Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

In light of one of the longest droughts in South East Queensland's in one hundred years, the Qld Labour Government announced on April 27, 2006 its intention to dam part of the Mary River at Traveston Crossing (South East Queensland). Local Mary Valley residents oppose the dam proposal due to the dislocation of the local community in the proposed inundated area and the adverse environmental impacts as well as the inundation of primary agricultural land. Another major concern is that the unsuitable geomechanics of the proposed site (sandy and flat area for a dam) will not provide thirsty Brisbane with the “promised” water.

Given the circumstances, the present research is posing two basic questions; what is the reality given by the people living in the Mary Valley after this dam proposal (an emic account) and what is the reality given by the researcher (an etic account).

The research exploration has led the people to express their own constructed worldviews which involved some resource, institutional, technical, ethical and finally political dilemmas around the dam proposal. The clearly expressed dilemmas, visions and actions of the people in the Valley have emerged as the result of a learning process throughout the years-that is a learning of what to do in order to co-exist with the Mary River and why is this meaningful to the community. However, Mary Valley residents felt that their engagement to co-manage the river, as well as the indigenous values and knowledge about the river have been disregarded by the Government plannig to build a dam at Traveston.