SEPTEMBER 20, 2016: Jurien will declare itself Gasfield Free at a community celebration tomorrow (Wednesday September 21) at the Shire of Dandaragan's Jurien Bay Office.
The declaration follows an extensive survey of the community that saw members of the community go house to house, road by road asking their neighbours if they would like to declare the area gasfield free.
More than 90 per cent of respondents said yes to the declaration.
One of the senior coordinators of the survey, Jim Clarke from the Jurien Gasfield Free Group, said the results were a clear indication of the community’s concerns at moves by the onshore gas industry to get a foothold in the area.
“In making this declaration today we are sending a very clear message to the gas industry that it is not welcome in our community,” Mr Clarke said.
“Our land, our water and our existing agricultural and tourism industries are far more important than the interests of a short term invasive and dirty gas industry.
“This declaration shows that the gas industry does not have a social licence to operate in Jurien. We want to remain gasfield free and we are hoping that the industry respects that wish.”
"Jurien Bay Gasfield Free wishes to thank the Shire of Dandaragan for their support by accepting this declaration.
Mr Clarke said a current gas lease held by Norwest Energy covered parts of the Jurien area.
Jurien’s declaration follows that of its neighbour Cervantes, which declared itself gasfield free in June.
“Today’s event will be a celebration of our community and its overwhelming support for a gasfield free future, our water is much too precious to risk,” he said.
Jurien will become the latest in more than 400 communities around Australia who have declared themselves gasfield free. The most recent community to make the declaration was North Boyanup, in WA’s south west, which announced its own Gasfield Free status at a celebration last Sunday.
The official Gasfield Free Community Declaration will be made at 11.00 am tomorrow (Wednesday, September 21) at 69 Bashford Street, Jurien Bay.
Members of the public and the media are welcome to attend the event.