Welcome to the
Eyre Peninsula
Environmental Protection Alliance Inc.
The Eyre Peninsula Environmental Protection Alliance is a grass roots organisation of concerned professionals and community members aimed at protecting and conserving the wild environment on the Eyre Peninsula.
The EPEPA are currently focusing on the protection and conservation of Whalers Way, a nature sanctuary, under a Heritage Agreement, located at the southern tip of the Lower Eyre Peninsula.
This area is under threat from a major development proposal, currently being assessed by the South Australian government, to allow a private company, Southern Launch, to build and run a rocket launching facility within this sanctuary.
Please help us fight this development and keep Whalers Way wild!
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What is the 'Whalers Way Major Development' Proposal?
In August 2019 the Minister for Planning declared the 'Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex' to be assessed as a major development.
Whalers Way currently operates as a privately owned nature sanctuary and tourist attraction, key habitat for critically endangered species and coastline that has been awarded the highest visual amenity value in the State.
The Whalers Way Orbital Launch Complex is a proposed rocket launching facility run and operated by the private, for-profit company Southern Launch.
Southern Launch aim to use this facility to launch up to 42 rockets, ranging from 10-30m tall and 30 to 100 tonne, per year, carrying satellites and other technologies such as military surveillance equipment into space.
Southern Launch's 'rent-a-pad' business model will market to private rocket developers, from predominantly international clients, to launch private satellites and test military software such as missiles. Currently, Southern Launch have contracts with Taiwanese TiSPACE (recently rebranded as ATspace) to fulfil launches within their 'Trial Launch Campaign', which has been approved by the local State Planning Commission. The 'Trial Launch Campaign' is separate to their major development. For more info about the 'Trial Launch Campaign' click here.
Southern Launch have also partnered with Thales, an international munitions manufacturer currently supplying the Australian Defence Force and DEWC Services, which is one of Australia’s foremost information warfare consultancies, providing the Australian Defence Organisation and industry partners with mission critical operational and technical experience in intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and electronic warfare.
The current major development proposal, which is separate to their current 'Trial Launch Campaign', is for two launch pads, a major infrastructure site and a range operations control centre, with plans to expand in the future.
For more about the process, click here.
About Us
Who are the Eyre Peninsula Environmental Protection Alliance?
UPDATE December 2023:
EPEPA incorporated.
Official committee members elected at AGM are :
Co-Ordinator - Therese Pedler
Deputy Co-Ordinator - Nel Taylor
Treasurers - Kerry Manthorpe, Gabrielle Coard
Secretary - Athena Taylor
Public Officer - Des Menz
We are a group of dedicated professionals and community members committed to preserving and protecting the precious coastline of the Eyre Peninsula.
We honour the sacred land and its traditional owners, and fight for its future.
We recognise the importance of maintaining biodiversity, nurturing habitat for endangered animals, and promoting sustainable and environmentally-sensitive development in this fragile and ecologically important area.
We call on the state and federal governments to honour their own commitments on biodiversity and environmental protection, and refuse the major development proposal for Whalers Way.
Take some time to explore this website, read about Whalers Way, the community of the Eyre Peninsula, and why you should add your voice to the growing chorus to protect our wilderness!
Thank you.