70-year-old locks himself to harvester to stop logging in proposed Great Koala National Park on the MNC

On Monday, 70-year-old grandfather Peter Elzer locked himself under the main body of a harvester machine in Orara East State Forest in the early hours of the morning and remained there until just before lunch when he was removed by police.

Elzer told the Mid North Coaster he was hoping to get the attention of Premier Chris Minns and the Labor Government, to urge them to cease logging operations in the proposed Great Koala National Park.

Years have passed since the Minns government first committed to establishing the Great Koala National Park as a means to safeguard and protect the area’s koala population and bushland. However, NSW Labor has still not confirmed and approved a designated outline of the park, meaning logging in the surrounding landscape has continued. Analysis from January found more than 7,000 hectares had been logged from the proposed GKNP site.

“The reason in general was a call to Chris Minns and the state Labor government to immediately cease logging operations in our critical native habitat, which includes State Forest, and also to honor their promise almost two and a half years ago now, prior to the last state election, to establish the Great Koala National Park.”

Elzer has lived in Coffs Harbour for more than 50 years and raised a family in the area.

Now retired, he has devoted a significant chunk of the past two-and-a-half years to environmental activism, specifically fighting against logging of native habitat on the Mid North Coast.

Activism is nothing new for Elzer, who walked 2,048 kilometres over 121 days from Melbourne to Queensland in 2022 to 2023 raising awareness of racism in regional Australia. 

In 1991, Elzer was buried up to his chest in sand at Emerald Beach. He was part of a group of 7,000 people protesting a proposed sewage outfall planned for Look At Me Now Headland.

Recently, he was a part of maintaining camp that, for over 13-months, aimed to stop logging at Pine Creek State Forest.  

Now, he wants to save Mount Coramba in Orara East State Forest.

Trying to save what’s left

Elzer’s children grew up in Korora Bay – an area surrounded by Orara East and Mount Coramba – and attended the local primary school.

“The students used to observe the koalas in their playground weekly, if not daily, walking from tree to tree,” Elzer recounted.

“They don’t exist anymore, the coastal koalas east of the highway between Coffs Harbour and Woolgoolga, as far as I’m aware, because of logging.”

Elzer said he, along with others, is trying to stop 500 hectares of planned logging in Orara East State Forest to save a koala hub on Mount Coramba, “which is one of the few hubs left in that district.”

If the logging goes ahead Elzer said that would “spell the end of that koala hub”.

“In 20 years time, that colony won’t exist anymore.”

“And that binds into the narrative from scientists saying koalas will likely be extinct by 2050 unless we change our practices.”

Elzer notes koalas are just one endangered species living in the area, which also includes gliders and quolls.

“Corridors are the most important thing for these land animals, for breeding purposes, for quantity of animals, for diversity.” 

What's it like to be locked to a machine in the forest?

Elzer said the process involves careful preparation with a group of people.

In winter weather, Elzer said he coped with the cold by wearing thermals, thick socks and layers of jackets. 

After a 12-day hunger strike outside the entrance of state parliament in Sydney between May 26 and June 6, going hungry wasn’t a concern, and Elzer made sure not to consume too much water before being stuck laying on his back.

Elzer said the position of the lock wasn’t comfortable, but he was prepared to deal with the discomfort. 

As a 70-year-old retiree, Elzer said he does find time to relax in between the actions, and enjoys other interests which gives him “clarity of mind”.

“But I would urge every fit and healthy 70-year-old, if they in some way support the cause to do the same. It’s been amazingly beneficial to me, apart from the physical injuries I sustained yesterday. But other than that, it’s been a very positive thing.”

Thumbnail: Peter Elzer locked to harvester in Orara East State Forest. Image supplied.