Skip to content

Green Bans Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

inspicio: One or more of the following has occurred:

No response from the cache owner.
No cache to find or log to sign.
It has been more than 28 days since the last owner note.

As a result I am archiving this cache to keep from continually showing up in search lists and to prevent it from blocking other cache placements.

If you wish to repair/replace/make available the cache sometime in the near future, just contact a reviewer (by email), and assuming it still meets the current

guidelines, the reviewer will be happy to unarchive it.

Should you replace the cache after 28 days has passed please create a new cache listing so it can be reviewed as a new cache.

More
Hidden : 10/26/2007
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1 out of 5

Size: Size:   micro (micro)

Join now to view geocache location details. It's free!

Watch

How Geocaching Works

Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions in our disclaimer.

Geocache Description:

Green Ban Park

Please note that this cache is non political. It is an interesting park with a history.

Green bans are a ban imposed by building unions on demolition or development in support of heritage, environmental or community issues.

They emerged in the early 1970s and have been used to protect various sites and buildings in Australia ever since.

At Erskineville, one green ban prevented the government from selling land to developers to build residential units.

In 1995, the Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) decided to sell land which was being used by the local community as open space to developers. At the time there was apparently little concern by the state government that the suburb had one of the lowest ratios of public space to residents in all of Sydney.

There was huge opposition to the planned sell-off by local residents and in response the Council approached the RTA to hand over the land. The RTA rejected any hand over unless Council was prepared to pay full market rates for the site. The Council was not in a financial position to purchase the land and the RTA continued in its efforts to sell the land by auction. The local community rallied and strongly protested against the proposed sell off. This action was supported by the Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union (CFMEU) and a Green Ban was imposed on the site. This meant that CFMEU members would be encouraged not to do any building work on the site if it was sold off to a developer. The imposition of the green ban and the radical protests waged by the local community resulted in no offers being received for the land when it proceeded to auction. There was a fear amongst developers that it would be near to impossible for anything to ever be built on the site with the green ban in place.

The lead up to the state election in 1996 saw the Labor Party (who were then in opposition) promise to hand over the site to the local Council for use as open space if it was elected to government. Following the election of Labor, the site was formally given to Council in 1997. A consultation process followed to develop a master plan for the site to direct future use and development of the park. Construction in line with the master plan was completed in April 1998 and the site was officially opened as a park in May 1998.

The park is now known as Green Ban Park and contains a photographic display of the community and green ban campaign to preserve the open space for the local community.

You can learn more by visiting the park at the corner of Albert Street and Erskineville Road, Erskineville.

The park is within easy walking distance of Erskineville, Newtown and Macdonaldtown stations and is geokid and dog friendly.

While you are there you can also grab our cache!

Source: CFMEU (Construction and General Division) NSW Branch

Additional Hints (No hints available.)