Ocean Grove community rallying to stop seismic blasting

THE Ocean Grove community will rally on the 6th of January in Ocean Grove to protest against seismic blasting in the Otway Basin.

Organised by the Otway Coastal Environment Action Network (OCEAN), the community will meet at 10 am at Ocean Grove Park (Draper Street), march through the main street (The Terrace), and rally at the Ocean Grove Lookout.

There, locals and experts will speak about seismic blasting and the threat it poses to our oceans.

Campaign manager and Ocean Grove local Mitch Pope said the rally aims to raise more awareness about seismic blasting and inform people about what it is and how damaging it is to our oceans.

“We are rallying to show our opposition to seismic blasting and the gas development in the Otway Basin,” he said.

“When people find out what it is, they are generally pretty horrified and ask what they can do to help stop it.”

There are currently multiple proposals for seismic testing and test drilling off the Victorian coast.

Mr Pope said multinational companies were proposing to seismic blast 5.5 million hectares of the Otway Basin, an area almost the size of Tasmania.

“They will release blasts in the water that are as loud as an atomic bomb, measured at 259 decibels. These go off every 10 seconds, 24 hours a day, for up to 400 days,” Mr Pope said.

The rally is one of three major rallies and one of 10 events along the Great Ocean Road, consisting of rallies, street marches, paddle-outs, and film screenings of the Surfrider Foundation’s ‘Southern Blast.’

OCEAN founder Lisa Deppeler says the summer campaign will spotlight the current proposal by TGS and Schlumberger to 3D seismic blast 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.”

Mr pope said he hoped the rally would ignite strong community opposition to the proposal and pressure local MPs to advocate against seismic blasting

“We urge our MPs to represent the community’s voice and actively oppose seismic blasting, especially this project,” he said.