Grapes of wrath as vineyards resist fracking SARAH MARTIN THE AUSTRALIAN JANUARY 27, 2014 12:00AM Pete Balnaves, vineyard manager from Balnaves of Coonawarra, attended yesterdays rally to protest against drill rigs. Picture: James Elsby Source: News Limited ONE of the nations most prestigious wine regions - the Coonawarra, on South Australias Limestone Coast - has emerged as the latest battleground in the conflict between mining interests and agriculturalists. The areas shale gas deposits are being targeted by the mining sector, raising fears that hydraulic fracturing - or fracking -- will contaminate the regions precious underground water reserves. The Coonawarra Grape and Wine Association said the government should follow the lead of the NSW and Victorian governments and restrict exploration in prime agricultural areas. President Allen Jenkins said the regions water resource was too precious to be put at risk. We would like there to be a much more conservative approach, he said. We dont think they should be drilling for gas and mining for gas in areas where we have precious groundwater and high value agricultural land. It is internationally recognised as a world-class wine region and I think generally people would be appalled if the Coonawarra was to be put at risk. Yesterday, members of the newly formed Lock the Gate alliance, which is modelled on interstate campaign groups, rallied near Penola, 388km south east of Adelaide, to protest against drill rigs erected by Beach Energy. About 150 people attended the rally, including Pete Balnaves, vineyard manager from Balnaves of Coonawarra. He said the government should take a precautionary approach to protecting the water resource of the Otway Basin, which supported agriculture in the region. Viticulture has been in this region as have other water-intensive industries for over 100 years and it is really concerning that due consideration doesnt appear to be given to the existing industries, he said. Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the government would not follow the hysterical approach of the NSW and Victorian Liberal governments in restricting drilling activity. We have been hydraulic fracturing and stimulating basins for release of oil and gas since the 1960s and nowhere in Australia has an aquifer been polluted by the process, he said. I will not be banning hydraulic fracturing of our basins ... because this states future prosperity is reliant on oil and gas. Beach Energy managing director Reg Nelson said the company was using a tested technique of drilling within steel and cement casing. We take our time to get this right, and this process is essential before we drill deeper and place additional layers of steel casing and cement, he said. We have undertaken this process for decades in the Cooper and Otway Basins without incident, where aquifers occur.
Posted on: Mon, 27 Jan 2014 23:37:21 +0000
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