Gas exploration, seismic testing harming Victoria's marine life

This essay, written by Jo Chandler, and featuring members of Deakin's Marine Mapping group, examines how Victoria's offshore gas exploration threatens the Bonney Upwelling, a critical seasonal oceanographic system that supports endangered whales, dolphins, penguins, and the fishing industry. The Albanese government's approval of a petroleum exploration in the Otway Basin risks this fragile ecosystem through seismic testing, which uses airguns firing every 10 to 15 seconds to find gas reserves, but these blasts damage and disturb marine life up to 4,000 kilometres away. Recent data shows a 50% decrease in blue whale encounters and 65% reduction in krill swarms in the area since 2001–2004, likely as a result of seismic blasts. Chandler discusses the impact of exploration and presents the situation as emblematic of Australia's contradictory climate commitments, approving fossil fuel projects that harm already vulnerable marine ecosystems struggling against warming oceans.

Link to The Monthly, May 2026 article

Marengo Reefs Marine Sanctuary, near Apollo Bay, Victoria. Photograph by Doug Gimesy