Dear Sir/Madam,
Imagine digging up the ground and uncovering 250 years of settlement to find the tank stream, just up from Circular Quay.
Miraculously, the arched roof of the stream is intact and when that is removed, underneath is the actual original tank stream.
It's not a pipe at all, or a canal, but a creek bed, with its rocks intact, lying there as if nothing had changed above.
To add to that imagined miracle, between the rocks, a mangrove root, gleamingly alive, waiting for opportunities that may miraculously occur, to grow into the air, and water, to provide breeding grounds for fry or larvae to prosper again to keep the harbour alive.
Imagine finding that and covering it up again, because its presence may impact a glorious new financial opportunity.
Imagine the roof was not built over the tank stream to keep the water fresh from being fouled by the new settlers but to preserve the creek bed.
Imagine the roof was built to preserve the whole length of the creek bed. No museum could have taken such immaculate care.
Imagine this then when it was true, all of this, and it happened yesterday.
Imagine that it happened and was witnessed and was allowed to be swallowed up in all the other lost memories.
Imagine again.
Sincerely,
Michael Snape