Homepage

Home

Welcome to the Rescue Barrow Island website!

Latest news!!!
Media Relase EPA - 6th June 2006

The Environmental Protection Authority has provided advice and recommendations to the Minister for the Environment; Racing and Gaming on Chevron Australia Pty Ltd's proposal, as operator for the Gorgon Joint Venturers, to extract, pipe, liquefy and export 10 million tonnes per annum of natural gas using facilities offshore and on Barrow Island, Western Australia.

EPA Chairman Dr Wally Cox said that work done by the Joint Venturers as part of the Environmental Review and Management Programme had further highlighted the terrestrial and marine conservation values of Barrow Island and the adjacent waters.

"Flatback turtles in particular would be put at risk from the proposal with two of the most important nesting beaches located adjacent to the proposed LNG processing plant site and the materials off-loading facility," Dr Cox said.

"There is very little science available on the life-cycle, behaviour and feeding habits of Flatback turtles and as a consequence it is not possible at this time to identify management measures that would ensure ongoing survival of this Pilbara Flatback turtle population."

Dr Cox said that the Proponent had not been able to demonstrate that risk could be reduced to satisfactory levels.

"As a result, the proposal in its present form cannot meet the EPA's environmental objectives and is considered environmentally unacceptable," Dr Cox said.
read the full report here.

Barrow Island, about 60 km off WA's North-West coast, is a ruggedly beautiful refuge for some of WA's most threatened species. WA's second-largest island, Barrow has internationally significant biodiversity values that will be jeopardised or lost forever without a concerted effort to regulate and limit human access and activities.

Chevron, ExxonMobil and Shell (the Gorgon partners) are currently proposing to put over $11 billion worth of industrial gas processing plant and equipment on Barrow Island - infrastructure that could be located offshore, on the mainland or on less important islands nearby.

On this website you will find a number of submissions that have been made concerning Barrow Island and its values, powerpoint presentations from the Rescue Barrow Island forum, information about the threat posed by the Gorgon proposal, and information on how you take action.

Best viewed in 800 x 600 resolution.