BRONZE figure by David Larwill
AN exhibition to raise awareness of the campaign to stop AGL’s proposed gas import terminal from being built at Crib Point will run 3-25 October.
Art is in our Nature includes the work of 54 artists while raising money for community group Save Westernport’s legal challenge to the proposal alongside Environment Victoria and the Victorian National Parks Association.
“I reached out to the broader art community and was struck by the incredibly generous response of artists,” curator Penelope Gebhardt said.
“Many have personal connections to the Mornington Peninsula and it has been heart-warming to hear their stories. Our community is passionate about this issue and the broader community is as well.”
Visitors are being asked to “act for the health and longevity of Western Port” by donating or buying an artwork to help reach the $100,000 target by November.
Co-hosted by Merricks General Wine Store and Silver Leaf Art Box, the exhibition will continue across the two venues (subject to COVID-19 restrictions) and will be live online from 12pm, Saturday 3 October.
The wine store is at 3460 Frankston-Flinders Road, Merricks, open 9am-5pm, call 5989 8088 and Silver Leaf is at 3361 Frankston-Flinders Road, Merricks, open 9am-5pm, 0422 132 525.
Visit silverleaf-artbox.com.au
Hearings begin
An online directions hearing for consideration by a government-appointed panel of the environmental effects information prepared by AGL was held last week (17 September) ahead of the formal hearings which begin on 12 October. Findings will be delivered mid-February 2021.
Mornington Peninsula Shire has asked panel chair Kathy Mitchell to postpone the hearings because expert witnesses cannot physically inspect the Crib Point site because of stage four COVID-19 restrictions.
The panel has given AGL until this Friday (25 September) to produce further information about tidal and weather conditions, greenhouse gas emissions, chlorine and formaldehyde, acid surface soil contamination, the disposal of oily sludge, traffic considerations, and the proposed mitigation strategies.
The panel has asked objectors to list areas within Western Port that they believe will be adversely affected if AGL is given the go ahead.
First published in the Western Port News – 23 September 2020
