In January 2012, over the course of ten days, hundreds of landholders and supporters stood shoulder-to-shoulder, ‘blocking the gate’ to an Arrow Energy drill site in Kerry Valley.
The community wanted drilling to stop, so we could first make sure we had protection for our water supplies. We wanted baseline testing of farm and residential water bores; an independent study of the interconnected water systems which flow under the Scenic Rim, Brisbane and South-East Queensland, and possibly to the Great Artesian Basin; and we wanted agreement for genuine consultation.
On the first morning, 45 local residents blocked workers’ access to the drill rig. Arrow Energy used police to force entry and nine people were arrested.
The pattern continued for ten days and resulted in a total of 15 arrests, with significant disruption to drilling activities.
Over the course of the blockade, people came from far and wide to support us, including many from gas-affected communities across Australia.
On day ten, the drill rig pulled out, but not before crushing the hats of the farmers thrown in front of the gate in a dramatic last stand.
Over the course of the blockade, we couldn’t completely stop Arrow from drilling, but the company haemorrhaged financially with the delays and payments to police acting as security guards.
More importantly, it was a public relations nightmare: a mining giant was seen imposing itself on a local farming community.
Everyday Australians, from all walks of life, were heard saying ‘enough is enough’.
The impacts of resource extraction on our finite farmland and water resources have gone too far.
It’s time to put the future first, to protect what we have, for generations to follow.
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