We protect what we love

FRIDAY 26.05.2023.

Good morning running enthusiasts and nature lovers.

The FWP team has had a few adventures take place over the past week. Paige has landed back in Australia after a year of uni and running for Wolfpack in the US. She also attended a POW event on Tuesday with Dad and Gus in tow. Will has been scoping out possible TRACTION sites in the Illawarra escarpment, looking for areas that might need some rubbish cleanup, weeding, trail maintenance etc. and Hilary has been busy in event world, with CAMP FWP next weekend, Pilliga Ultra in September and a brand spanking new ultramarathon coming to East Gippsland in November 2023 - more details here!

I did the Four Gorges Cycle last Saturday in Ku-ring-gai country - a popular ride amongst Sydney cyclists and includes Bobbin head (twice), Galston Gorge and Berowra Waters. The descent into Galston Gorge was unpleasant to say the least. With a car on my tail, 5 hairpin turns and a -5 degree wind chill factor, my internal dialogue was "why do I do this to myself?". The thought of sunlight and warmth did help propel me up the steep hill on the other side, and it was a balmy 9 degrees by the time I got home. There's nothing better than a steaming hot shower after a cold workout.

Nothing like a 7am, 3 degree ferry ride. You can see the cold in this photo, Berowra/Ku-ring-gai.

In this week's newsletter, Will provides a project update on coal seam gas mining in the Pilliga. We introduce you to a Wilderness Society initiative - 'Wild cuts for Wildlife' and we summarise last week's trail chat with Melissa Robertson and link you to the video recording. We hope you enjoy today's read.

PILLIGA COAL SEAM GAS MINING

Project update, by Will

The Pilliga Ultra is a run to keep the Pilliga wild. But keep it wild from what? A massive coal seam gas development that proposes to build 850 gas wells on up to 425 well pads for gas processing and water treatment facilities. We’re running to support the Gomeroi people and local communities in their campaign to halt this development and protect the Pilliga.

Why keep the Pilliga wild?

As the last remaining substantial intact temperate forest in Australia, the Pilliga is a precious eco-system and essential biodiversity hotspot. It has species that are unique to its environment, existing nowhere else in the world. 

It’s become a refuge, due to land clearing in other parts of the country, for a range of fauna groups including reptiles, frogs, birds and invertebrates such as decapod crustaceans, pupillid land snails and butterflies. It has over 230 recorded bird species, over 900 plant species with 10 threatened plant species, 27 threatened animal species, and three endangered ecological communities. It’s sacred land for Gomeroi and Wailwan First Nations peoples and sits on the Great Artesian Basin, the world’s largest artesian basin and the major water supply for Australia.

It’s critical that the Pilliga is protected. Its resilience needs to be maintained and built - not destroyed.

Why would anyone want to industrialise the Pilliga?

The mining company behind the proposal, Santos, is keen to profit from the development. It argues the project will contribute to the energy security of NSW and help drive down the cost of electricity. Scott Morrison was keen for the project to lead the COVID-19 ‘gas-led recovery’. 

But the economic arguments don’t weigh up. Gas produced from this project will be high cost - due to the cost of production - so it will not drive down energy prices for businesses and households in Australia. And we already have well enough gas for Australia’s domestic supply. This project is set to produce 75 petajoules a year while Australia already exports more than 3000 petajoules of gas annually. If we were short, we could divert some of the exported gas.

Then there’s the climate impact. This project will add about 5 MtCO2 annually to Australia’s direct emissions at a time when we need to drastically reduce emissions every year.

When the NSW planning department was considering the proposal, they received over 23,000 submissions, of which 98% were opposed.

So, where’s it all at?

It’s important to note that the project is a long way from final approval. It has received some approvals under planning, resource and environmental laws but still faces significant hurdles.

There are three separate elements to this project, each requiring a separate approvals process. There is the CSG project itself; it was approved as a State Significant Development (SSD) in late 2020, under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act (EPA Act), by the Independent Planning Commission (IPC). It was also approved under the federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act). The other two elements are the Lateral Pipeline - which moves the gas from the project site to the Hunter Gas Pipeline (HGP) and the HGP itself - which transports the gas down to Newcastle where it will connect with the Sydney Newcastle Liquids Pipeline. Without any one of these components, the project is not viable. On top of all this is Santos’ new exploration program onto the Liverpool Plains, which would see the expansion of the development.

The project’s approval as a SSD involves 4 phases. Phase 1 - exploration and appraisal - has started but is not yet complete. Phase 2 is production, which hasn’t started and is contingent on approval of the Lateral and Hunter Gas pipelines. The commencement of Phase 3 of the project is contingent on the pipelines actually being built.

The Lateral Pipeline was declared Critical State Significant Infrastructure (CSSI) by Dominic Perrotett’s government. This means the development will be a fast-tracked, non-consultative development assessment process with no third-party legal appeal right against the project, without the consent of the minister. But it doesn’t mean the pipeline will definitely be built. There are still more planning hoops to jump through.

The HGP was approved way back in 2009 (under the now-repealed Part 3A planning process) and was acquired by Santos in 2022. It’s declared State Significant Infrastructure (SSI) but Santos needs to physically commence the project before October 15, 2024 or the SSI approval will lapse.

So the project is a long way from final approval, meaning local communities have time to stand up and say no.

What’s next?

In the lead-up to the Pilliga Ultra we’ll be looking at different aspects of the campaign to keep the Pilliga protected. This newsletter will feature articles on how the CSG project threatens the cultural heritage of the Gomeroi and Wailwan First Nations peoples, water security, biodiversity and endangered species, community democracy and more.

So stay in touch and let us know your thoughts on the project.

Better yet, sign up for the Pilliga Ultra today and help keep the Pilliga wild!

TRAIL CHAT #13

With Melissa Robertson

Our chat with Melissa covered a lot including her journey from bushwalking and obstacle racing into running. She told us about her first ultra experience in the Great North Walks Trail Ultra Marathons - in which she not only won but broke the 100k course record!

We then heard about the valuable lessons she learnt from a failed attempt at a 100 miler (and a scary bout of dehydration) that led to her becoming a seasoned and championed runner at the 100 and 200-mile distances. Her insights into preparation, training and participating in such long races are really interesting.

She then talked us through the fascinating experience of running the Barkley! The Barkley Marathon is a famous ultra-trail marathon held in Frozen Head State Park in Tennessee, US. It's a punishing course of 5 loops, for a total of over 100 miles. On top of that, participants are running in sub-zero temperatures with no GPS for course direction. Runners follow maps and need to return with pages ripped from books stationed along the course! Melissa also told us about the quirky entry, check-in and race start processes which is very entertaining.

Finally, we heard about Melissa's plans for the coming year and finding joy in running trails, especially ones that are difficult to access. You can tune into the conversation here.

⛰️ ☀️ ⛰️

WILD CUTS FOR WILDLIFE

Rock a wild hairstyle for wildlife

Source: The Wilderness Society.

Your hair will grow back, but once wildlife is extinct, it’s gone for good.

Wild Cuts for Wildlife is an initiative by The Wilderness Society (TWS) that raises funds to protect our precious wildlife and their habitats. Participants sign up, raise funds, choose their wild cut (I’m a fan of the mullet at the moment, the grottier the better, so why not dedicate one to a turtle?) and make a difference. The money raised will power The Wilderness Society to advocate for the biodiversity in this world that makes your life possible.

Meet Ally

Ally works at TWS and is a huge supporter (and member!) of FWP. Her wild cut will be inspired by the Eastern Rosella. In her own words about why the Eastern Rosella:

The Eastern Rosella. Source.

"I've loved these little rainbow beauties since I was a kid, the inspiration for my wild cut. When we moved into our house in 1989, the previous residents left behind an aviary with one lonely Eastern Rosella who we "inherited". 

Our best guess was that they'd let the birds out of the aviary and this fella had decided to stay. Another bird, who we assumed was his mate, came back for regular visits until he crossed the rainbow bridge a few years later.

I see Eastern Rosellas on beautiful Ngunnawal/Ngambri country at least once a week - watching them forage for grass seeds and flying free makes me think of my little friend."

So, how what will a Rosella-inspired haircut look like? Ally has set a goal of $1000, and on 9 June she will have her hair cut at Doppleganger Newtown. The image on the left shows how Ally will cut/dye her hair based on the funds raised.

We will post a picture when Ally's hair is cut/dyed. You can learn more about this TWS initiative here and/or donate to Ally here.

NEXT WEEK

Next week's newsletter will be coming to you from Mount Hotham on Gunaikurnai, Taungurung and Jaithmathang country. We'll provide you with some pics and a brief summary of the energy and atmosphere on night 1 at FWP camp, as a little taster for what is to come the subsequent week.

And as always, thank you for taking the time for wild places.

Elanor (she/her), Will (he/him) & the For Wild Places team

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UPCOMING EVENTS

01-03/06 Camp FWP: Mt Hotham | Register

15/06 Trail Chat #14: Jake Fedorowski | RSVP

17/06 TRACTION: Darebin Creek | RSVP

24/06 TRACTION: Plenty River | RSVP

We acknowledge the the First Nations people who have been custodians of land, waters and culture for tens of thousands of years. We pay respects to First Nations Elders past, present and emerging.

This email was compiled on Darug nation lands. To these people, we pay our respects.

Always was, always will be.