Renowned Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight will auction limited-edition watercolour cartoon prints to raise money for the ‘Stop the Quarry’ campaign.
The prints, which depict a range of Gippsland fauna in Mr Knight’s signature style, will be available for purchase as a part of a fundraising initiative to stop Hanson Construction Materials proposed Bunyip North quarry.
On 1 September at 12pm, the 250 pieces of artwork will be sold at Jinks Creeks Winery.
The unveiling will be held in conjunction with the Mount Cannibal and District Preservation Group (MCADPG).
“When the group came to me and asked me to create something, the brief was broad,” Mr Knight said.
“Knowing the Mount Cannibal area and its allure, I had many angles on which to approach a drawing that captured the natural beauty of the area.
“But living in this area the thing that strikes me is the abundant native fauna.
“I love caricaturing Australian wildlife: kangaroos that exude charisma, the humour in cockatoos and the hilarity of the kookaburra – so they really became the focal point of my piece.
Proceeds from the print and event will go towards funding the fight against Hanson’s proposal.
In 2006, Hanson Construction Materials entered the Bunyip North community under a guise of ‘JRH Pastoral.’
Now owning more than 650 acres of the Bunyip North community, they plan on constructing a mammoth granite quarry within the green-wedge, environmentally significant region.
If approved, the quarry will extract up to two million tonnes of granite per year for a period of 70-100 years.
The proposed quarry will see an extra 500 truck movements on local roads daily, is roughly 350 metres from the state significant Mount Cannibal Reserve, and in some instances, is a mere 20 metres from long-established homes and properties.
An EES (Environmental Effects Statement) is currently being undertaken in relation to the project but has recently been delayed by Hanson.
The MCADPG have now been fighting this proposal for more than 11 years.
