The National Heritage-listed Martuwarra Fitzroy River in the Kimberley is a step closer to being protected from Murray–Darling style irrigation. A policy position released by the Cook Government this week states clearly that no new extraction of surface water will be allowed.

“We welcome this historic announcement by the Cook Government, which supports what the community has been calling for over several decades: protection of the Martuwarra Fitzroy River from massive water extraction, and dams for agribusiness to irrigate cotton and other broadacre crops,” said Environs Kimberley Director of Strategy Martin Pritchard.

The Fitzroy River catchment has the most intact tropical savannah in the world and the Martuwarra Fitzroy River has been recognized as the last stronghold for the critically endangered Freshwater Sawfish. It also supports a major Barramundi population as well as Freshwater Prawns and other important fish species. The cultural heritage values of the river have been recognized by the Commonwealth Government, which put the river on the National Heritage list in 2011.

Martuwarra Fitzroy River - Damian Kelly

Environs Kimberley was formed to protect the river and adjacent tropical savannah from large-scale cotton crops, and has worked in partnership with Aboriginal groups since 1996 to keep it running free.

“More than 43,000 people called for the Martuwarra Fitzroy River to be protected from industrial agriculture and big pumps. The health of the river system depends on uninterrupted flows. It’s great to see that the Cook Government recognizes this. We know that any water pumped out reduces Barramundi and critically endangered sawfish populations.”

“We are still concerned about groundwater extraction. 100 billion litres are mooted as being available, which would allow the irrigation of 10,000 hectares. That is an unacceptable scale of land-clearing in such an intact and biodiverse landscape.”

We are keen to see more detail on the policies, including those concerning heritage and cultural rights, and we’ll support Aboriginal groups to ensure they obtain all the rights due to them as First Nations.

Work already completed shows that other, more profitable and less damaging industries are possible in the Fitzroy Valley. Such industries should be encouraged and supported.

We know that there are limited opportunities for jobs in large-scale irrigation, which causes massive damage, including complete destruction of tropical savannah by bulldozing and burning to grow cotton.

“The new economy provides the potential for sustainable jobs, including conservation of the world-class landscapes, which Aboriginal rangers are successfully working on. Carbon abatement, cultural tourism, bush foods and renewable energy are all industries that can work in the Fitzroy Valley, and there’s a strong interest in developing them.”

“We need to get behind these new industries, which are more appropriate for the landscapes and culture of the Kimberley,” Mr Pritchard said.

The Cook government is opening up spectacular parts of the Kimberley to the oil and gas industry at a time when the science says we have to reduce carbon emissions. See petroleum release announcement here.

“We’re calling on the Cook government to withdraw this petroleum release and not put places like the spectacular Edgar Ranges and Martuwarra Fitzroy River at risk from the oil and gas industry.” Said Environs Kimberley Director of Strategy Martin Pritchard.

Edgar Ranges Photo: Environs Kimberley

“It’s like the Premier Roger Cook and Minister for Mines Bill Johnston don’t accept the science of climate change because we know that to have a safe climate, the International Energy Agency is saying we can’t open new oil and gas.”

The petroleum release areas cover the spectacular Edgar Ranges which have been proposed as a Nature Reserve by the WA government since 1991. The Edgar Ranges are of very high conservation value and culturally important.

According to the WA Government –

The Edgar Range is biologically and culturally extremely significant, it has a spectacular landscape and for decades has been recommended for conservation as a Class A Nature Reserve.

It is significant habitat for many mammal, insect and plant species and is known for Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, Greater Bilby and Forrest’s Mouse, and is the only location for the endangered Edgar Range

Pandanus (Pandanus spiralis var. flammeus)21. It is where Torresian (sub-humid Kimberley) and desert species mix.

One hundred and twenty-one species of birds have been recorded there, including three of special significance to conservation – Princess Parrot, Peregrine Falcon and Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo.

Source: Department of Conservation and Land Management (1991) Nature Conservation Reserves in the Kimberley

Martuwarra Fiztroy River Photo: Damian Kelly

The Martuwarra Fitzroy River is National Heritage listed and is a Registered Aboriginal Heritage site.

“If the Cook government won’t withdraw this petroleum acreage release then the oil and gas industry must take a responsible approach and not bid for these areas.”

Broome based conservation group Environs Kimberley has condemned the latest gas-related announcement by the WA government which encourages the development of a large-scale gas fracking industry in the Kimberley’s Canning Basin for export.

Changes to the domestic gas reservation policy restore the ban on export of on-shore gas sourced from the Perth Basin, while lifting the export ban across the vast Canning Basin covering much of the globally outstanding environmental and cultural values of the Kimberley.

The government’s new policy states, “For the Canning Basin, these gas resources are not connected to the existing pipeline network and as such a normal application of the WA Domestic Gas Policy applies, which requires gas project developers to make available 15 per cent of exports for the domestic market.”

Previously, the export of gas from the Canning basin was banned – putting ongoing attempts to frack and export gas from the region under a cloud.

The change in policy which was enacted without any media statement or consultation with communities across the Kimberley who would be affected by the decision. 

‘This is a bad decision that has been taken without consideration of the impacts of a gas export industry on the Kimberley. The removal of the export ban from the Canning Basin paves the way for a pipeline to the Pilbara from the Canning Basin which would open the gate to thousands of fracking wells across the Kimberley.’ said Environs Kimberley Director of Strategy Martin Pritchard. 

“This is exactly what Kimberley communities have been fighting against. Only last week we saw thousands turn out to warn Premier Cook against supporting a fracking industry in the Canning Basin. Kimberley people know that such an industry would contaminate water, make communities sick, destroy globally significant environmental values and place the Kimberley’s tourism industry at risk,’

‘Woodside does not have enough gas to feed its giant Burrup Gas Hub expansion in the Pilbara and Premier Cook has just opened the gate for them to source this gas by fracking the Kimberley,’ Mr Pritchard said.

‘Woodside has failed to get gas processing facilities built before at James Price Point due to a national campaign against it. Any attempt to frack the Kimberley for export would damage their corporate reputation in a much more significant way.

Previously the WA Government banned fracking in the Southwest, leaving communities in the Kimberley vulnerable to this destructive industry. Once again we are seeing government decisions that sacrifice the communities and environment of the Kimberley for the sake of gas industry profits. One thing can be sure, Kimberley communities will not stand for this.

The WA Government needs to look at the serious impacts of climate change globally and we’re calling on Premier Roger Cook to ban fracking and gas industrialisation in the world famous Kimberley landscapes.’

‘This policy change shows that the Cook government is failing to roll out renewables and is basing future energy needs on gas.’ 

Oil and gas fracking company, Origin Energy, has been condemned by Broome-based conservation organisation Environs Kimberley for moving into the Kimberley.

Origin Energy, which is currently exploring the Beetaloo Basin in the Northern Territory for fracking, has announced its intention to partner with Buru Energy and invest millions in exploiting fossil fuels in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

“Opening up new fossil fuel fracking provinces is unethical, given the climate change crisis,” said Environs Kimberley Director Martin Pritchard. “Origin Energy, which publicly portrays itself as an ethical company, must move away from fossil fuels and fracking if it wants to be seen as a socially and environmentally responsible organisation.”

“Investors in Origin should be aware that Buru Energy has a documented history of well leaks, overflowing wastewater ponds and radioactive wastewater,” Mr Pritchard said.

The Kimberley has seen several companies invest hundreds of millions of dollars looking for oil and gas.

“ConocoPhillips, Mitsubishi, Hess, PetroChina and Apache1 have all explored in the Kimberley’s Canning Basin without success. In an increasingly carbon constrained world, Origin Energy is taking a huge gamble, given the opposition to fracking by many Traditional Owners and the community,” Mr Pritchard said.

“We will continue to support communities and Traditional Owners who oppose this risky, polluting industry. The McGowan Government has banned fracking in the South West, Perth and Dampier Peninsula areas. By allowing it to continue in the Kimberley and other parts of the state, the government is treating us like second class citizens. There are good reasons for banning such an industry, and the community has made it clear that fracking is unacceptable. Origin Energy investors must be made aware that fracking is not welcome in the Kimberley.”

SIGN the petition to stop fracking here.

New research shows that the Kimberley region is set to experience a dramatic increase in days over 40 degrees if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced in line with the Paris Agreement.  

The report, by the Australia Institute using CSIRO and BoM data, shows the projected increase in extreme heat days for towns like Broome, Derby and Bidyadanga, will have devastating effects on the Kimberley’s Indigenous communities, outdoor workers, industries and ecosystems. 

The report shows that without a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions:

• Extreme heat days above 40°C could increase from an average of 6 days per year to 62 (2 months) by 2090 in Broome.
• Extreme heat days above 40°C could increase from an average of 14 days per year to 168 (5.6 months) by 2090 in Derby.
• Extreme heat days above 40°C could increase from an average of 10 days per year to 94 (3 months) by 2090 in Bidyadanga; the largest remote Aboriginal community in Western Australia.
• Extreme heat days above 40°C could increase from an average of 35 days per year to 204 (6.8 months) by 2090 in Kununurra.

“As things stand, a child in a town like Kununurra could expect over half their year spent in 40°C days or over by the time they can access a pension,” says Richie Merzian, Australia Institute Climate & Energy Program Director.

“Extreme heat conditions can have serious health ramifications, especially for the very young and the elderly, including heat stroke and even organ failure which can result in death.

“Also particularly vulnerable to the extreme heat will be miners, construction workers, tourism operators and agricultural workers, who are vital to the Kimberley economy, and often undertake heavy work in already hot conditions that are set to worsen severely.

“The region’s Indigenous population already face disproportionate rates of chronic illness and poverty, increasing extreme heat will mean people’s health will deteriorate further.

“Fortunately these climate projections are not inevitable, if emissions are reduced in line with the Paris Agreement, these increases in heat can be largely avoided.”

Martin Pritchard, Executive Director Environs Kimberley, says “Kimberley residents have just sweltered through one of the region’s hottest months, with temperatures 3.2 degrees above the historical November maximum temperature average, and 7 days above 40 degrees in Broome already this November alone. By 2090, the entire Kimberley region will be experiencing extreme heat of the likes we have not seen in Australia before.

“The Kimberley has one of Australia’s largest shale gas reserves and we now know that we cannot frack it and burn it if we want safe temperatures into the future. It has to stay in the ground if we want to avoid dangerous climate change.”

The report is available here:

HeatWatch - Extreme heat in the Kimberley

CALL ON THE MCGOWAN GOVERNMENT TO BAN FRACKING HERE