I heard about how a 71-year old great-grandmother, her friend a man,
and man’s best friend completed a more than 500km trek along the pipeline
routes from the Western Downs to Gladstone. June Norman and her friend Potts and
a chihuahua walked for 27 days to raise awareness about mining of coal seam gas.
In Gladstone they met with UN officials who were assessing the impact of coal
seam gas mining on the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef. Along the way the
travellers met with landholders, farmers and residents of communities affected
by the pipeline corridor.
Specimen hill on the Callide range in Dumgree is in private property not far off the Dawson highway. The hilltop offers views all around and cooling breezes especially during summer.
Reading
how a couple of septuagenarians and a tiny canine could do all that in less
than four weeks, inspired me to retrace my steps in the last couple of months.
From the Surat
basin to port of Gladstone is a good 550 kilometres of pipelines. Towards the
end of 2011 I had the opportunity to travel up to Gladstone and the Banana
shire in central Queensland.
I have worked at
both ends of the routes – from the Great Dividing Range in the Western Downs
region of the Surat basin to the Callide ranges inland from Gladstone on the
Pacific coast. These pipelines projects are going to be under construction for at least
a few more years before they’re fully operational. The routes diverge into
various alignments in parts but by legislative mandate are required to converge
in a single common corridor. The common corridors are not restricted to the CSG
and LNG industries but also other service providers with long and linear
infrastructure. These co-locations are within the Callide infrastructure
corridor and the northern infrastructure corridor.
We stayed in
Biloela until we got kicked out for overstaying our welcome. We exhausted all
options but there just was not any room at the inn. The only other option left,
save for sleeping under the stars, was a hotel in a town no one’s heard about,
Thangool.
My room had a cut out from a beer carton as a patch for a hole in the door.
We found last-gasp accommodation there but I would have gladly camped
out in the open but for lack of a swag. Under the management of some backpacking
Irish lasses, the derelict unsafe uninhabitable building advertised as a hotel
was still doing a rip-roaring trade. Every night we were haunted by the
eeriness and kept awake by 24-hour noise masquerading as music.
It had no lock, no chair, no air-conditioning, no can. No can do.
I even shared a
room with a workmate. We spent three days at this ‘hotel’ before some rooms
were freed up at a motel back in Biloela.
For a few weeks,
we travelled the Leichhardt, Dawson and Bruce Highways and many of the roads through
Mt Alma, Gladstone, Mt Larcom, Calliope, Targinnie, Yarwun, etc. I was only in
this part of the world for a brief period, so I took my time. I hastened very
slowly, and made sure to smell the flowers.
Specimen hill on the Callide range in Dumgree is in private property not far off the Dawson highway. The hilltop offers views all around and cooling breezes especially during summer.
Access is from
the narrow winding hilly Coal road.
Down the steep
and treacherous parts of the Callide range, Dawson Highway snakes along before
straightening up down the rolling plains leading to the back roads of Mt Alma.
I’m walking down
that long and lonesome road babe... where I'm bound, who can tell?
In the solitude
of these country roads, we get to meet some lonesome creatures, like this dog
by its lonesome. Or is this a donkey, a rabbit?
Amidst the dull and sparse dark green vegetation are patches
of nature that brighten up the day. The unexpected splash of colour is a pleasant surprise.
I wonder if this family of oz can trace their roots back to Mainit, or
to the wizard. I contemplated such possibilities that day as I worked in Gladstone road in Yarwun.
Eight major pipeline routes (operational and under construction) intersect various existing infrastructure such as at least eight highways/major roads, eight rail crossings and power lines. In the vicinity of these routes are eight state forests and reserves including the Great Dividing Range, the Callide ranges and Mt Larcom ranges. About two-thirds of the affected land is under freehold tenure (privately-owned land).
Pollution of waters due to uncontrolled release of chemicals used in construction is a very realistic threat.
We were oblivious to all these, going about our business, navigating streams and creeks, trekking steep hillsides and slipping and sliding down gullies.
One day one of our
teams almost got trapped in the middle of a forest fire. There is no greater
horror when one is caught in a raging inferno. As a child growing up in the mountains of the Cordillera, I had a experience of this. Since then I have dreaded every hot and dry summer season when the forest fires inevitably light up.
Out in the
gasfields and pipelines is often desolate. One could easily get disoriented if
not lost. We are required to carry communications equipment including GPS
trackers and satellite phones for emergency. Water is very important when going
bush especially in the summer heat. It is rare to meet another person while out
at the pipelines. Most other creatures we meet are the wildlife: kangaroos
wallabies emus birds etc.
Many times we encounter cattle. Cattle are best
left alone. Pipelines do not wish to injure or impact on stock and risk the ire
of farmers.
Lantana weed is poisonous to cattle stock. Lantana forms dense thickets that smother native vegetation. These thickets become impenetrable for animals, people and vehicles. They are spread by fruit‐eating birds but mostly by people.
Eight major pipeline routes (operational and under construction) intersect various existing infrastructure such as at least eight highways/major roads, eight rail crossings and power lines. In the vicinity of these routes are eight state forests and reserves including the Great Dividing Range, the Callide ranges and Mt Larcom ranges. About two-thirds of the affected land is under freehold tenure (privately-owned land).
Targinnie north
of Gladstone lies between Mt Larcom and the coast. It is surrounded by state
forests, ‘the narrows’ strait and Curtis Island including national park and
state development area. Lined by red dirt roads, this area is just a little east of the 151 degree meridian.
The port of
Gladstone is a busy hive of construction activity. However construction activity does impact adversely on the harbour. A chemical manufacturing company is presently being investigated for releasing unacceptable levels of cyanide into the harbour. Waste water released into waterways goes beyond the harbour to the reefs and oceans.
Not far from Gladstone off the tropic of Capricorn lies The Great Barrier Reef, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. This national treasure is caught in the middle of a stoush between the resource giants (billion-dollar corporations) who insist on their stewardship, and the grassroots and green groups who argue the reef's survival is in the balance and that the reef's World Heritage listing is in danger. The UN agency UNESCO in charge of World Heritage sites has waded in to investigate the state of the reef over concerns about the environmental impact of the mining industry and coal and gas ports.
Meanwhile, upstream from the harbour, various pipeline activities affect and disturb many of the headwaters resulting in altered water quality, sediment and nutrient flows. The mining head honchos need to implement groundwater management plans, else send them all to rogues gallery, on the waters of oblivion.
Construction runoffs result in sedimentation and eutrophication of aquatic habitats and changes to stream flow.
Pollution of waters due to uncontrolled release of chemicals used in construction is a very realistic threat.
We were oblivious to all these, going about our business, navigating streams and creeks, trekking steep hillsides and slipping and sliding down gullies.
There are at
least 100 watercourses intersected by pipelines including at least 30 creeks. Many are unnamed intermittent creeks.
Pipelines impact
on the topography and natural landforms and should give due consideration to the
environment. The steeply sloping areas are expected to constrain pipeline
construction along the proposed routes. Similarly, crossings of significant
high river banks require careful management.
Always we were
on the lookout for the ever present danger of snakes and bushfires. Fires occur
naturally and artificially (deliberate backburning). By the same token, project
construction activities increase the likelihood of bushfires and
therefore should aim to not initiate bushfires or alter fire regimes. They
should consult with relevant authorities to develop and implement fire
management plans.
Part of our
daily routine is to conduct a pre-start meeting where we talk about health and
safety topics and possible risks we might encounter at work during the day. On
any given day, the risk or danger associated with one thing may be greater than
with others. But most of the things we are very mindful of are: bushfires,
snakes, dehydration, heat stress, slips trips falls, wet weather, deep
waterways, fatigue, wildlife, etc.
The risk
assessments that are hammered into us at work, should also be followed when not
in work, at home and at play. Of course it’s not all work and no play for this odysseying
man. We worked professionally and efficiently but at the same time took time to
take in nature’s handiwork. The rough hilly range, the rolling plain and
winding creek and river, all coloured by the eucalypt and the wattle and the
wildflower. From the mountain to the sea, pasture to port, there’s steep cliff
and deep reef, and beef and fish.
A kangaroo roadkill on the Dawson Highway.
The increased potential for road kills along access ways also elevates mortality risks for some species.
The pipelines
projects span several local government areas: Central Highlands RC, Western
Downs RC, Maranoa RC, Banana RC, Gladstone RC, North Burnett RC. These are in
the vicinity of the towns of Tara, Kogan, Dalby, Chinchilla, Miles, Roma,
Wandoan, Taroom, Theodore, Moura, Thangool Biloela, Calliope, Mt Larcom and
Gladstone. Of course the tens of thousands of CSG wells and gas fields in the Surat and Bowen basins of Queensland span out to more than these areas.
The pipeline routes have been planned to avoid residential areas. These key residential and recreational areas along the pipeline routes associated with the townships have strong community bonds, friendly
nature, and value the country and the lifestyle. The local economy is booming and
businesses catering to the needs of pipeline workers are kept busy 24/7. These
communities however desire a balance between community lifestyle, development
and the environment. Some of the issues indeed are in need of quick resolution so
that projects can proceed smoothly and communities are not under threat.
Ultimately the importance of the environment should
prevail over development, and that any unwanted development be stopped in favour
of preserving the natural resources. Developments that do stimulate local growth
and which seek to enhance the character and heritage of the community should be
encouraged and supported.
Prickly pear cacti
The movement of machinery and vehicles between
areas has the potential to spread weeds, and although pipeline companies aim to prevent the
spread of these weeds, the establishment of environmental weeds, has the potential to destroy natural flora and their habitat.
There are numerous other identified environmental issues that have to be addressed by pipeline projects. The routes are within the terrestrial environment of the brigalow belt although only about 2% is actually protected, and most of the region is good quality agricultural and pastoral lands. Other regional ecosystems and threatened ecological communities are the semi-evergreen vine thickets and weeping myall woodlands. Based on habitat preferences there are hundreds of flora, fauna, and bird species present along the alignments.
Other identified issues impacting the environment include: noise and increased human activity, traffic and transport, topography and landscape, community and heritage, soil erosion and sediment control especially in the brigalow plains and melon hole (gilgai) country.
All these issues and more are in urgent need of attention, or well may we ask "what price development?"
All these issues and more are in urgent need of attention, or well may we ask "what price development?"