The Australian Government’s Threatened Species Commissioner Ms Fiona Fraser was in Broome recently and visited Environs Kimberley to hear about the important work we are doing to protect threatened species in the Kimberley.

We invited partners Rangelands NRM, Karajarri and Nyangumarta Rangers as well so they could also present their important work in the area. We presented the history of Environs Kimberley and our efforts supporting rangers with threatened species and ecosystem management in the Kimberley for over 16 years - from getting Monsoon Vine Thickets listed as a federally endangered ecosystem, to building capacity and supporting regional surveys and conservation of the Vulnerable Greater Bilby and Endangered Night Parrot.

We finished with important discussion about how the Australian Government plans to better prioritise two-way science projects and Indigenous leadership.

Photo (inset) L to R: Jessica Bolton (Nyangumarta Rangers), Julie Quinn (DCCEW), Chris Curnow (Rangelands NRM), Fiona Fraser (Threatened Species Commissioner, DCCEW), Malcolm Lindsay (EK) and Jesse Ala'i (Karajarri Rangers).

- Article by Dr Malcolm Lindsay, EK's Kimberley Nature Projects Director

Woodside’s Browse oil and gas drilling plan for Scott Reef rejected by EPA

Oil and gas multinational Woodside’s Browse Basin project at Scott Reef with joint venture partners BP, Japan Australia LNG and PetroChina has suffered a huge blow after being rejected by the WA Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

Congratulations to the EPA for a sensible first step in rejecting a terrible proposal.

Scott Reef. Pic: Alex Westover

The EPA have said the company’s plans to drill 50 oil and gas wells around the globally significant Scott Reef off the Kimberley coast has unacceptable impacts on endangered Blue Whales, be a threat to endangered Green Turtles, and risk pollution and oil spills at the highly biodiverse and fragile reef, according to reports made public today. The EPA considers these risks too high.

Scott Reef is a marine biodiversity hotspot that supports 29 marine mammal species including endangered Blue Whales. Nine hundred species of fish have been found at the reef and 1,500 species of invertebrates, including soft and hard corals, sponges and crustaceans. It is also a hotspot for sea snakes, including the elusive Dusky Sea Snake, which hasn’t been seen since 2002.

Save Scott Reef protest in Broome. Pic: Alex Westover.

“This proposal to drill 50 oil and gas wells around Scott Reef off the Kimberley coast, one of the most important marine hotspots in Australian waters, would be rejected out of hand at the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo, so it’s not surprising the WA EPA has rejected it,” said Martin Pritchard, Director of Strategy at Broome-based conservation group Environs Kimberley.  

The WA EPA has been assessing this proposal for 5 years and, in a letter to Woodside, it has been reported that there could be unacceptable impacts on endangered Blue Whales, Green Turtles and the reef itself,” said Mr Pritchard.  

Woodside withdrew its controversial plans for $80 billion LNG refineries on the Kimberley coast at James Price Point in 2013 after fierce opposition from locals and protests across the nation.

“The risks of destroying one of the world’s great coral reefs with oil and gas drilling are clearly too great, and we’re calling on Premier Roger Cook and Environment Minister Reece Whitby to also reject the threat to Scott Reef,” said Mr Pritchard.

It is understood that Woodside now has an opportunity to respond to the EPA, which will make its recommendation to the State Government. Both the State and Federal Governments will then make final decisions on whether or not the Browse project and drilling at Scott Reef can go ahead.