Musician John Butler will play a concert at Three Oceans Winery in November aimed at sending a message to the gas industry in Western Australia.
Frack Off! will feature the John Butler Trio, Broome’s Pigram Brothers representing the Kimberley region and Mama Kin and Ten Cent Shooters from the Margaret River region.
We can run these pirates out of town.
- John Butler
Kath and Kim-star and comedian Peter Rowsthorn will be in town to MC the event, which aims to highlight the the onshore gas industry's current push to explore and drill in exploration leases around the State.
Margaret River local and passionate Lock The Gate campaign supporter Butler said the gas industry was moving into the region at a rapid pace and was targeting the Whicher Range, 30km from Margaret River.
"Think about it this way, who has the most to gain by telling you that the onshore gas industry is safe? The industry itself,” he said.
“We have nothing to gain by having an onshore gas industry in our state but everything to lose.
“Our vested interest lies in our home and communities, our land, our water.”
Butler said the concert is being kept affordable for good reason.
“The ticket price is really cheap because we want as many people as possible to come along and get informed about what the gas industry has planned for our region and our state,” he said.
“We want the community to be empowered by knowing that we have a voice in this, and that there is something we can do about it.”
“We can run these pirates out of town."
Lisa Chatwin, spokesperson for the regional group Gasfield Free Southwest said the Whicher Range was a Priority One water resource area that supplied drinking water for the town of Margaret River.
"We are the driest continent on the planet, we can't afford to risk our drinking water,” Ms Chatwin said.
“The Whicher Range exploration permits overlies the Yarragadee aquifer, which is an important water resource for the whole southwest and for the Perth metropolitan area.
Spokesperson for Lock the Gate WA Jane Hammond said a growing number of communities across the state were declaring their districts off limits to fracking and other forms of unconventional gas extraction through Gasfield Free community declarations.
“Victoria is legislating a ban on all unconventional gas mining and the Northern Territory has a moratorium on fracking pending an inquiry,” Ms Hammond said.
“Communities in WA are not alone in standing up to this industry with places like New York State, France, Bulgaria, Spain and Scotland having already brought in bans on fracking,"
Several speakers will address the crowd at the concert, including Dayne Pratzky, star of the documentary 'Frackman', who will explain the impact of living on the frontline of the Queensland gas fields.
Frack Off! will be held at Three Oceans Winery on Saturday November 26 from 1.30pm to 7.30pm.
Adults $20 + BF; Children Under 12 $10 + BF; Babes in arms $Free
This is a licensed event - under 18's must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Tickets go on sale this Friday September 23 through www.3oceans.oztix.com.au and are strictly limited.
