A WINERY and two wine outlets have joined forces to set up a fund to help fight the Vasse Coal Project proposal.
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The owners of Blue Poles Vineyard, Mark and Gail Gifford, in conjunction with Knights Inn Liquor Store and Margaret River Wine Centre, have agreed to jointly support the No Coal!ition campaign aimed at stopping the proposed coal mine near Osmington.
Mr Gifford said beginning this week $2 from the sale of every bottle of selected Blue Poles wine at the outlets will go towards establishing a “fighting fund”.
The fund will be “accrued to repel the coal mining proposal and to stop the opportunity of any future coal mining throughout the Margaret River region”, he said.
“Blue Poles Vineyard is located within the proposed coal mine’s ‘footprint’ and as such will be dramatically affected if mining was to commence.
“The current plans for mining include the potential for significant dewatering of the underground operations and, by association, our aquifer; significant contamination of the ground water within the Leederville Formation – and subsequently the Yaragadee Aquifer which is interconnected; and disruption to the Margaret River itself through loss of or poisoned ground water recharge and possible subsidence and distortion of the river bed.”
Mr Gifford, a professional contract geologist, said it seemed “inconceivable” to him and his wife that the Vasse Coal Project could commence, but the fighting fund and support for the No Coal!ition was an attempt to “provide security for ourselves and our children, our vines and for a clean and green Margaret River”.
“In (our) opinion ... the proponents for the mine have failed to meet minimum standards in regards to their consultation with the community and this is continued through their correspondence failings and misleading website.
“If this low standard is continued then in our opinion there is every likelihood that the area of Margaret River will be paying for the (mistakes) for decades to come.”
Mr Gifford said the wines contributing to the fighting fund are “very boutique” and are “represented in the wine lists of some of the best restaurants in Melbourne and Sydney”.
“They are discounted to ensure that the message gets out to the community and its visitors and that a significant income can be directed to the fighting fund.”
