Western Downs Field Trip

Here is a photo essay from the FAQ Research field trip to Dalby, Cecil Plains, Tara, Chinchilla and other sites on the Western Downs, Queensland. As we were quite technically challenged out west due to limited internet connection, I took a lot of pictures with my mobile phone, instead of my 'real camera'.

We tracked the debate to the source - where its impact is currently being felt on the towns and farms of the Western Downs. We interviewed a wide range of folks, from Senators to local politicians through farmers, activists and townsfolk. Many have intriguing and nuanced views on the Coal Seam Gas debate.

Should you have further interest in this issue, you can find out more on the dedicated blog on the Crikey website.

Western Downs field reporting map
The stars indicate the rough locations of people we have scheduled to meet.
From Protest at Jondaryan
Dalby
It's a little bit country...
Dalby
We arrive in the small town of Dalby to find the presence of mining companies in the area is immediately apparent. We spotted this poster in a Dalby shop window by Arrow Energy. Anecdotally they are the CSG company in the area with the worst reputation in terms of community consultation and land-owner liaison.
Politics
The Member for Condamine Ray Hopper MP was unavailable this week for an interview, despite our attempts to make arrangements over the previous a few weeks.
On the road
We headed west out on the Kogan road from Dalby to meet a large-scale farmer by the name of Ian Hayllor.
At the farm
We arrived at Ian Hayllor's vast 9000 acre farm outside to find him working on his hedda (a harvesting machine).
The interview
Mark and David set-up for the interview with Ian in the shade of a magnificent eucalyptus tree.
Ian Hayllor
Ian Hayllor came to Australia from England 30 years ago. Ian is an intelligent and articulate man who takes a moderate position on CSG. He believes the CSG industry can co-exist with agriculture, but he is not without concern for the environment. Ian is Chair of the Basin Sustainability Alliance and he also works with the Surat Basin Engagement Committee.
Golden corn crop
Ian manages 7500 acres of crops, growing cotton, corn, sorghum and other crops.
Crows in the cornfield
I took a look around to capture images of the farm.
The farming operation
Running a farming operation of this scale requires a huge array of vehicles and equipment.
Silos
Silos for the storage of harvested grain.
Crops & irrigation
The hard-working farmer showed us around the crops and irrigation channels of his extensive farm.
Water from the Condamine
Ian took us to the huge reservoir dam - the source of water for irrigation. Ot is a sight to behold. He explained that the water is pumped from the Condamine river and that quantities of water are strictly allocated. From the dam, the water is run into gravity channels to irrigate crops. Ian tells us that his adult children water-ski on the dam!
Irrigation channels
This is one of many irrigation channels on Ian's farm that are gravity fed from the dam.
The end of one of the network of channels.
Feeding the crops
Here, siphons from an irrigation channel feed a cotton crop. Ian has concerns that there is competition between CSG companies and farmers for water resources. Many are concerned that CSG mining activities will result in the aquifers being polluted. If them aquifers get rotten, you can't pick very much cotton...
Cotton
Ian proudly shows us the fruits of his labours - a handful of cotton.
Headed west
After an interesting time on Ian's farm we headed further west to a farm belonging to a family called the Bakers.
The Bakers farm
We arrive to meet DB Baker on the steps of his old farm house. DB is in his eighties and doesn't work the farm anymore, but he is a keen gardener.
A CSG well
Megan Baker showed us around the property. This is our first sight of an actual gas well. It wasnot what we expected to see.
This is one of a number of CSG wells on the Baker property - a strange tangle of pipes and machinery.
Another part of the same well.
And another view of the same well.
A reminder of what is happening beneath the ground.
Interviewing Megan Baker
Mark and David interviewed Megan Baker in the heat of the day.
Whoops
Cameraman David Granato underestimated the sun and became VERY sunburnt!
Water
Leaving the Bakers' property, we are reminded by this water tank that out here, water is everything. Much of it is pumped up through bores from underground aquifers.
More beautiful scenery
We leave the Bakers and head off to our next destination - Cecil Plains.
Such beauty
The flatness of the land avails huge, magnificent skies.
Ruth Armstrong
We meet Ruth Armstrong at her farm on Cecil Plains, 40 minutes south of Dalby. Ruth is a city girl who met her farmer husband while doing study as an ecologist in the area. She now lives with her husband David and their three children on their farm. Ruth is a clever woman who is very vocal on CSG issues.
The Condamine alluvium
The Cecil Plains area is premium agricultural country of rich alluvial soil. Water for irrigation is drawn from the Condamine alluvium - a plentiful aquifer. There are concerns that this aquifer may join with the coal seam. If this is so, the water that is used domestically and for irrigation could be threatened by the activities of CSG mining. Spokespeople on the issue are very concerned that not enough scientific study has been done to ascertain whether this vital resource could be compromised by CSG mining.
Graham Clapham
We also met with Ruth's neighbour Graham Clapham who is a very informed and articulate man. Graham grows mainly cotton, and also soya, chick peas, wheat and sorghum. He is passionate about agricultural sustainability. Graham is not entirely anti-CSG - he believes there should be more investigation into unknowns before the mining goes ahead.
Irrigated cotton fields
An irrigation channel through Ruth's cotton field reflects the late afternoon sky.
Gratuitous sky picture
Dramatic late afternoon skies over Ruth's farm.
Yarnin'
As the sun sets, long after we finished the interview, the crew speak with Ruth.
Defiance
We left Cecil Plains at dusk. This is one of many signs we saw out on the roads out this way.
The Great Artesian Basin
In an arid country, the water supply that sustains agriculture and the human population is underground. That many see it being threatened by coal seam gas mining activity is no trivial matter.
More signage
Silos at sunset
A reminder that this is where the food that feeds a nation is produced.
The sun sets on another day
The wonderful last performance of the sky just before the colours give way to the night. What an interesting day we had.
Further west
We headed further west to Tara on the Moonie Highway.
The Moonie River
Here it is - the Moonie River. It's hard to believe there were extensive floods in this region recently. It brings the well-know poem "My Country" to mind, particularly this verse:

I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
Tara
The Commercial Hotel in the small town of Tara. It is visually apparent upon arrival that Tara is a poor town. The houses are small and low-set. The majority of shop fronts appear to be low-cost or second-hand stores, and there are vacant premises.
Welcome to Whoop Whoop
Looking through the real estate agent's window in Tara, we are struck by the low grade of land and dwellings for sale in this remote area. Many dwellings could barely be descibed as shacks on properties of flat non-arable land.
Further still
Having driven over an hour from Dalby to Tara, we headed 30 minutes further out on wide sandy roads to meet people on the smaller subdivisions of the 'Tara Estate'.
Poorer soils
From the fertile arable land around Dalby headed west, the soils become poorer and sandier. Tree species such as the ironbark indicate poorer soils.