things and spoken to the ( Whitsunday Regional) council and the police.”

The resident said he came home one day to count about 100 tents on the property.

“It’s 100 acres, but that doesn’t matter, the councils don’t permit that thing,” the resident said. “They’re going to and from the protests.

“There is a young woman from there who proudly wears her Stop Adani black shirt in town and her numberplate on her car is from the Australian Capital Territory.

“That’s why they bought ( the property) from what we gather, to set up a protest area.”

The resident said no one could access the property.

“They have a big chain on the gate and a big combination lock,” the resident said. “You have to report there and if you want to go in you have to make an earlier appointment.”

Frontline Action on Coal did not comment.

Whitsunday Deputy Mayor John Collins said he was not aware of land being purchased for protesting.