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Operation Kimberley Miinimbi: the Campaign
Sunday, 16 Sep, 2012
With Woodside proposing the construction of the second largest gas processing plant in the world at Walmadan, Sea Shepherd launched 'Operation Kimberley Miinimbi' in order to bring worldwide attention to the Kimberley coastline and show the world what we all stand to lose if the development goes ahead.
In 2012, Sea Shepherd received a letter from Joseph Roe, Phillip Roe and Richard Hunter, Senior Law Bosses of the Goolarabooloo people, whose country the proposed gas hub would be built upon.
"The Goolarabooloo People along with our friends from around the world are fighting to save this Country from destruction. Our Sea Country here is the home of the Humpback whale. We have seen the work you have done to protect the whales in the Southern Ocean. We would appreciate any support you can give us to protect the Humpback in our Sea Country from the proposal to build an industrial port at James Price Point for LNG export." -- Senior Law Bosses, Joseph Roe, Phillip Roe and Richard Hunter.
To pay our respect to the Goolarabooloo Traditional Owners, we are naming our visit, Operation Kimberley Miinimbi, the Goolarabooloo name for humpback whale and to take the lead on this campaign is Bob Brown, Sea Shepherd advisory board member and former leader of the Australian Greens Party.
Bob Brown pictured with Sea Shepherd Australia Managing Director Jeff Hansen.
"There are alternative sites for Woodside's factory, but not for the whale nursery there - or the living Indigenous culture, including the songline-linked dinosaur tracks, 130 million years old, on the shoreline of James Price Point. There are other, better options for where this major gas development could go. We know that several Woodside’s partners would also prefer it go elsewhere. In my talks with Shell, it, for one, is happy to move the project. I have written to the Woodside Board, and will ask them to consider alternative sites" - Campaign Leader Bob Brown
The Steve Irwin will conduct a number of voyages with media and traditional owners from Broome to Walmadan as a vigil to draw attention to the prolific calving that goes on at the proposed site region showing the world that the proposed site really is a nursery for the majestic humpback whale.
Having massive gas export facilities at James Price Point would be like trying to have and nurture a baby right next to the noise of an airport while having trucks going right through your house; the peace and tranquillity of the humpbacks' world would be shattered.
A humpback whale off Walmadan, WA.
WATCH AND SHARE our Operation Kimberley Miinimbi introductory video