AGL’s proposal to install a Floating Storage Regasification Unit at berth 2 of the Woolley’s Beach jetty, and APA’s accompanying pipeline to Pakenham.

In the last few weeks we have seen the transformation of the Woolley’s Beach jetty and the land around it.

We know that around every five years Subsea 7 come in and undertake set up the works to accommodate the Cooper Sole pipe spooling project.

We have seen a truck with ‘AGN’ (Australian Gas Network) on its side which apparently is another word for APA, the pipeline company appointed by AGL to transport their freshly liquefied gas from Crib Point, across some of Victoria’s most abundant food growing and agricultural land.

There are excavators, pylon diggers and quite an array of serious looking equipment which is making everyone around here who cares about the environment, marine life, bird life of Westernport very jittery.

This is what AGL say:

Current works at Crib Point Jetty
The Port of Hastings Development Authority has commenced the jetty remediation works at the Crib Point site which currently consists of inspection and testing works on the jetty. These works are being undertaken to prepare the site for AGL’s gas import project should the project receive approvals to proceed. These works are being underwritten by AGL. The construction component of remediation work won’t commence until next year.

Approvals for these early works have been sought and received under the Coastal Management Act.

The Cooper Sole pipe spooling project has also received its approval and will commence in the next few months. The site is currently being set up with site sheds and survey markers to accommodate the pipe spooling project. APA is continuing with their survey activities along the entire pipeline route, including at the Crib Point end of line facility in preparation for making their application for a licence to construct the pipeline. 

Works associated with the AGL FSRU project have not commenced on site.

In the bigger picture though, if AGL decide that this will not be financially viable and end up abandoning their FSRU project, or the environmental approvals do not stack up, and the risk assessments render it not feasible; we will have a jetty ‘upgraded’ and ready-and-waiting for the next large shipping industry to arrive.

And so this is our next fight, to stop any further industrialisation of Westernport Bay.

To have the land currently zoned for port use to be re-zoned into residential or/and recreational use. We want Westernport Bay to be preserved in its glorious ecological presence, the sister bay of Port Phillip, where wetlands, seagrasses and mangrove support the unique wild-life and in fact so much of life around this south eastern coastline of the Australian mainland.