Community outrage over proposed name replacement for the Point Lowly peninsula. Residents map presented on deadline day.

In March 1802, Captain Matthew Flinders explored the Spencer Gulf, charting the area and naming the point of land protruding into the gulf, “Point Lowly”. Move forward 180 years to 1982 and Santos is given the right to build a LPG Fractionation plant on the Point Lowly peninsula. This facility was named “Port Bonython” after the founding Chairman of Santos Ltd. Mr. John Bonython AO.

Fast-forward another 25 years to today, not only is the facility known by that name, a large chunk of the Point Lowly Peninsula and Weeroona Bay has also been designated “Port Bonython”.

This change became apparent when Whyalla City Council moved to name new suburbs out on the Point Lowly Peninsula and surrounding areas. Proposed new suburbs include colloquial names such as Fitzgerald Bay, Backy Point, Douglas Point and False Bay, etc. The area designated ‘Point Lowly’ is only a tiny thumb of land. This is hardly a fitting tribute to the great discoverer Captain Matthew Flinders.

But what this change highlights is that, for some time, a vast chunk of the Point Lowly Peninsula has been renamed Port Bonython. The scope and extent of this change remains unclear to some, with The SA Department of Transport, Energy and Infrastructure (DTEI) website listing the area as the Point Lowly Peninsula. Indeed, their website shows all manner of proposed Industrial developments planned for the peninsula.

The irony is, the Point Lowly Peninsula is owned by the South Australian Government and is purportedly “held in trust to be used in the best interest of all South Australians.“

Was there a poll of the residents of Whyalla to find out what the locals thought of this name change? No. Many residents already had to contend with a huge industrial plant on the Point Lowly peninsula, displacing many residents from their holiday homes and ruining the peninsula’s vista for the foreseeable future.

Santos can elect to name their Industrial facility whatever they like. But for vast bulk of the Point Lowly Peninsula to also be named after the founding Chairman of Santos Ltd, at the expense of the name given by one of the greatest naval explorers in Australian history, just beggars belief. Even the Point Lowly road been renamed ‘Port Bonython Road’.

By designating the majority of the Point Lowly Peninsula as ‘Port Bonython’, we are putting at risk a vast renewable resource: Tourism, Recreation and of course the exquisite marine environment which includes the world famous Australian Giant Cuttlefish breeding grounds. The Santos plant is not a renewable industry with a future because the gas will run out but the renewable resources will still be there, if we don’t ruin them in our headlong rush to make a few dollars today. More.

Lights back on

The Whyalla Council has turn the Point Lowly Lighthouse light back on with a dimmer yellow light