Successful concert in Broome highlights Indigenous cultural concerns regarding proposed gas development

The Wilderness Society (WA) Inc
Media Release
29 March 2009

The Walmadany concert for heritage staged on Friday in Broome has drawn attention to the Indigenous cultural impacts of the proposed development of a major liquid natural gas (LNG) development at James Price Point (Walmadany) 50km North of Broome in the Kimberley region of WA.

On the invitation of Law Keeper and Custodian for the Goolaraboolo heritage Joseph Roe, musicians including The Pigram Brothers, John Butler and Rob Hirst (Midnight Oil), came together for a celebration of Indigenous cultural values. Local and national environment groups were proud to accept the invitation to support the event and provide information to concert goers on the night.

Joseph Roe said “Apart from the obvious environmental impact of such proposed industrialisation which has already been well documented, the significant issue of preservation of our aboriginal cultural and spiritual heritage has not been given due consideration.”

“If the threatened development goes ahead our country is gone for good. Our Country holds our heritage including burial sites, and most importantly the Song Cycle that runs through this country” Wilderness Society Spokesperson Josh Coates said “The environmental impacts of the proposed gas development would be devastating with the blasting and dredging of reefs and seabed for a deep water port impacting on significant species such as the Humpback whale, turtle and dugong, but the cultural impacts would be equally far reaching.

At one stage last night the musicians, the crowd of Indigenous and Non-Indigenous locals and visitors joined together to sing Kev Carmody's classic song ‘From little things big things grow’ led by Paul Kelly by video screened on the stage, it was a very moving moment.

We are proud to be able to support local people in their efforts to draw attention to the cultural impacts of this push to industrialise the Kimberley.”

Local environment group, Environs Kimberley Director, Martin Pritchard said “The bulldozing of around 3,000 hectares of bush affecting many rare species and communities including monsoonal vine thicket and bilbies in an area being investigated for national heritage listing is totally unacceptable.”

“The concert organised by Joseph Rowe was a real eye-opener to the Indigenous Cultural values of James Price Point, we believe the environmental and cultural impacts of this proposal are too great for it to go ahead.” said Mr Pritchard. 

Save The Kimberley spokesperson Peter Tucker said “We have been working for many years now to draw attention to the significance of the Kimberley region and the massive environmental and cultural danger that this proposed development represents. The significance of this concert uniting musicians and Indigenous people should not be underestimated.”