A motion put before council by mayor John Northcott could see the shire declared an “unconventional gas-free zone”. Cr Northcott said he had put the motion forward after “community pressure on myself”.

He said gas companies with an interest in Glenelg Shire and the south-west had been slow approaching local government. 

“That’s been one of the disappointing things. We’ve been talking about this for three or four months now and we’ve been waiting for the industry to come forward and talk to us but they haven’t,” Cr Northcott said.

“It probably would help their case if they did come forward and put their side to us.” 

At least one company is examining whether there is potential to extract unconventional gas in the Casterton area. 

The notice put to councillors argues that gas poses a risk to “water tables across the Otway basin where coastal towns and cities depend on underground water”.