A protest against seismic blasting in the Otway Basin is being planned for Ocean Grove early next year.
The protest is part of a bigger campaign organised by OCEAN (Otway Coastal Environment Action Network), consisting of rallies, street marches and paddle outs as well as film screenings of the Surfrider Foundation’s ‘Southern Blast’ along the Great Ocean Road. OCEAN is a network of community groups spanning from Ocean Grove, to Warrnambool along the Great Ocean Road.
Seismic blasting involves aiming powerful sound waves towards the seafloor to access fossil fuels beneath the ocean floor.
The event has been organised by Ocean Grove local Mitch Pope with the support of volunteers in the local community and surrounds.
OCEAN founder Lisa Deppeler said the summer campaign will expose the current proposal by TGS and Schlumberger to 3D seismic blast 5.5 million hectares off the west coast of Victoria.
“This massive proposal covers an area almost the size of Tasmania and will displace,
injure, and kill an untold number of marine species, including the endangered southern right whale and the blue whale,” she said.
“The proposed project intercepts with two marine parks and two whale sanctuaries. If successful, it will be the largest 3D seismic project in history, right here in our backyard.”
The protest begins at 10am on Saturday January 6 at Ocean Grove Park and will march through The Terrace and rally at Ocean Grove Lookout, where locals and experts will speak about seismic blasting.
