Koalas in Dalby State Forest at risk from expansion of Arrow Energy’s Surat Gas Project, claim Lock The Gate Alliance

An environmental group and a multinational gas company are in dispute over claims that an expansion of a 27-year gas project would impact endangered koala populations. DETAILS

An environmental group fighting against gas drilling in the Western Downs has released footage showing koalas living in an 144ha area slated to be cleared as part of a multinational coal seam gas company’s planned expansion.

Late last year, Lock the Gate Alliance used a thermal drone to find the endangered koalas in the Dalby State Forest, which Arrow Energy will clear as part of the ongoing Surat Gas Project.

The SGP is Arrow Energy’s 27-year project and is expected to comprise of up to 2500 gas wells producing 4000 petajoules of gas over the life of the project.

Lock the Gate Alliance said they had appealed against plans to expand into Dalby State Forest to drill 39 new gas wells and build access roads and pipelines, however despite their appeals it was granted final approval last month.

Thermal drone vision has revealed koalas living in a Western Downs forest earmarked for clearing by a multinational coal seam gas company.

“Our drone footage shows this public forest supports a population of endangered koalas. Unfortunately, the Queensland Government has decided to favour Arrow’s expansion plans over the fate of Queensland’s koalas,” Lock the Gate Alliance national co-ordinator Ellen Roberts said in a press release.

“This remaining island of intact habitat ought to be protected. Gas companies like Arrow have already sliced and diced much of the Western Downs, fragmenting native forest and farmland.

“We have long held concerns that the cumulative impacts of creeping coal seam gas amendments and expansions is leading to a death by a thousand cuts for endangered species like the koala.

“Koalas are already endangered. Their population in Queensland plummeted by half in just 20 years. We need to make sure that they’re protected, including from clearing for new gas projects.

“Australian and Queensland environmental laws ought to take a species’ decline into consideration, so new expansions like Arrow’s are not blithely waved through.”

An Arrow Energy spokesperson rebutted the claims and said there would in fact be an increase of koala habitat.

“We agree that the environment needs to be protected, and that’s why we go above and beyond our regulatory requirements,” they said.

“Lock the Gate’s claims are misleading, and there will be no net loss of endangered species habitat – in fact, there will be a net gain due to the offsets we have in place.

“Prior to any work commencing, areas will be surveyed by qualified fauna spotters and no tree will be touched if there is a koala present.

“This area is an existing gas field, and our plans are essential for the delivery of electricity to the local grid to power homes and businesses.”