My family purchased our house at Somers when I was born. I have spent long lazy summers and cold invigorating winters at Western Port Bay. Each day I see the beach like a newborn with wonder and awe. The colours, tides, winds, clouds, rainbows, sounds and marine life bring with them a new daily combination and surprise. Secure in its beauty and unpolluted beaches, the subtle and dynamic changes of Westernport Bay are addictive. They are an integral part of my life memories from a childhood spent rowing my boat up the creek, swimming, fishing and sailing to a parent-hood sharing my special place with my children. They grew up swimming and boating with inquisitive dolphins, snorkelling the rock shelf and surfing.
It wasn’t always like this. There were dark times when in 1965 BP built a refinery for Crude Oil at Crib Point. Lights shone all night and a flame burned. Lumps of oil washed up on the beach at Somers along with dead Penguins and seals who were covered in black oil. After a trip to the beach we would have to wash outside with special detergent and throw away ruined towels and beach wear. Surf boards would be covered in thick oil. The rubbish from the tankers also washed up on the beach. Plastic containers and food waste thrown overboard. Fortunately, the refinery was closed down as it was not financially viable.
AGL maintain this would not happen again with their project. Do they really care? Have they done extensive risk management for the marine life in Western Port Bay? Will the mangroves which are fish breeding grounds and water filters, survive the proposed chlorine and water temperature changes. It is easy to pay a fine and leave the penguin, seal and dolphin carcasses washed up on the beach. AGL have extensive fines already for failing to meet emission targets, which indicate that the environment is not a priority.
Please save the pristine beauty of our bay and its marine life.
Please develop renewables for the future or our world.
