Peaceful protest, powerful impact: The Nannas' stand

Knitting Nannas Against Gas and Greed (KNAG) emerged in 2012 when a handful of older women determined to preserve their natural environment joined an anti-coal seam gas (CSG) group in Lismore to protect the Northern Rivers region of NSW. The area had been targeted for CSG mining by Metgasco - a national petroleum exploration and production company. 

Frustrated with the inaction and indecision of their male colleagues and annoyed at being tasked with tea-making and minute-taking, these women were determined to learn more about CSG processes and its potential environmental impacts including water resource depletion; air, ground and water pollution; habitat fragmentation; and changes to agricultural landscapes. There were also concerns about health impacts, particularly for workers and residents near CSG operations, as well as the effects of extraction methods including the chemicals used in drilling and hydraulic fracturing (fracking). The women toured the Chinchilla gas fields in Queensland, liaising with landholders, farmers and families affected by toxic fugitive gases, contaminated tap water, and industrialised bush landscapes. They shared their findings with a view to conserving Australia’s land, air and water for future generations. 

Knitting becomes a symbol of resistance

Two of the women - Clare Twomey and Lindy Scott - devised ‘guerrilla surveillance’ as an alternative form of peaceful yet assertive activism. Knitting Nannas Against Gas was born when small groups of women armed with knitting needles, yarn, and a thermos infiltrated the countryside, parking by roadsides with their knitting and folding chairs to ‘scope out’ the gas works by watching and recording the movements of Metgasco trucks. Knitting was initially a means to productively pass the time during these operations, but it soon became a form of environmental activism that older women could engage with and remains synonymous with the work of KNAG’s Nannas today.

Since its inception thirteen years ago, Knitting Nannas hasn’t dropped a stitch. The Bentley Blockade in 2014 brought thousands of people in the Northern Rivers communities together at the gas well site to show the NSW State Government and the CSG industry they had no social licence to continue a scheme that would have proved harmful to the local environment. Given the significant numbers gathered at Bentley, police opted not to shut the blockade down as originally intended. Instead, Metgasco’s licence was cancelled, following which the State Government bought back the licence and Metgasco left town. 

The rise of Nanna Loops across Australia

After the success of the Bentley Blockade, Knitting Nanna ‘Loops’ (groups of women from further afield who shared KNAG’s vision) expanded across Australia, each following the KNAG’s ‘Nannafesto’ calling for climate action and an end to fossil fuel mining, as well as peacefully protesting further mining projects and the logging of old growth native forests. The Nannas’ work hasn’t stopped there. KNAG has also held four National Conferences, gathering over one-hundred committed Nannas at each to voice their concerns, as well as travelling to Canberra to take their message directly to the government. They also set up NannaDome at Camp Liberty where they provided NannaCare to protectors who were risking their lives to support their cause, demonstrating KNAG’s commitment to the safety and wellbeing of their Nannas. 

Judi Summers joined the Knitting Nannas in the early stages of its development. ‘My husband and I are pecan farmers on the Wilson River in Eltham, NSW, and we were very concerned about the potential poisoning of our river by CSG activity. I was inspired to join KNAG when I discovered the dirty industry of coal seam gas mining and felt compelled to do whatever I could to stop it from going ahead in our region. I admired and felt comfortable with KNAG’s form of peaceful yet proactive activism and protestation. We have five grandchildren and need the government to intervene in the evidenced climate crisis so that our grandchildren have a liveable planet to grow up in.’ 

Judi retired in 2010 following a career in administration and project management which enabled her to step into the role of setting up communications for the KNAG, arranging weekly meetings and taking notes. As KNAG uniquely identifies as a ‘disorganisation’ Judi has no specific job title but undertakes communication responsibilities, contributing to KNAG’s cohesiveness by administrating their email, website and social media. ‘As a disorganisation, we have no structure, roles or titles. We are not incorporated as we choose to not have one person responsible for any activities we participate in. Providing all Nannas abide by our Nannafesto they can be a Knitting Nanna.’ 

Following the Bentley Blockade’s success in 2014, multiple Loops of Nannas emerged across the country, and Judi has been integral to extending their communications network by setting up a website and coordinating their activities, events and conferences, rallying the Nannas together to work towards ‘saving the land, air and water for the kiddies’. ‘I had no idea I’d be spending my retirement being an activist for the planet,’ said Judi, ‘but with KNAG I have a huge family of Nannas to work within, and I wouldn’t choose any differently.’

KNAG’s original Nannas, Clare Twomey and Lindy Scott, have stepped away from the movement due to health issues, but their desire to secure a safe environment for their children and grandchildren remain the inspiration behind the women’s collective activism. KNAG has since expanded to encompass 40 Loops across the globe, each utilising the KNAG Nannafesto as their guiding document. The Nannafesto commits the Nannas to assuming a peaceful yet determined stance in their research, protests and blockades, and prioritises the emotional and physical support of its participants. 

Still fighting for climate justice and community safety

Today, the Knitting Nannas continues to draw attention to the issues surrounding unsustainable resource exploitation - often driven by profit and personal gain - utilising safe protests and blockades that support people to assert their right to protest assertively without placing themselves at risk of harm. ‘We want to make sure that our servants – those politicians representing our democratic wishes - know they are accountable to us. We are very happy to remind them of this - and often.’ KNAG represents many who cannot make it out to protests – the elderly, the ill, the infirm, and people with young children and workers. They work without political alignment. 

There have been many challenges along the way, with Judi reporting that the Nannas having been labelled as extremists and have even received hate mail. As groups of elderly women ranging from 70 to 86 years old, Judi said, ‘our combined life experiences and sense of humour help us deal with most of the challenges that come our way.’ As pensioners (and some self-funded retirees), their activism has cost them financially, however they remain undiscouraged from their mission to conserve our land for future generations. The Nannas offer one another a sense of camaraderie over a common goal, supporting one another wherever possible and prioritising weekly meetings to plan and plot their activities. ‘We don’t see our work as charitable,’ Judi stressed. ‘Instead, we feel a sense of responsibility to protect our environment from human-induced climate change.’

Judi described many memorable and moving experiences arising from her work with KNAG, the most poignant having been part of the initial Northern Rivers community blockade that influenced the Police Union to call off sending in 700 riot police to shut them down. ‘The Knitting Nannas were treated with respect and gratitude by all elements of community, both city and country.’ Judi has found through her involvement with KNAG that ‘working together towards a common goal is so much more rewarding than acting selfishly.’ ‘It is care and kindness that influence my walk through life,’ she said. ‘Acting from a place of anger or frustration only sets us further apart from one another.’

The Knitting Nannas continue to work together in their activities, communicating or collaborating with other Loops to ensure their message reaches the wider community. Despite the seriousness of their mission, ‘we have lots of fun in the midst of the crises all around us and continue to hold hope for positive change.’ Judi recalled how the Nannas often have cars tooting their horns and passersby stopping to thank them for being there continuing the fight for what they believe in, particularly when they hold their weekly action outside the State or Federal MP’s office. This indicates that the Nannas concerns for the environment are shared by the wider community.

Judi identified there is still a lot of work to do however, primarily in getting all levels of government to acknowledge and urgently act upon the climate crisis. ‘They need to stop approving projects that increase Australia’s carbon emissions. We will never reach net zero by 2050 if our governments continue to approve projects such as the Woodside North-West Shelf gas,’ Judi warned.

At an individual level, Judi recommends engaging with as many people as possible about climate concerns. ‘As a family unit we regularly have conversations about what is happening all over the world. Engaging with as many people as possible prompts more action by individuals. I want our environment to be protected from all invasive human activity by stopping all fossil fuel production and the logging of native forests, but mostly for the future of all living things to be prioritised above profit.’ If it wasn’t for the courage and commitment of these groups of older women, many of them mothers and grandmothers, the plans for the Northern Rivers would likely have gone ahead. What the work of the Knitting Nannas highlights very effectively is that it’s never too late in life to make a meaningful contribution.

If you’re interested in joining, donating or otherwise supporting the work of Knitting Nannas, Judi had the following advice: ‘Join the Knitting Nannas and your voice will be heard. If you care about the environment and you have children and grandchildren, you have a responsibility to act in whatever way you can and are comfortable with to protect our environment and ultimately secure their future.’

You can learn more about KNAG or find/start a Loop in your area here.