A new centre for the Geological Survey of Victoria has been opened in Warrnambool.
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The Geoscience Centre, based at Warrnambool’s Deakin University campus, was opened by Victoria’s lead scientist Dr Amanda Caples on Thursday.
The new office is staffed by a growing team of 12, eight of whom are geoscientists.
The centre’s prime task is to complete geoscientific and environmental studies for the Victorian Gas Program, which is assessing the potential for new discoveries of onshore conventional gas and offshore gas.
The program is also evaluating the many depleted onshore gasfields around Port Campbell to understand if Victoria’s underground gas storage capacity could be expanded.
Through the program’s community engagement team, now based at the new office, around 200 meetings have taken place with a wide range of local groups to ensure the activities being delivered are understood.
Representatives of these groups attended the office opening.
Dr Caples said it was wonderful to see scientific employment opportunities being created in regional Victoria.
“The main focus of the Victorian Gas Program is the Otway Basin and it makes sense to establish a team in Warrnambool to be part of the community,” she said.
The new office includes a dedicated theatrette, where geoscientists can show 3D geological models of the Otway Basin.
Warrnambool’s Deaking University campus director Alistair McCosh said the university was delighted to have the Geological Survey of Victoria on campus.
“We’re looking at what collaborations and knowledge exchanges can be developed,” he said.
“We welcome partnerships with industry and government to help broaden the use of this facility.”
An airborne gravity survey is currently flying over south west Victoria as part of the Victorian Gas Program’s geoscientific studies into the potential for new gas discoveries.
Depending on weather conditions, the planes are flying seven days a week during daylight hours mapping nearly 16,000 square kilometres over the council areas of Colac Otway, Corangamite, Moyne, Warrnambool, Southern Grampians and Glenelg and up to 18 kilometres offshore.
Extracting gas via fracking is banned in Victoria and there is a moratorium on new onshore conventional gas exploration and development until mid-2020.
