7 September 2012 - Roma Showgrounds, Western Downs, Queensland

We spent the morning at The Big Rig, which also houses the Information Centre, and visited The Oil Patch, an outside display of oil and gas exploration and production equipment, well explained by interpretive and audio panels, followed by three short films in a theatre explaining the modern process of coal seam gas extraction and the conditions out on these mining fields.

We must have spent almost two hours there learning much, including the following:

In 1880 when the rail reached Roma, there was no water for the steam engine and so a permanent and secure water supply became a top priority to replace the earlier small dam. Initial efforts to drill for water were fruitless until the government took matters into their own hands and started to drill on Roma’s Hospital Hill. Instead they found gas, a disaster! Six thousand pounds spent looking for drinkable water and they found gas! It was the first known discovery of natural gas in Australia.

This accidental discovery in 1900 caused great consternation. So much so that the gas continued to escape uncontrolled for five years while local and government officials wondered what to do with it. Finally in 1905, they decided it should be stored and harnessed to use for town lighting. And so it was and the townspeople all marvelled at the spectacle. It was the first time natural gas was used for lighting in Australia. But then ten nights later, the gas ran out and the lights with it.

In 1907, a local enterprise drilled a well in search of water, gas or oil, and found gas. However with crude technology and clumsiness, wind caused a wood burning steam boiler to catch fire and the gas ignited thus creating a great geyser of fire that lasted for seven weeks. The sight was visible for seventy kilometres and brought tourists from near and far, even from overseas to view this spectacle. The locals were not amused because the racket disturbed their sleep and their previously peaceful lives. The burning hole was eventually plugged and life went back to normal.

Further drilling was spasmodic over the following years and it was not until the fifties when seismic exploration came into its own that a full understanding of the riches lying beneath Roma and the surrounding countryside became known.

In the 1960s, the urea factory in Brisbane was especially created to make use of the gas from here, and the 450 kilometres pipeline from here to there was built. Today gas from this area is used in homes throughout Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast.

We were also surprised to learn that Australian oil and gas fields supply about 80% of the nation’s petroleum demand.

We spent some time chatting with an elderly women in the Centre about the impact of the coal seam gas exploration that is going on here now and she made sure we were informed of her opinion which, according to her, is indicative of at least 70% of Roma’s residents; that they come in their vehicles and wreck the roads, disrupt livestock breeding and husbandry on farms and all stay remotely, flying in and out, importing their own supplies direct from the coastal cities, filling up the accommodation so there is none for the tourists. “I hate it!” she declared vehemently. We got the picture. It was a very different one from the positive films we had viewed in the theatre, however those had been made by the gas industry.

By the time we emerged, it was almost lunch time and we had already decided we would dine back at the caravan, so we picked up some fresh bread and returned to the showgrounds.

After lunch we made our way back into the centre of town, just a kilometre or so from the showgrounds, and called into the art gallery. Here we viewed a travelling exhibition of entries to a secondary school art competition, nearly all by female students, some by very confused odd ball artists and some by really talented future stars. There were also some fine inspirational paintings celebrating the La Nina weather events conveying the joy of rain after years of drought rather than dwelling on the negative aspects of flood. We strayed into a back room where the walls were covered in photos and stories about homesteads throughout the district, all part of the 150 year anniversary celebration.

Lovely Bottle Trees

We walked through the town admiring the many bottle trees that line the streets here in Roma. They are wonderful trees and so very numerous here in Roma, many having been planted as a memorial to fallen soldiers. For $10 we could have purchased a fledgling bottle tree for our own enjoyment however Chris was not too keen on the idea.

This evening after dinner, we returned to The Big Rig to see The Night Show. This is advertised as a “stunning show set against the night sky of Roma dramatically recreating the story of Australia’s Oil and Gas industry. Combining theatrical presentation with pyrotechnics, computer lighting and a digitally mastered soundtrack”. Well I guess it is all of these however I would have described it more simply as a short film duplicating most of what we had read at the Oil Patch earlier in the day screened outdoors with a few props to add to the ambience. It was very good but… not quite what we had expected.

What we did delight in was the echidna scurrying back and forward in front of the gate before the showing, trying to enter the premises before opening time. They are apparently very numerous at the moment; again all about sex and the season.