Landowners in the Kerry Valley, near Beaudesert in south-east Queensland, have launched a peaceful blockade against Arrow Energy鈥檚 attempt to begin exploratory drilling for coal seam gas (CSG) in the Scenic Rim region.
The protest was organised by the community group . The blockade follows the success of similar blockades against CSG drilling that took place in the Liverpool Plains and Gloucester last year.
At least nine protesters were arrested at the blockade on January 13. Another protester, Daniel Robins, climbed Arrow Energy鈥檚 drilling rig and stayed up there overnight. He was still on the rig on the morning of January 14.
On January 10, locals the threat of a community blockade had caused Arrow Energy to back down after it removed a drilling rig from the Kerry site. But the company brought the rig back soon after.
Keep the Scenic Rim Scenic says it wants the drilling to stop to allow for scientific tests on how CSG mining affects the groundwater.
It also calls for an independent study into CSG鈥檚 impact on water in south-east Queensland and 鈥済enuine community consultation between Arrow and Scenic Rim residents鈥.
One Kerry farmer at the blockade Fairfax Media News on January 13: 鈥淲e are very concerned because our whole enterprise depends on groundwater. Now if they stuff it up, which they surely will do, then that鈥檚 the end of us and the end of a lot of other farms in this valley.鈥
Royal Dutch Shell and PetroChina jointly own Arrow Energy. In June, the company was for entering a property near Dalby without the landowner鈥檚 permission. In May, an Arrow Energy CSG well near Dalby , spewing a mix of methane and water 90 metres high for a day.
Supporters from other Queensland and NSW communities affected by CSG mining were reported to be headed to Kerry to join the community blockade.
In the January 14 Courier Mail, Arrow Energy took out a large advertisement in the jobs section, offering positions for a 鈥渕edia relations specialist鈥 and two 鈥渃ommunications officers鈥.
For more details about the blockade, or to donate to the campaign, visit http://www.keepthescenicrimscenic.com/