The Great Artesian Basin (GAB) provides the only reliable source of fresh water throughout much of inland Australia, underlying 22% of the continent. It is the largest and deepest artesian basin in the world – and in the world’s driest inhabited continent!

For over a century the GAB has supplied vital water for communities, stock and industry. In that time we have extracted over 100 times the volume of Sydney Harbour – and over 90% of that was wasted. Through flawed government policy, landholders squandered this precious finite water, as they were led to believe it would recharge from surface rainwater, which scientists say is impossible.

Then the water pressure dropped alarmingly and about half the bores stopped flowing, so in 1999 the government began providing assistance to bore-owners to cap and pipe their bores, to try to stem the wastage.

But the funding for capping is drying up, and there are still thousands of bores which remain uncapped, wasting the equivalent of the volume of Sydney Harbour every year. Despite this, the state governments want to continue selling off GAB water licences. And the enormous usage by the mining and coal seam gas industries is depleting (and polluting) the stressed GAB even further.

The GABPG is determined to save this unique, priceless and finite resource for future generations of Australians, before it is too late. Please show your support by joining the GABPG or visiting their website: www.gabpg.org.au