Media Release, Wednesday 24 July 2002

Over 500 �Imagine� Ningaloo at benefit concert

Last night over 500 people attended the �Imagine� benefit concert at the Fly by Nite Club in Fremantle. The concert was sold out which came as no surprise following a long list of standing-room-only Save Ningaloo Campaign events over recent months. This included a large rock concert, a highly successful art auction and crowded public meetings.

Paul Gamblin, Save Ningaloo campaign spokesperson, said, �More than 500 people at the Fly last night clapped and whooped enthusiastically whenever the Save Ningaloo Campaign was mentioned. Word is spreading and momentum is building. We have had to print tens of thousands more bumper stickers and pamphlets because we just can�t keep up with demand. Already, you can�t go anywhere in WA without seeing them. Now they�re popping up in other states and even overseas.�

The �Imagine� concert is described as a �sonorous celebration of the musical wizardry of fallen hero John Lennon and living legend Paul McCartney.� The show has toured regional Western Australia, including Exmouth, gateway to the Ningaloo Reef. The show featured many well known musicians and singers, including Helen Matthews, who devised it.

�Once again, the community has shown its concern about plans to build a massive marina at Ningaloo. The Campaign is driven by the growing community interest in this issue which is why every event we have is sold out. In this day and age, people know that there are ways of enjoying an environment as fragile as Ningaloo without threatening it, as this marina would,� said Mr Gamblin.

The Environmental Protection Authority has indicated that it will deliver its recommendations to the Environment Minister, Dr Judy Edwards, in late August. After hearing appeals, it is then up to the Minister to make the final decision on the development proposal.

Media Contact: Paul Gamblin, Save Ningaloo campaign spokesperson