Police and Department of Transport and Main Roads officials have removed “trespassers” from the site known as the “Gympie Pyramid” this morning.
Protesters say they are there to protect the sacred Rocky Ridge site, known as Djaki Kundu, or the Gympie pyramid. They are demanding the roadworks be moved away from the site.
The Kabi Dreaming group has expressed outrage on social media in the past month ahead of the expected resumption of works on the $1 billion Gympie Bypass.
Kabi Kabi elder Jangaringan Yiran was among those removed from the site today.
Protesters said the group was in the middle of a bunyi law ceremony when police arrived and ordered told them to move on.
Last month, the state government issued a warning to protesters at the historic site as a ruling on whether it be declared a “significant” Aboriginal site and the planned Bypass route moved, loomed.
A spokesperson for Transport and Main Roads said: ‘The removal of trespassers on the Gympie Bypass project site follows a final decision from the Federal Environment Minister.
“An application to protect the Rocky Ridge site was declined with the area not deemed a significant Aboriginal area after investigations by an independent First Nations specialist.
“The application was submitted in November 2020 and, since that time, works at the site have been suspended pending the Federal Environment Minister’s decision.”
More to come.
