I AM now 82 years old, born in 1938, and regarded by some as a Gullible Old Mug.

This may well be so, however, though my future years may be few (I know my end is in sight), and with a failing memory, there are some things I do remember.

Some of my childhood and youth was spent rabbitting and exploring on Mount Panorama, now Wahluu.

At that time, I was not culturally aware of my indigenous heritage, to wit, Wiradyuri.

But now from the beginning.

Anyone with even the most basic knowledge of geology knows that Wahluu is of volcanic origin.

Proof of this can be seen on walls of the quarries in what was the Sir Joseph Banks Nature Park, basalt columns now exposed in the back walls of the bird aviaries, dingo compound and wombat compound.

Vast quantities of rock was quarried from these quarries in past years and used in many locations around Bathurst: the high school terraces, gutters in many streets and, in more recent years, the terraced walls in George Park at the top end of George Street where I was involved with a team, then called the R.E.D. Scheme, employed by council.

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We would quarry at the Mount, then bring the rocks down to be constructed the following day.

On that note, there is a foundation stone built into the wall with the words "The Great Wall of Schofield" chiselled by one of the team in respect to the smallest man on the crew, the late Laurie Schofield.

Around 1960, I was enlisted in what was known as the Citizens Military Force.

On occasions, one weekend a month, manoeuvres and mock battles would occur, usually on the back side of the Mount, now the municipal rubbish dump.

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We, the soldiers, would be encouraged to attack the top through what would become the Sir Joseph Banks Nature Park, with two inch mortar bombs being fired from the top to land and explode behind us.

Not all devices exploded. In more recent years, a few were found within the nature park and the Department of Defence was called upon to relocate them.

However, on one particular Sunday afternoon, an amount of small arms ammunition was found to be "left over" - this would possibly have included "dud" two inch mortars, Aldershot grenades and blank 303 bullets.

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A hole was dug and, as far as I know, this is still buried within the nature park.

In or about 1978, I was employed again by Bathurst City Council as ranger-caretaker of Sir Joseph Banks Nature Park and lived for some years in the cottage in McPhillamy Park.

During my employment, I occasionally found fragments of indigenous stone artefacts within the nature park, usually on exposed erosion sites.

Some I kept and have since given to the Wiradyuri elders.

Some I placed in a glass display case in the administration/aquarium office along with other artefacts which included a portion of a marked carved tree (definitely Wiradyuri), at least one stone axe head, one didgeridoo (not local), stone flakes and stone implements, all collected locally but not necessarily from within the nature park.

I do not know what became of these after my relocation to Winburndale Dam.

I am not surprised to know that very little in the way of artefacts have been found recently in McPhillamy Park, as way before Mount Panorama was known as it is today, the late Percy Gresser was collecting and recording his finds.

Where Percy's collection is today I'm not sure.

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During my years working in the nature park, rock was still being taken for various council jobs.

The removal of this material/rock means the destruction of habitat of species of frogs Genus limnodynastes.

But of greater importance was a species of lizard/skink that I now refer to as the Wiradyuri Rainbow Skink (Genus Carlia).

This species, though never common, could be found in the quarries and even in crevices in the rock walls of the still existing walls of the cottage in McPhillamy Park.

This species may still be found in other historical sites within the Bathurst district.

I do not know if it still survives on Wahluu. I have photographs of this skink.

The reason I called this species the Wiradyuri Rainbow Skink is because of its colour and because its choice of habitat is in quite close proximity of Wiradyuri cultural sacred sites.

With the help of mayors, the late Bruce Bolam, Nevil Barlow and Les Wardman, the removal of rocks within the nature park was stopped in an attempt to protect the above listed species.

On August 14, 2020, I was given the opportunity to talk to the mayor, Bobby Bourke, one to one, and I am grateful to him to have given me his time.

Bobby informed me that council held receipts for all rocks that had gone into the building of the cottage in McPhillamy Park.

Sorry, Bobby, you are being misinformed.

While council may have some receipts for some of this stone, you do not definitely have all.

Most elderly Bathurst residents may remember that up until the 1970s there were, also made of stone, a number of picnic shelter sheds and at least one kiosk used at times by various sporting clubs on race weekends.

Also adjacent to each shelter shed there were, improvised perhaps, illegal loose stone fireplaces where campers could boil their billy or cremate their sausages.

These sheds, all built from on-site materials or from nearby quarries, have since been destroyed by vandals and council employees.

Those still standing offered little protection from the weather since the stone walls were removed.

With the opening of the Sir Joseph Banks Nature Park, rock (basalt blue stone) was also quarried for the building within the park with the construction of the still existing administration/aquarium block.

This was done by council employees and while my personal involvement was not great, I did assist in the building of this amenity.

No receipts were issued to anyone as far as I know and I would remind council that historically much of the building material in Bathurst and district was quarried within the site of Wahluu. Then, and now, all Wiradyuri land.

Bobby, you also stated that there was no significant proof that Wahluu held any sacred spiritual value. Please!

In the many years, almost daily, I spent on top of the Mount, I often encountered, and at times participated in, events by various religious groups. Usual prayers of praise and thanksgiving from Boy Scouts, Girl Guides and any number of religious groups that chose the great outdoors to hold their services to who or what they may perceive God to be.

Please keep in mind, while it is always right for some of us to worship in cathedrals such as St Michael and St John's, All Saints and the many other churches in Bathurst, the biggest, the best, the most beautiful of all was raised by the hand of God, free to us all to pray as we may choose, Wahluu.

If you councillors can't see this then you are soulless and not worth the vote or the money that we, the Gullible Old Mugs, are forced to pay you.

The least that all of you can do now is put on hold any further work on this site until the COVID restrictions are lifted so that parties of both sides of the argument can hold a public meeting without fear of arrest.

Is this asking too much or are you all hiding behind these COVID restrictions?

As a lifetime Bathurst resident of 82 years, I have voted at every council election since I was legally old enough, but in all my years, you are the worst mob of councillors in my memory. Shame on you all.

And yes, Bobby, as you reminded me, I was given the honour of being recognised as one of Bathurst's Living Legends in 2018 and proud to be so.

But if this means, as you implied, I should hold my tongue or pen forever, then you win.

Say the word and I will return the award and medal.