Hi folks! We’re joining you live from the Rainbow Warrior where we will be providing you with updates as our four activists continue scaling and occupying Woodside’s gas platform. The activists are peacefully protesting against Woodside’s latest gas expansion plans, the Browse project, which would see up to 57 toxic wells drilled at Scott Reef.
Saturday, 17 October 2026
17:17 AWST:
Our first day on the gas platform comes to a close.
The sun is starting to set out here on the Scarborough gas field and our activists are safely tucked up into their harnesses, preparing for their first night on board.
© Greenpeace
ICYMI, here’s a little recap:
0400 – Alarms ring out across the Rainbow Warrior, much toast has been eaten, coffee in hot demand
05:45 – Our small boats launch from the Rainbow Warrior headed for Woodside’s gas platform
06:00 – Four Greenpeace activists start climbing Woodside’s Scarborough Floating Production Unit using safety climbing equipment, preparing to occupy
06:44 – All climbers on, I repeat, all climbers on!
08:06 – Communications from Woodside’s Unit comes through to say they are stopping their operations.
10:00 – We hold a press conference in Perth
1236pm – We’re live on social media!
14:40– Our activists start rigging up the big banner, our pride and joy
15:55pm – We finish our big project and drop a 12x14m banner reading STOP WOODSIDE’S DIRTY GAS. SAVE SCOTT REEF!
We’ll be back tomorrow and will stay here as long as we can. Wishing our brave activists a cosy suspended sleep!
PS – Save Scott Reef.
16:29 AWST:
A few words from our Captain
Greenpeace’s Rainbow Warrior captain, Hettie Geenen, has been to Scott Reef twice, so has a special connection to the place.
Speaking from the Bridge (the Warrior’s control room), this is what she has to say about today’s action:
“It felt so incredible watching from the Rainbow Warrior as these wonderful activists scaled Woodside’s gas platform. We are all out here because we feel an urge to act and I’m so proud of everything they have achieved today.
“Just before this peaceful protest, the Rainbow Warrior sailed to Scott Reef, where our whole crew got to witness the magic of an untouched, healthy reef ecosystem full of marine life. It was my second time visiting Scott Reef with the Rainbow Warrior. When you see Scott Reef up close and witness its magic first hand, it is impossible not to feel driven to try and protect it.”
15:05 pm AWST
That’s a big banner!
Our activists have unveiled the pièce de résistance!
A giant 12x14m banner is now hanging off the side of the Scarborough gas unit… It took a couple of hours but we think the FPU looks pretty snazzy now.
We’re calling on the Australian government to Stop Woodside’s dirty gas, and save Scott Reef.
14:47 AWST
This isn’t the first time we’ve exposed Woodside’s toxic infrastructure at sea.
In 2023, the Rainbow Warrior sailed out of Exmouth to uncover a toxic sunken oil tower that Woodside had left to rot in the ocean.
Our team also climbed another of Woodside’s hunks-of-junk in the ocean near Ningaloo Reef, dropping a big banner on the Woodside’s Nganhurra Riser Turret Mooring, reading: ”Woodside, don’t be a tosser!”
Guess they’re still tossers…
Woodside has a shocking track record of incidents, oil spills and environmental impacts and cannot be trusted with our oceans, especially not at Scott Reef.
2:05 pm AWST
Sorry for the delay folks!
Plenty going on out here at sea, but everyone is in good spirits, settling in to life on the platform. We’re back with updates!
12:57 pm AWST
12:24 pm AWST
We’ve just uploaded new footage and images of the action this morning. Check them out in our media library, and check out some beautiful shots of Scott Reef here. More to follow!
12:16 pm AWST
From the gas platform, Greenpeace activist Scotty has talked about why he is taking action against Woodside today:
“I’m out here far off the coast of Western Australia climbing Woodside’s offshore gas infrastructure for all the trees, birds, fish and ecosystems that are more important than short term profits.”
“Woodside’s plan to drill for oil and gas at Scott Reef, which is home to incredible marine life like green sea turtles and pygmy blue whales, is utter madness.”
“What we need right now is for all Australians to come forward and tell our government to stop the madness, and put an end to Woodside’s Browse gas proposal for good.”
The Australian government has the power to reject Woodside’s Browse gas project. Make your voice heard now.
11:00 am AWST
10:00 am AWST
We are about to hold a press conference in Perth with our CEO David Ritter and our Head of Climate and Energy Joe Rafalowicz.
Here’s what David had to say earlier:
“Greenpeace Australia Pacific is taking action today to expose the unacceptable risk to Scott Reef posed by Woodside’s plans.
“Australians love our oceans. Woodside’s reckless Browse gas proposal would turn the magnificent Scott Reef into an industrial gas zone. Woodside wants to drill up to 57 toxic wells around Scott Reef, Australia’s largest oceanic reef, home to nesting green sea turtles, and endangered species like pygmy blue whales and the dusky sea snake; it is a place like nowhere else on Earth.
“Woodside has an alarming track record of oil spills, incidents and environmental neglect, and can’t be trusted with our oceans. From whaling in Albany in the seventies, to Woodside’s threat to Scott Reef today, there’s more than fifty years of history, of Greenpeace taking action off WA’s coasts to protect our oceans.
“There’s no future in new gas projects. Our future is in secure homegrown renewable energy, green industry and exports, where communities and places like Scott Reef are protected — there’s no future in dirty gas shipped offshore.
“The prospect of drilling for oil or gas on the Great Barrier Reef would be considered absolute madness today, but that is exactly the decision before the government: save Scott Reef or risk its destruction at the hands of a gas corporation.”
8:38 am AWST
Some pictures from earlier.
8:05 am AWST
The activists and boat crew are busy hoisting up all of the gear that our four activists will need to keep occupying Woodside’s platform. They’ve got plenty of food and water, and other things to keep themselves entertained.
7:48 AM AWST
One of our activists is Dr Chris Holden, a medical doctor from Tasmania. He’s aboard the gas platform now, here’s what he had to say:
“As a doctor, when I see new fossil fuel projects like Woodside’s Browse project being put forward, I can’t help but think about the impact this is going to have on the health of our communities and planet, and feel a sense of duty to act.
“Not only will this project do irrevocable harm to nature at Scott Reef, it will have a terrible impact on our climate, putting all of our lives at risk.
“On the Rainbow Warrior I’m carrying a copy of the 2025 Lancet countdown report, which warns that health impacts of climate change are worsening, with millions dying needlessly each year due to fossil fuel dependence, growing emissions, and failure to adequately adapt.
“With warnings like this from the leading global health professionals, our government simply can’t allow fossil fuel projects like Woodside’s Browse project to go ahead. It is their duty to do what is in the best interest of our communities.”
7:18 AM AWST
“Right now our activists are scaling Woodside’s massive Floating Production Unit. They are scaling the South-East pillar and the underside of the Helideck. They’ll be setting up camp soon and have plenty of provisions with them – so stick around!”
5:45 AM AWST
Our RHIBS are in the water! We’ve deployed our four activists and our ship crew on our small fast boats, headed to the gas platform. We’re carrying crew and equipment, plenty of food, all of our safety climbing gear, some big banners, cameras and a whole lot of heart… someone even has something to read after they get settled in.
5:26 AM AWST
Before sunrise activists prepared to launch RHIBS from the Rainbow Warrior.
Looking for a front seat view?
You can follow along with the Live Rainbow Warrior bow cam here!
Looking for more?
Follow us on Instagram for a peek behind the scenes and hear from our Rainbow Warrior crew.
