Fri 26th, Sat 27th, Sun 28th August 2022
The Pilliga Tag-along tour is a not-for-profit tour. It is an activist tour aiming to educate and highlight the dire impacts of coal seam gas. It is tour that contrasts the beauty of the Pilliga with the visible impacts of mining.
Car sharing is encouraged, as fuel is the largest cost. Self-catering is an option; costs are kept to a minimum.
Meet at the Pilliga Bore Baths on Friday, an amazing artesian hot pool on the edge of the Pilliga Forest. There is time to relax in the 37-degree artesian water. You can camp at the Bore Baths $5 or take a stay in a basic donga. Enjoy dinner at Pilliga Café.
We will then visit the Barradine Forest Discovery Centre and either the Sculptures In The Scrub or Fire tower and Salt Caves. From the top of the fire tower enjoy extensive views of The Pilliga, the Warrumbungles and Mount Kaputar. If time permits we will visit Dandry Gorge; take a 3 km walk to see the beauty of this rugged country and the amazing sculptures, then a 1.7km walk to view the beautiful colours and Aboriginal art in the Sandstone Caves.
Saturday night camp or share rooms or private accommodation at beautiful Pilliga Pottery, with dinner at Blue Wren café.
Sunday we tour the coal seam gas fields: visit ‘produced water’ spills; and see poorly rehabilitated areas on old exploration sites, gas pipelines, pilot production wells, and previously unlined produced water ponds. Santos’s infrastructure and hear about the risks to the Great Artesian Basin.
The Santos leasehold in the Gunnedah Basin includes 53 current wells in the Pilliga and 850 proposed wells in the Pilliga and adjoining farmlands.
Pat Schultz, National Parks association, Armidale Branch
Pilliga registration form return by August 5th
Bookings essential Phone or message Pat {oh four mobile prefix}28725852
