Protecting Gunditjmara Southern Sea Country

Tuesday, 17 October 2023 - 9:30am
Poster advertising a rally to Stop Seismic Blasting on Gunditjmara Country. At the top are drawings of an Aboriginal flag and a whale, artwork by Nicky Minus

The Southern Ocean is up against seismic blasting proposals, in the search for new oil and gas, which threaten whale songlines and precious ocean ecosystems. Seismic blasting surveys are proposed in waters as close as 8km from the coast of Warrnambool and Port Fairy. 

The seismic blasting process involves ships towing airguns that blast powerful soundwaves, and is commonly used to identify resources beneath the ocean floor, blasting through the water, rock and deep into the ocean floor, between 230-250 decibels every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week often for months on end. This has been shown to negatively and harshly impact marine ecosystems, and has raised the concerns of marine biologists, environmentalists, First Nations groups, commercial and local fishermen, swimmers, and surfers.

Both Warrnambool and Moyne Shire Council recently voted to oppose seismic blasting along our coastline in response to an outpouring of concern from community members. But to stop these projects and protect Southern Sea Country from this dangerous practice, we need to keep up the pressure and make sure the our community's opposition remains consistently heard by the decision makers in federal parliament and national regulatory bodies. 

 

Links:

-  https://drillwatch.org.au/

- Rally details: https://fb.me/e/HSySu65Z

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