About the Charcoalition

The proposal by Australian Silicon Ltd. In 2001 to develop a charcoal plant near Mogo, Mossy Point and Broulee on the Eurobodalla’s Nature Coast was seen by the community as an attack on their health, lifestyle and economy, and the region’s natural beauty and forested catchments.

This appalling proposal planned to consume 200,000 tonnes a year of native forest from the South Coast to supply charcoal to a silicon plant at Lithgow.

Outrage, revulsion and disbelief are some of the reactions by community members, visitors and businesses when they found out about this proposal.

So the Charcoalition was formed.

The Charcoalition was a subcommittee of the Coastwatchers Association, which comprised a group of individuals who were utterly determined and focussed on stopping the Mogo charcoal plant development.  They put their lives on hold for over a year spending untold hours planning and executing a series of actions and events that resulted in Australian Silicon Ltd. stating on Tuesday 24 September 2002 that they would not be proceeding with the Charcoal plant on the NSW South Coast.

The campaign orchestrated by the Charcoalition for a charcoal-free South Coast was a magnificent team effort by a dedicated few people, strongly supported by the Eurobodalla community, the Greens, Wilderness Society, South East Forest Alliance, Conservation Council of the SE Region and Canberra, Nature Conservation Council of NSW and hundreds of other groups and individuals.  The odds were stacked against them – taking on the full might of the NSW Government and the private sector.

The internet was utilised to rally the community against this proposal.

Click the button below to see the original web site and a paper on how the internet was utilised.