BLOG: Farewell to Botany Bay

"SELECTIVE" greenies cause me no end of frustration - either stick up for what you believe in at all times or grow a tree in your backyard and hug it when no one is looking.

Does anyone seem to care about Australian history or any of that environmental awareness grumble?

It's amusing that the green lobby has such a powerful voice but seem to develop laryngitis when one of the greatest sites in our maritime history is repeatedly wounded.

The destruction of the Bay saddens me. Through jaded eyes my beloved waterway is now only a figment of its former self – where was the green lobby when the desalination plant dredged its way through the guts of Botany? Where were they when 60 hectares of the Bay was "reclaimed" for the Port Botany terminal expansion?

Fight us against marine parks with hearsay and a lack of empirical evidence but turn a blind eye when a substantial portion of an historic waterway was filled with sand and concrete then cordoned off - never again to be frequented by swimmers, boaters or grey nurse sharks!

Where are the greenies when you need them, we should present a united front and co-operate with one another, however, all we seem to do is argue on petty matters in the absence of fact? We hear so much subjective conservation rhetoric from the greens yet one of our most iconic waterways is neglected and has fallen by the wayside. I don't recall them kicking up a major fuss when Botany Bay was being bludgeoned; they should have been there fighting till the death to protect our history and such a delicate marine nursery from over development.

I do have conservationist bones in my body and understand what the green element want because I want similar outcomes, however, I also want to be presented with the facts and given the opportunity to make an educated, objective assessment of any given situation. There is a rift between us; we need to resolve our differences and exchange meaningful dialogue.

My green friends, Botany Bay is a mess, our most notable port and birthplace for this great country is an overdeveloped monstrosity. It's not really out of sight but it definitely appears out of mind - no one seems to give a damn and no one dares stand in the way of progress – let them divide and conquer, onwards and upwards!