smorgasboarder closeup version of the last image. photo: sam logan @mindfulocean photo: oj annett, drone photography victoria 14 photo: greenpeace au
smorgasboarder My third and final concern would be a spill. It would destroy and devastate most of southern Australia, wiping out industries that sustain families, people’s recreational and commercial livelihoods. Fifteen local governments across Victoria and South Australia have now passed motions which express majority opposition to oil drilling in the Great Australian Bight. Federal member for Mayo Rebekah Sharkie, Peter Owen WSSA and Bunna Lawrie Mirning Elder spoke to the media in front of thousands of surfers who paddled out at Victor Harbour on March 3rd to signify their opposition to ‘Equinor’s ocean oil plans. Australian is warming up its vocal chords and saying NORWAY X to big oil plans. Even the Earth Hour main event at the huge WOMADelaide festival was all about the Fight for the Bight. And funnily enough on the recent Australian Red Hot Chili Peppers tour, surfing front man Anthony Kiedis took to the stage with a self-made #fightforthebight t-shirt. Thanks go out to the thousands of surfers who attended and paddled out across 4 states in protest against big oil in the Bight in places like Cresent Head, Yamba, Manly, Alexandra Headlands, Wollongong, Torquay, Apollo Bay, Warrnambool, Cape Bridgewater, Victor Harbour, Robe, Cactus Beach, Mosmon WA, Streaky Bay, Melbourne, Hobart and Perth. With Greenpeace and Damian Cole looking for surfers to join a paddle out for Sydney Harbour and surrounding beaches, it begs the question, ‘Could this be you?’ Pay it forward ’Straayans… People have promoted The Bight’s ecological significance through hosting films such as Nevertown and Operation Jeedera. And for that we give thanks to surfers and community members of Streaky Bay, Port Lincoln, Sailsbury, Port Fairy, Portland, Melbourne and Glenelg. Opposition is also mounting in South Australia’s South East and Limestone Coast, where a 10-year moratorium for LNG fracking was introduced in 2018. I previously asked 3rd generation Streaky Bay local Josiah Schmucker to chime in on the #fightforthebight. He was up late typing this the night before surfing the 30-40 foot Mavericks swell in November. “Since the whole oil drilling and risk of a spill became so prevalent in my neck of the woods, I have been a lot more interested in the situation, but I have always been slightly against oil as I believe there are more efficient - or at least a lot greener - means of travel. “Three major points that come to mind when I hear about drilling for oil in The Bight are firstly: the risk heavily outweighs the reward. We don’t need the oil because we should be looking at cleaner, greener and renewable resources. I recently read in three different articles that oil is also a constantly regenerated liquid in the earth so there is no need for new oil rigs anywhere if we wish to continue using oil for its different purposes. “We don’t need the jobs it would provide, no one in the area is out of work or struggling so there’s not a need for the extra work. Which also raises a question for me whether an American, Asian or English based company is going to employ that many people from South Australia. 15