Geelong community and environmental members have reignited their campaign against Viva Energy’s proposed gas import terminal in Corio Bay.
With ACF Geelong and Environment Victoria on behalf of the Geelong Renewables Not Gas alliance, Geelong Sustainability held a protest at Norlane Community Centre on November 30.
Campaign coordinator Karina Donkers said more than 160 people attended the protest, showing a “strong community opposition” to the project.
“It’s not something that we can allow to happen, particularly during the climate emergency and climate crisis that we’re facing,” she said.
“We don’t see how these massive tankers could come and go safely through our current channel because we’re in a very shallow channel here in the Corio Bay area.
“We think this should be rejected. This is a proposal that can’t go ahead for our region, and we don’t want Geelong stuck in the past, like a dinosaur further rooted in the fossil fuel industry.”
Viva Energy was directed to prepare a Supplementary Environment Effects Statement for the proposed project on March 6, 2023, to address the project’s key environmental effects further.
Public hearings on the environmental effects of the proposal will begin on December 9 and run through to mid-January.
Geelong Sustainability chief executive Dan Cowdell said the protest called on state government officials, such as Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny, to reject the “flawed proposal once and for all”.
“We are extremely concerned about the terrible impacts this project would have on our community,” he said.
“These LNG (liquefied natural gas) tanker ships are so large, they are the length of Cunningham Pier and the height of the giant sky wheel at Eastern Beach.
“The proposal is totally unsafe, dangerously close to homes, and will ruin the reputation of our beautiful tourist focused bay with its enormous LNG tankers transiting in and out of the bay.”
A Viva Energy spokesperson said the oil refinery would continue to work with Ports Victoria to ensure LNG shipping in the bay was managed safely.
“Viva Energy supports the rights of individuals to protest as long as the actions are conducted respectfully and safely,” they said.
“There will need to be some localised dredging to provide sufficient water depth at the new berth and within the swing basin to allow the LNG carriers to turn and berth safely.
“Expert modelling confirms that the project will not significantly impact Corio Bay or its marine environment and that there will be no significant impacts to any threatened or migratory bird species.”
The Geelong Renewables Not Gas alliance will also host a Postcard Day of Action at 10am on December 14, with postcards opposing the gas terminal distributed around Geelong.
