Goulburn Valley groups stand proud among 60 000 climate marchers

T

he Goulburn Valley was well represented among the 60 000 marchers who joined Melbourne’s “People’s Climate March” on Friday evening.

A quick decision at the October meeting of Beneath the Wisteria brought on the organization of a bus to travel from Shepparton to the rally.

Slap Tomorrow committee member, Carole Trotter, quickly organized a 48-seater bus, but bookings for the trip were insufficient and so eight people travelled to Seymour by car and then train to Melbourne,

Beneath the Wisteria supporter, Bill Brown, engaged friend, Geoff Wilson, to make a sign for each group and off we went.

The march was a sea of signs calling for action on climate change, with each sign reflecting the passions, goals and aspirations of the group it represented.

The Beneath the Wisteria and Slap Tomorrow signs generated considerable interest, and many questions, raising both the profile to the two groups and enabled both to be a part of what was an impressive community drive to encourage the world’s governments to pay increased attention to our treatment of the climate.

The Beneath the Wisteria sign is being carried by Robert McLean (left), Slap Tomorrow president and Beneath the Wisteria supporter, John Pettigrew, and Carole Trotter. Also in the picture are Tatura’s Chris Court (stripped top), “Val” from Tocumwal who travelled down with the Shepparton group, Robyn Pettigrew (green top) and behind her in the black and grey top, Shepparton’s Greg Barnes.

Almost lost in the huge crowd as they hold the Slap Tomorrow banner aloft are Tatura’s Terry Court (hat), both a member Slap Tomorrow and a Beneath the Wisteria supporter, and Shepparton’s Bill Brown (blue shirt).