Thursday, December 3, 2009

Broome's Dinosaur footprints under threat

Broome Gantheaume Point

Broome dinosaurs footprints

can be seen at low tide. Riddell Beach is one of the truly beautiful natural landscapes of the Brome region. Red sand cliffs drop onto a white sandy beach lapped by the turquoise sea as Gantheaume Point wraps around towards town beach and Roebuck bay.But most important is the fact that Riddell beach was home to the famous

Megalosaurapus Broomensis

a meat eating therapod dinosaur that grew to approximately 9 metres and lived around the area during the late Cretaceous period.So few dinosaur footprints or trackways exist in Australia and the Gantheaume Point, Riddell beach area of Broome is a place where they are clearly visible at low tide and accessible to visitors. Broome Sauropod
Broome Theropod
Dinosaur footprints Broome
The proposed gas hub north of Broome will be a blight on the town of Broome if the Port facility is allowed to go ahead.

Now is the time to really save the Kimberleys.

Thursday, November 5, 2009

the Atlas Rig disaster continues

Oil spill continues

Still no success in capping the rig. Burning out of control. Heavy mud not working. How can we trust the oil industry to know what it's doing if they have no idea how to manage this kind of event. Please keep the Kimberley coast free from development!!!!

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Oil spill in the Timor Sea

Oil spill coats the surface

My friend Kara Burns was up photographing the oil spill from the West Atlas oil rig in the Montara Oil field in the Timor Sea, just 200 km off the North West Coast. She has given permission to publish these photos. The pristine environment has been covered with a thin film of oil that you can see as the clouds reflect on the oily surface of the water.
Kimberley oil spill slicK
What a mess!! The disaster started on the 21st August and we are only now getting information in the press.
The Environment Minister says oil dispersants are being used and will be for the next 10 days to break up the spill. Boat loads of refugees are quickly spotted in the area but a major oil spill is kept under wraps for over a month. sea snakeWhat sort of environmental watch dogs do we have in Australia to let this happen?

read more about the problem from the WWF website who sent the first boat into the region at the end of September.






Wednesday, September 23, 2009

The North West Coast

North West Marine Sanctuary Needed

As the weather warms up I have been adventuring off the North West coast, sailing around Port Hedland and being acompanied by whales on our way to Weirdy Is; snorkelling at Coral Bay with the miriad of fish and the exquisite lavender coral; and snorkelling at the Ningaloo Marine Park with the turtles, sharks and so many tropical fish that the water reminds me of a dot painting of vibrant colour; and swimming at 80 mile beach which is covered in beautiful shells. We are soooo lucky to have such a pristine environment to enjoy. The water brims with marine life. Recreational fishing restrictions are one way to protect fish species but I think a much more sustainable way is to creat marine sanctuaries such as Ningaloo.

WA has so few marine sanctuaries but work is underway to create a

"string of pearls along the whole coast".


http://www.dec.wa.gov.au/marine/marine-conservation/marine-parks-and-reserves.html

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Pilbara mining residue

Pilbara miners environmental vandals

The Pilbara is known for its mineral wealth and its beautiful hills and gorges. When the minerals have been extracted the scars left remain as a reminder of money made, lives lost and land degraded. On a recent trip to Karajini we went to Wittenoom Gorge and the site of the old blue asbestos mining town, now not much more than a ghost town. I was reminded of the negative impact of mineral extraction and the lack of accountability to clean up after themselves of those who make money from the extraction of the country's mineral wealth.

This includes governments who make enormous amounts of royalties.
Wittenoom slag heap


Uranium worries

And of course now that WA has Colin Barnett as Premier, uranium exploration and mining is full steam ahead in the Pilbara. Cameco expect to be operating their uranium mine in the East Pilbara in 3 years.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Flat out like a lizard drinking

lizard drinking

Jumping Goanna

If you travel in outback Australia you will often see cans carelessly discarded out of the car window. As Olive and I were coming back to Port Hedland from Yandeyarra we saw out to the side of the road a very strange site. It looked like a jumping can. On closer inspection we were alarmed to see a young goanna who had decided that he was in the mood for a party. We took him back to town and cut him free to grow up to become someone's dinner.

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Dust in Port Hedland


PortHedland dust

There has been much debate in Hedland in recent months about the dust in town and the possible health effects. Headland has recently been on cyclone watch as a rainbearing depression moved closer to the coast and crossed near town. As it came closer, the town was hit by a spectacular dust storm which preceded the rain.
If you want updated info about the dust visit the dust monitoring site which is updated hourly.