Noonkanbah and ARC sign landmark heritage agreement

ARC Energy has signed a landmark heritage agreement this week with the....

  ARC Energy has signed a landmark heritage agreement this week with the Noonkanbah people, providing for oil and gas exploration on Noonkanbah land.ARC’s exploration on Noonkanbah forms part of an extensive Canning Basin exploration program, which is due to commence in August 2007. ARC’s Canning Basin exploration program is currently scheduled to run for three years and to drill up to 20 exploration wells. As part of that program ARC has entered into agreements, which ensure any activity by ARC is carried out in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. This new heritage agreement between ARC Energy and Noonkanbah people provides for community benefits, infrastructure support and the establishment of a liaison committee to discuss future activities of ARC Energy within the Native Title Determination Area. This agreement enables ARC and the Noonkanbah people to conduct their relationship in a harmonious and mutually beneficial manner; it allows for recording and protection of the Yungngora people’s heritage under the Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 (WA) and relevant Commonwealth Heritage Legislation. The agreement is a watershed, as Noonkanbah is remembered for the dispute that began in the late 1970s, when oil company Amax signalled its intention to drill at or in the vicinity of the ‘goanna dreaming’ site of Pea Hill, Noonkanbah. The Yungngora people of Noonkanbah – along with the then-newly formed Kimberley Land Council – launched a series of protests against the proposed drilling, despite government pressure for it to proceed. The protests were supported by church groups and the unions, and received international attention. An important aspect of this event is that Dickey Cox, who was the leader of the Yungngora People at the time of the Amax confrontation, officiated at the signing ceremony with ARC Energy. Mr Cox said this was an historic occasion for his people. “ARC Energy has shown it is prepared to sit down and work with our people to reach an agreement that offers benefits to our people, allowing recognition of our important sites,” Mr Cox said. “The company has shown the way in how agreements with indigenous people should be done, and has entered into a relationship with enduring and long-term benefits for our people – and for us to be part of its project,” he said.ARC said its first planned activity on Noonkanbah, following a heritage clearance survey, is to carry out new seismic acquisition, which may eventually lead to the drilling of a new exploration well. ARC Energy Executive Director Operations, Gary Jeffery said the company was extremely pleased to have entered into a cooperative and mutually beneficial agreement with the Noonkanbah people. “We are sure our longer term relationship through this agreement will be as open, frank and friendly as the discussions to date and we look forward to working with the Yungngora people and other traditional owners towards increased economic activity and prosperity in the region,” Mr Jeffery said.