Camden Sound Marine Park - Can it really protect the Kimberley Humpbacks from coastal LNG industrialisation?

The Kimberley coastline is one of the last remaining wilderness coastlines in Australia and the world.  With healthy ecosystems and populations of unique and endangered species, its global ecological significance is matched by its natural beauty and grandeur.

Turbo the Flatback Turtle Hatchling. Credit Hannah Seaward

The coast from Broome, up the Dampier Peninsular, and across to Camden Sound is the main calving area for the Kimberley Humpback whales, the largest population on earth.  Adjacent to Camden Sound is St George Basin, location of the largest remaining mangrove forest on earth and an important nursery for many invertebrates and fishes.

This whole marine and coastal area is home to many other large species including turtles (Loggerheads, Olive-ridleys, Leatherbacks and our endemic Flatbacks), Dugong, crocodiles, sharks (including the endemic Sawfish), rays, sea-snakes and dolphins including Bottle-nose and Indo-pacific humpbacked dolphins and the newly identified, endemic Snub-fin dolphin.

An estimated 20,000 Humpback Whales, including mothers and their newborns, are on their way home after spending winter in the warm waters just off WA's Kimberley coast.

Despite being a marine wonderland, currently the coastal waters of the spectacular Kimberley are completely unprotected. 

Sinister plans for our pristine Kimberley coast

Yet, West Australia’s Premier Colin Barnett has big plans for the Kimberley.

The site he has chosen for a large industrial port and gas (LNG) processing plant is James Price Point, north of Broome and near some of the highest densities of migrating Humpback cows and calves.  The area has also been shown to be a common foraging area for the Flatback turtle (Ref: Chevron report).  Construction and operation of the port, breakwater and shipping traffic will destroy and pollute important natural habitat as well as create huge physical and noise barriers to migrating Humpbacks and all marine fauna.

Premier Barnett’s solution to his planned devastating industrial site on pristine coast is a Marine Park some 250 kms north in Camden Sound to “protect our Kimberley Humpbacks”. However, there is growing public concern that the Marine Park will be too small and lack adequate ‘no-take’ sanctuaries to protect anything, including the whales. 

Kimberley Whale Watching research available at www.kimberleywhales.com.au

Based on the information available to date, the Premier’s proposed marine park will be a very poor attempt at a political ‘offset’ for his disastrous plans at James Price Point.

Mr Barnett, we don’t believe you - the Camden Sound Whale Sanctuary will not protect the largest population of Humpback whales in the world if the LNG industrial hub is sited at James Price Point.  If you really want to protect the Kimberley Humpbacks, pipe the gas to established LNG processing plants elsewhere, or use floating LNG technology – which Woodside is looking at using for its massive Sunrise fileds north of Darwin.

We are calling on the State and Commonwealth Governments to immediately rule out oil and gas development on the Kimberley coast and establish large marine sanctuaries* to protect the globally significant marine biodiversity in this region. These decisions would allow our Kimberley Humpback whales to thrive and thus provide a major economic boost to the region through whale watching and associated activities.

The bottom line is that no marine park in the Kimberley can protect the Humpbacks from the devastating impacts of large scale polluting industrial development in the region.

*’Marine sanctuary’ is the zone in a marine park afforded the highest level of protection - no extractive activities are allowed including mining and fishing.  In the Great Barrier Reef and Ningaloo Marine Parks, over 30% of the area is declared sanctuary.

What can you do?

To ensure that the Kimberley whales and their unique environment is protected forever, we urge you to write to or call Premier Barnett today - and urge him to stop the James Price Point development and create large marine sanctuaries where the most spectacular areas of the Kimberley can be preserved forever. 

Email: Premier.Barnett@dpc.wa.gov.au

Ph: (08) 9222 9888

You can also show your support for marine conservation in person by attending our latest Summer Sanctuary Series event - a sandcastle competition at Scarborough beach. Click here for details!

Want to volunteer for the Kimberley campaign? Contact renae.williams@wilderness.org.au