Westralian Gas and Power recently announced the prospect of fracking for coal in the Whicher Range, near Vasse.

Fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, involves blasting amounts of water, sand and chemicals to break up shale formations thousands of metres under the earth, which in turn releases natural gas.

The Minister for Mines and Petroleum Norman Moore said fracking in the Cape region was crucial to Perth’s energy security.

However, farmers, residents and councillors are worried it may cause damage to the environment and groundwater resources.

WAFarmers dairy president and Jindong farmer Peter Evans said if coal seam gas went ahead, it would damage water supplies.

“The fracking process can contaminate water supplies with the chemical they use. Whicher Range is where the artesian basins are recharged and the water goes into those aquifers and the soil there,” he said.

“Busselton’s water comes from artesian basins, so there would be a risk of contamination of our water supply.

“It has potential to damage animal and human health eventually.”

Shire president Ian Stubbs said although mining was vital to the economy, it was essential to protect prime agriculture land.

“Norman Moore has said there are at least 30 years of gas stored in the South West. This is all well and good, but if the extraction contaminates our water supplies, where does this leave the South West, or the Capes region?” he said.

“We’ve seen how this type of gas extraction has impacted on land owners’ lives, the environment and in particular the water supplies in NSW, the United States and in other parts of the world. It is frightening, it is really frightening.

“We must protect our environment. Nothing should be allowed to spoil our most valuable resource – our water supplies.”

The Busselton and Augusta-Margaret River councils have suggested the State Government should legislate to prevent mining in the Cape to Cape region, following the banning of coal seam gas mining in NSW.

“The mining companies have indicated to us that the legislation here is so strict that any drilling that they do will not impact on the water supplies and the environment. But we need to be convinced of that before we are going to be supportive,” Mr Stubbs said.

“We have written to the State Government about the possibility of legislation to protect the region from mining and we also might be able to get a Statement of Planning Policy which is an alternative to the legislation.”