Work on a controversial Go Kart Track in the New South Wales Central West region will be stopped for at least 30 days after a section 9 declaration was made by the Federal Environment Minister.
An identified women's site on Wahluu was marked for the new track, which was supposed to commence construction on Monday - International Women's Day.
Wiradyuri Traditional Owners have been opposed to the $4.2 million dollar development for years and have been fearful that works will go ahead regardless of the site's cultural significance.
But on Friday, Minister Sussan Ley made the emergency declaration to prevent the Bathurst Regional Council from going ahead with the project, making an emergency declaration under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act.
"Having now received reports from the Department, including those submissions received recently from Traditional Owners, l would like to meet with the parties involved," she said in a statement.
“The section 9 declaration will prevent work taking place."
Wiradyuri man, Yanhadarrambal Jade Flyyn, that Traditional Owners won't stop until the area is protected.
Signs of protest and solidarity on the fence of the proposed go-kart track site. Source: NITV News
"We'll do everything we can, within any mechanisms of law that we put our hands on, any legislation that we can invoke, we will do absolutely everything that we can to try and stop the desecration and destruction of the sacred women's site," he said.
"They are within their legal right to go ahead, but the moral argument is: it's a women site, why would you build a go-kart track on a women's site?"
Minister Ley will travel to Bathurst next Friday to speak with stakeholders before making a decision whether the work will be stopped beyond 30 days.
