A large crowd gathered at the Warrnambool breakwater on the weekend to put a stop to proposed "barbaric" and "senseless" seismic testing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hundreds of protesters poured onto the foreshore on Sunday, January 21 to unite against potential action by multinational companies to conduct seismic blasting in the Otway Basin.
About half of the crowd then entered the water as part of the Great Ocean Rescue Tour event, taking each other hand-in-hand to sing songs in a show of unity.
Otway Coastal Environment Action Network representative and event part-organiser Lisa Deppeler said she was confident consistent community push back would end the plans which include testing across 4000-square kilometres of south-west coastline.
"We are blowing the lid off seismic blasting," she said.
"We are going to win this battle ... In the not too distant future we are going to look back at this as this barbaric senseless thing we used to do to our ocean."
Western Victoria Greens MP Sarah Mansfield said feedback about the proposal had been immense.
"It's incredible to see so many people here fighting against oil and gas exploration and seismic blasting off the coast," she said.
"I have heard from so many people across western Victoria about how they don't want this to go on in our waters, and what could potentially be happening."
Gunditjmara woman and whale dreaming custodian Yaraan Couzens Bundle said "everyone (had) a place of belonging in the story of caring for country".
"(We're) bringing back the old systems of caring for country that my people have done for thousands of years," she said.
"We're honouring Koontapool (Southern Right Whales) and those beautiful birthing and calving grounds we're fighting to protect."
"...This is a continuation of those birth rights and honouring the country here and the sea country and that salt water that's in our blood and sharing that connection with you all."
