Together they stopped an invasion.
Mt Barney Lodge owners, Innes & Tracey Larkin, were integral in the fight against CSG (Coal Seam Gas) in the Scenic Rim. Innes is the spokesperson for Keep The Scenic Rim Scenic (KTSRS) and Tracey was the communications and events coordinator for 2012-2023. Tracey was also an Exectuive Producer in a short film commissioned by Little Drum Pictures for the Moving Mountains exhibition.
In July 2023 the exhibition “Moving Mountains” opened at The Centre, Beaudesert, to a sold-out crowd. The popularity of learning about this important time in our local history was obvious, and due to the exhibitions popularity, the exhibit has been extended until 14th October 2023.
Here is what you can see on display. Posters, banners and stories from the Scenic Rim-wide event that took place on 16th October 2011, where more than 1000 people in the Scenic Rim region took part in a monumental event called Protesters on Peaks.
For many in this region, the idea of a police-defiant protest was so far outside their comfort zone, that it felt like the inevitabloe action might not happen. But the love of the land does something to a person. Farmers, local business owners, land owners and those that came to the region because of its beauty all rallied together. The 10-day Kerry Blockade was the place. It was a David and Goliath fight. Every-day Australians went up against a multinational corporation – Arrow Energy. See the history of this event at the exhibition.,
NSW teacher Daniel Robins took everyone by suprise at the Kerry Blockade. Just as it appeared all the day-2 morning arrests were done and drilling was about to start,he jumped fence and climbed the drill rig. The 28-year-old was fired up – he’d come here from Queensland’s Tara gasfield where he’d met families whose children had relentless blood noses and headaches. He’d seen first hand the giant webs of gas wells, access roads, pipelines … and gas company trucks dumping unprocessed toxic drilling waste water on roads as dust suppression. His story is told in full in the gallery.
Arrow Energy is jointly owned by Petrochina and Royal Dutch Shell (20% English, 30% Dutch, 50% Chinese and 0% Australian). Their vision for our region appeared to be well planned already. The company was quoted in media reports at the time saying it had found enough gas in the Scenic Rim to help meet demand for south-east Queensland supplies.
But what they didn’t mention is what the exploration of the area for gas, and what the mining of this gas then looks like. Arrow Energy quietly went around sourcing exploration permits. If you haven’t heard of what this means before, it means that you don’t really own your land. You could have a prosperous agriculture farm but, if a company sources an exploration permit, they could be drilling as close as 200m from your home, in your fields, and next to your water supply. Come and see how the Scenic Rim community make Arrow “go further away”!
Find out more about the exhibition, then see it in person Tuesday-Friday 10am till 4pm and 10am till 2pm Saturday.
Thank you to so many who gave their time, their blood, sweat and tears, who risked arrest, who were arrested and who never gave up the fight.
You have shown us that ordinary people can make extraordinary things happen.
Heidi Ross, who worked tirelessly alongside Innes and Tracey, wrote a book about the fight to Keep The Scenic Rim Scenic, “Mongrel
Dogs of the Scenic Rim’. Purchase a hard copy of the book here: Purchase or read it online.
*Images and wording courtesy of Heidi Ross and Keep The Scenic Rim Scenic
