The world's best-known environmental organisation has made its presence known in the WA port city of Fremantle ahead of Woodside's AGM tomorrow.
Greenpeace made a bold entrance on Thursday as its colourful ship, the Rainbow Warrior, docked in the tourist town to draw attention to the gas giant's deep-sea drilling plans in the west.
Greenpeace Australia-Pacific chief executive David Ritter said the advocacy group planned to work with local communities who shared concerns over Woodside's projects and the threats they posed.
"There are very serious contemporary threats to Western Australia's wildlife, to Western Australia's coastline as well," he said.
"Woodside's offshore proposed massive gas expansion does constitute a major threat to our global climate and does constitute a significant threat to Western Australia's fantastic coastline."
Woodside's Scarborough oil and gas development in the Pilbara is the biggest new fossil fuel investment in Australia in nearly a decade.
The $16 billion project would involve the construction of a 430-kilometre pipeline, linking the Scarborough gas field to the mainland, as well as expanding its current Pluto facility on the Burrup Peninsula.
Pluto is one of WA's five biggest carbon-emitting projects, emitting 1.9 million tonnes of carbon-dioxide-equivalent-emissions in 2020-21.
The controversial project got the green light, despite intense resistance from environmentalists.
The ship arrived on Thursday morning, one day before Woodside holds its AGM, which Greenpeace plans to attend.
Whale research also on agenda
The Rainbow Warrior is also in Australia to mark 45 years since the end of commercial whaling in the country.
Mr Ritter said a whale scientist was travelling with the ship to document the wildlife of the WA coast.
"The specific focus of that research is going to be whale migratory routes and the way in which whales are threatened by climate and are interacting with ocean plastics, which is of course another really significant threat to marine wildlife," he said.
"There is no doubt that what happens in Western Australia is of importance to the entire world."
Ship welcome in 'progressive' port city
Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge welcomed the ship to the port city for the first time for a public visit since the late 90s.
"Fremantle has always been known as being a place where we're progressive and we care about ocean health," she said.
"We're very excited to have a ship that has campaigned on behalf of Greenpeace for so many important environmental issues."
The ship was named in honour of Greenpeace's original Rainbow Warrior, which was sunk by French spies in Auckland harbour in 1985.
Greenpeace was protesting French nuclear testing in the Pacific Ocean when two explosions ripped through the hull of the ship, killing one crew member.
The ship's captain Hettie Geenen said the crew's journey was vital in educating the wider public about the beauty of WA's coastline.
"When we came from Singapore to here, we already were met by 15 short-finned pilot whales," she said.
"We're really looking forward to seeing more of nature."
