Margaret River winery director Vanya Cullen concerned about co-existing with gas industry
The managing director of one of Margaret River's leading wineries has spoken out against the gas industry, expressing doubt that the two sectors can co-exist in the region.
Vanya Cullen has joined the Lock the Gate Alliance, which targets communities it believes are under threat from "unsafe coal and gas mining", because she is concerned about potential damage to the region's image.
"We have spent 40 years, nearly 50 years in Margaret River building up a brand of wine tourism that's known around the world," Ms Cullen said.
Since Cullen Wines planted their vines in the early 70s, Ms Cullen has worked hard to keep her family's motto of sustainable, biodynamic production alive.
She said it had taken decades for the isolated coastal town, which attracts millions of visitors each year, to build up its thriving reputation for viticulture, ecotourism and gourmet food.
"It (gas exploration) is taking away from the tourism branding of the region and it will therefore affect everybody," Ms Cullen said.
Lie of the land
The closest gas field to Margaret River is in the Whicher Range, about 40 kilometres from the town.
The conventional gas resource was discovered in the late 1960s and has since been explored by several companies.
One of them carried out unsuccessful hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, more than a decade ago.
The current permit operator CalEnergy Resources said it and joint venture partner Whicher Range Energy have never used fracking or reservoir stimulation in the range, because the geology was not suitable.
"There are many examples around the world of similar gas fields that don't use fracking because gas flows freely from the reservoir, and that is the model we are working on," managing director Peter Youngs said.
"Commentary to the contrary is not based on science or actual knowledge."
The Department of Mines and Petroleum (DMP) said coal seam gas is unlikely to be prospective in WA, because the geology of the state is different from other areas, such as Queensland and New South Wales.
Current exploration involves shale and tight gas, which are found significantly below the State's groundwater resources, at between 2000 and 4000 metres below ground.
Rising community fears
Despite repeated assurances from the Government and industry that it is strictly regulated, uncertainty about when and how the companies will proceed is driving tension.
The main community concerns are the potential impact on the environment, water contamination, the visual dislocation of farming areas, and landholders' lack of veto rights to prevent gas companies from entering their properties.
The campaign has gained the support of well-known singer-songwriter John Butler, who is hosting two local concerts in late November as a platform to voice community concerns.
If the activists have their way, the issue will be high on the agenda in South West seats at the coming state election.
WA Labor has already announced a plan, which was ridiculed by the Government and the mining industry, to ban fracking in the South West if elected.
Community leaders welcome industry
Shire of Augusta-Margaret River President Ian Earl said the industry would provide jobs and sure up gas supplies for Perth and the South West.
"It's certainly not going to cause any grief to our water and it won't cause any grief to our air or anything else in our environment," Mr Earl said.
He said the campaign was being driven by emotion.
"They're probably putting out a very biased view … without actually looking at the geology and then listening to the science on all of this."
But local farmer Brian Baker, whose property is within the Whicher Range permit zone, said a lack of transparency from the industry was adding fuel to the fire.
"People are not getting straight answers," Mr Baker said.
"They're investing money in the area and they want their children to grow up in a safe environment."
Transparency concerns
The companies are evaluating results from well testing last year that will determine if, when and how they will proceed.
DMP environment executive director Phil Gorey said any activity would be governed by some of the strictest regulations covering gas development in the world.
"We hear (concerns) around the protection of water quality, the protection of the environment, protection of flora and fauna, these really valuable resources that Western Australia has and the government has those same concerns," Dr Gorey said.
"That's why we…have the regulatory process…so that all of those assets, those natural assets that belong to all of us are protected and aren't compromised with resource development."