On Day 63 (4 December) a number of high-profile speakers joined the group.

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Uncle Micklo Jarrett and Auntie Alison both spoke of their deep respect for the Gumbaynggirr forested area and of the cultural significance of Little Newry Forest.

Ashley Love, who first conceived the Great Koala National Park (GKNP), explained why it is so important that fourteen identified koala meta-population areas are included to shore up viable habitat for healthy koalas.

“Logging has been accelerated,” he told the group.

“This is now three or four times what would be normal here and what they’ve done is ‘stuff’ thousands of hectares of forest that may never recover.”

Greens MLC Sue Higginson echoed Mr Love’s sentiments.

She praised the group for continuing to bring attention to the unresolved issue of the GKNP.

“Down there in Macquarie Street, it is a terribly lonely place and the thing that keeps us going is knowing that you folks keep turning up, you’ve been turning up every single day, for days, for weeks, for months, for years and without you turning up, we can’t speak that truth to power down there in Macquarie Street”.

Well-known comedian Mandy Nolan, said Labor “absolutely somersaulted” on its ability to ban native forest logging.

“We need to make sure that we get that voice into Parliament.”

Forestry Corporation NSW was invited to comment but did not respond in time for publication.

The daily vigil at Little Newry continues.

By Andrew VIVIAN