In August 1998 the drought broke with a fall of 12 inches of rain overnight. 

This caused floods and landslides around Wollongong which quite eclipsed news of the monumental environmental disaster that took place in the swamp. 

Acres of peat slid into the Reservoir  causing a domino effect of collapse all the way up the valley to Robertson. 

The integrity of the largest upland swamp in Australia was destroyed.

The causes were multiple; the regular burning of the peat; the drowning of the lower swamp in the 1972 Shoalhaven water supply scheme; the failure to act to halt the Emerald Peat mining;  the lowering of the water level following a blue-green algae treatment that killed tonnes of carp that was suspected of causing the need to boil Sydney's drinking water; and the damage caused by the peat mining dredge as it was washed into the Reservoir in the flood.

The public expense incurred since through the building of peat holding fences, reinforcing the dam wall, upgrading the filtration plant are minor compared with the environmental damage.

Authorities should be very aware that this community has good cause to expect enforcement of the Precautionary Principle as they consider further damaging proposals in the shire, such as Coal and Sand Mines in the drinking water catchment.

The Liberal Democrats Southern Districts Branch will host a meeting at Mittagong on August 20.

This will be the quarterly meeting and will be held at Firedrum, 79 Main Street, Mittagong.

Doors will open at 6.30pm with the meeting to kick off at 7pm.

The Southern Districts is a satellite branch moving month by month between the Southern Highlands, MacArthur Districts, Illawarra and Goulburn.

It has enjoyed the attendance of notable guest speakers like Mark Latham and Daisy Cousens.

The Liberal Democrats are focussed on lowering taxes for both citizens and small business and this will be a key topic for the evening. 

It is not essential to be a member to attend.

You are welcome to come along and discuss your small business needs and/or experience regarding taxation in general. 

If you feel like you’re a libertarian or might be a libertarian please come along and participate in active discussions with like-minded citizens.

The party welcomes people to come along where they will meet members of the NSW state committee in attendance, and good food and drinks will be available for purchase. 

Further information: Regional Branch Development on 0421 349 397.