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The vast Nullarbor set to be dug up, covered in wind turbines and solar panels29th December 2024 A large section of the Nullarbor is currently under threat by proposals to build a massive "green energy" hub near Eucla, on the Western Australia side of the Nullarbor Plain. If this project is allowed to proceed it will see 3000 x 250 metre high wind turbines erected across this unique area, requiring huge amounts of concrete. Thousands of acres of fragile landscape will be put permanently in the shade by 25 million solar panel arrays, altering the ecosystems beneath them. Simply for the karst alone "the entire construction process, building of windmill footings, batching plants, footings for solar arrays, roadworks and trenching will cause major drainage and land disturbance, the latter being slow to heal, if at all, in an arid environment. Soil disturbances from roads, trenching, laydown areas for turbine construction, and footings for piping, will lead to in-cave siltation, changes to hydrological regimes and cave atmospheres. Runoff of disturbed soils during both the construction process itself, and coupled with any significant rain events, will result in landscape scarring, and pollution into caves, cavities and karst features. The latter is often unseen"(1). Important new scientific discoveries are being made every year in the Nullarbor, bringing to light ancient fossils and living creatures never seen before.
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Nullarbor We know times are tough, but even a few dollars can help fight the devastation planned for the Nullarbor Plain Please help the ASF Karst Conservation Fund!  See the ASF Conservation Commission website on the Nullarbor proposal for more information. |
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Conservation of the NullarborAn extensive section of the Nullarbor was proposed for World Heritage listing in 1992, citing the extensive and unique aspects of the karst, large and small scale karst landforms, ancient but well preserved paleo drainage systems, the coastal karst forms in the spectacular Bunda Cliffs and the Baxter Cliffs, spectacular subterranean lakes, an important suite of secondary minerals (many of which exist nowhere else in the world), a diverse invertebrate fauna (including the Nullarbor Blind Cave Spider, named as Australian Cave Animal of the Year in 2024), and significant fossil deposits of marsupial and mamalian fauna, some of which were already extinct before European arrival. The proposal also names the Nullarbor as "second only to Antarctica as an abundant source of meteorites."(2)The Nullarbor is a fragile landscape with limited resources and it does not have the capacity to sustain a large population involved in any industry. While mining leases exist over many areas of the Nullarbor, exploration impacts have so far been limited to drilling and geophysical surveys. Grazing (pastoralism) is the major industry on the Nullarbor, covering almost 50% of the available land, and overgrazing has had an impact in many places, leading to the loss of perennial vegeation and increased erosion (3). Monitoring of stocking rates and moving watering points is important in managing land degradation, and most landholders are very aware of the fragile nature of the landscape and work to minimise damage to the ecosystems that support their farms. Rabbits and foxes have already reduced the diversity of the native mammals and plants in the Nullarbor. The landscape scars easily. Yet it still remains for the most part 'untouched' and cavers - who want to explore, discover and learn its mysteries - strongly believe it should remain this way. The ASF Cave Conservation Commission and the Australian Karst Conservation Foundation (the KCF) are dedicated to preserving fragile and important karst areas in Australia - not just in the Nullarbor. Protection Finally Coming for Koonalda Cave ArtFollowing another round of vandalism at the Koonalda Cave in South Australia in 2023, ASF Conservation Commissioner Dr Clare Buswell has been working with archaeologist Dr Keryn Walshe, land manager Anton Mundy and the media to raise awareness of the damage and highlight the lack of effective protection for the cave. The Federal Government made some funding available to help install security cameras. Gates put in place to protect the cave have been repeatedly vandalised and something more is needed. The artwork is over 30,000 years old and is of renowned archeological signifiance. Dr Buswell and Dr Walsh have just secured a grant from the Heritage Commission to fund further the protection of the cave. Koonalda Cave entrance, photo by Steve Milner.
1. Letter to Senator Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and
Energy. 9th November 2022, by Dr Clare Buswell, ASFConservation
Commissioner. 3.Waddell, P A, Gardner, A K, and Hennig, P. (2010), An inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, Perth. Technical Bulletin 97 Nullarbor SIG logo design by Sil Iannello. Webpage design by Rod OBrien, Cathi Humphrey-Hood and EmeraldImages. Banner photo: Storm over Mullamullang, 2010. |
