With banners and pickets held proudly in the air crying forth 'Let our trees grow old so our kids can', 'Extinction is forever,' and 'Give Blinky Bill a home amongst protected gum trees,' an estimated 600 people marched through Bega.
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"March For Forests" was a nationwide campaign organised by the Bob Brown Foundation, which called for an immediate end to native forest logging across Australia.
Marches were held across the country on Sunday, March 24, including in Bega's Littleton Gardens.
There was a Welcome to Country from Aunty Glenda Dixon, followed by speakers including Jo Dodds from Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action, Greens councillor Cathy Griff, and Harriett Swift from South East Regional Conservation Alliance, and performers Melanie Horsnell, Bega All Ages Development Band Band, Mica Mahani and The Children of Destiny.
Harriett Swift said it had been a very long campaign, but the successes from the past had set up those fighting, for the "final battle."
The SERCA Committee member said seeing off the Eden wood-fired power station and the Mogo Charcoal Plant, had had reduced the ability of the industry to "hold on when they see the writing on the wall."
"You could actually see [the wins we've had] from where we were at the rally, the Tanja forest for example and the Mumbulla Mountain were both saved by campaigns, and importantly in that, the role of the First Nations people in fighting for those forests to be saved," Ms Swift said.
The Bob Brown Foundation said 7500 people turned up in total for the nine Australia-wide March for Forests.
Campaign organiser for Bega's march Tamlyn Magee said the event was excellent, was a great success on every level, and she was very impressed by the turnout which suggested the Bega Valley was really behind making changes to end the native forest logging industry.
"We're calling for an end to native forest logging nationwide," Ms Magee said.
"I guess my personal motivation was for it to feel like a really positive event and to have people come away feeling hopeful and uplifted, and I think we achieved that, so I'm really happy."