Background
Walmadany / James Price Point is part of one of the world’s longest pristine coastlines. With its striking red soil (‘pindan’) cliffs lining waters filled with life—fish, turtles, dugongs, humpback whales, corals and seagrasses. It’s remote and far from cities, towns with hardly any roads. This Country, rich in history, culture, songlines, and storytelling, is home to the Jabirr Jabirr and Goolorabooloo people and has been for a long time.
The Campaign
The government wasn’t as keen on dropping the idea and tried to revive the project in 2015, which ultimately failed due to a lack of proponents willing to build. Premier Barnett, keen to keep the project active, promised conservationists 500,000 + 2.5 million hectare expansions to the existing park areas in the Kimberley region. Despite concerns of loopholes, these expansions went through in 2016, leading to one of the most successful conservation outcomes in Australian history.
In August 2013, the Wilderness Society was joined by Goolarabooloo man, Richard Hunter, in the legal challenge against the Browse LNG Project at James Price Point.
The campaign also wouldn’t been possible without Dr Anne Poelina, Glen Klatovsky and Jenita Enevoldsen.
Legacy
“This globally significant outcome is a testament to people power. It shows that communities are capable of stopping inappropriate developments, even when those developments are worth $45 billion, lead by some of the most powerful companies in the world, and backed by governments.”—Wilderness News, Issue Autumn 2013, pg 3