Film festival blasts off

MORE than 150 people packed into the Aireys Inlet Pub last week to learn more about an environmental issue with local implications.

Surfrider Foundation’s inaugural Seismic Blasting Film Festival featured six feature films which detailed the adverse effects seismic blasting could have on local marine life.

Seismic blasting involves ships towing airguns and sound receivers through the water. These devices release intense blasts of sound into the ocean to map the ocean floor.

Data company TGS and energy company SLB have proposed a major seismic blasting project for the Otway Basin.

Surfrider Foundation are among the many groups opposing the developments and believe there is “no safe way” to carry out the practice without disrupting local ecosystems.

Foundation secretary Darren Noyes-Brown said the film festival event was an absolute showstopper.

“The turnout was just incredible; it was a complete sell-out. Incredible for a Wednesday night.

“There were many people in attendance who were aware of the issue, and fantastically, plenty who weren’t and just wanted to find out more.

“For us, it’s pretty heartening so many people are concerned about the impacts of seismic blasting, and the negative effects it could have on our ocean.”

The Seismic Blasting Film Festival also included a Q&A panel with film-makers, as well as chanting and petition signing to send off to local MPs.

Mr Noyes-Brown said there was a chance the film festival could pop up in other parts of Australia.

“It seemed like a thing, and something we could roll out in other places.

“While it’s a negative topic, people are keen to come out and take action.

“It’s such a big issue, and if we can get more eyes on it and more opposition against it, it’ll go a long way in stopping this from happening.”