Environmentalists broke into the Illawarra Coal Dendrobium mine and stalled operations for several hours as part of a Climate Camp protest held in the Illawarra over the weekend.
Five protesters were arrested and charged with trespass after scaling and fastening themselves to a conveyer belt used to load coal in the Kemira Valley, near the Mt Kembla mine, at dawn yesterday.
Another eight scaled a fence at the Metropolitan Colliery in Helensburgh later in the day and also faced trespass charges.
EDITORIAL: Any changes in climate must be aired above
AUDIO SLIDESHOW: Climate Camp marchActivists had camped at Helensburgh Park since Friday. The event culminated in a march yesterday from the campsite to the Metropolitan Colliery, which is owned by United States firm Peabody and recently had an expansion plan approved.
More than 400 protesters were heckled by locals as they marched through the suburb. Eggs and water bombs were launched at the group and their campsite over several days. Most protesters and residents remained in good spirits though and there were few aggressive confrontations.
Police were well prepared, guiding the march through Helensburgh's main street down to the mine's perimeter, which was lined with temporary fencing, mounted police, the dog squad and officers standing side by side.
Groups of protesters approached and attempted to cross the police lines but generally accepted police requests.
A helicopter patrolled overhead and water police also kept watch at the Port Kembla coal terminal.
The protesters called for a shift away from coal mining towards more environmentally friendly industries. They focused on claims the Metropolitan expansion would damage the Waratah Rivulet and Woronora Reservoir.
Greens MLC Lee Rhiannon told Helensburgh locals, who gathered near the mine perimeter to watch, that the two groups were on the same side.
"The (coal) industry is dying and the people here today are working with coal mining communities to build alternatives," she said.
But the locals argued they had built houses and lives based on wages earned underground and that without the mine the suburb would struggle. Former coal miner Paul Smith was allowed the microphone to put forward the view of the townsfolk.
He told the protesters the residents were "honest, hard working people who go about their business and make their contribution".
"I am very concerned about the way you are going about (the protest). You shouldn't be in Helensburgh, you should be in Canberra or Macquarie Street."
Wollongong police superintendent Kyle Stewart said the majority of protesters were well behaved and acted in a responsible manner.
A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Colliery said the mine's operations were not affected by the protest while John Brannon, a manager with Illawarra Coal, said operations at the Dendrobium coking coal mine had been interrupted to "ensure the safety of the protesters".
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