Councillor John Wells presented a petition containing 937 signatures at an ordinary council meeting on June 25, calling on council to pass a motion joining other councils to protect the Great Australian Bight.

The petition was started after two peaceful protests were held in Mollymook in May. A paddle out drew more than 300 surfers to North Mollymook while a Hands Across the Sand event drew more than 300 hundred surfers, beachgoers, conservationists and environmental activists staged their second peaceful protest to South Mollymook.

Treading Lightly in the Mud founder and Take 3 for the ambassador Sea Monica Mudge delivered a deputation to the Development and Environment Committee meeting at council chambers on Tuesday, September 3.

READ MORE: Mollymook's Hands Across the Sand protest calls on oil giant to stop plans of drilling Great Australian Bight

Mrs Mudge said she was in tears after council became the first in NSW to oppose the proposal for Equinor to drill in the Great Australian Bight.

"This was what we have all been fighting for. This is what the whole country has been fighting for. This is action and it is a true testament to this community. Thank you to all of the councillors for your united front on this matter."

READ MORE: Hands across the Sands event at Mollymook Beach on Saturday May 11

Council will now write to relevant State and Federal MPs, write to other Victorian, Western Australian and South Australian councils who have already opposed drilling, request that the Federal Government treat Shoalhaven City Council as a key stakeholder and inform council on the progress of the application and write to coastal councils and association to advise them of their decision and encourage their support.

Treading Lightly in the MUD is a group of passionate community members who are volunteering their time and working hard on keeping our precious part of the coast pristine.

They want to inspire and educate people and businesses on how they can reduce single-use plastics in our community.

They promote reducing waste, how to live more sustainably and supporting local food producers and farmers.

In conjunction, they work alongside other groups, council's, organisations such as local clubs, Take 3 for the Sea, Boomerang Bag's, Slow Food Group, Green Caffeine, Fair Food Forager, Tangaroa Blue, Seaside Scavenge and many other initiatives that help to deliver fun and educational events and activities that support locals to live a more conscious and sustainable lifestyle, whilst at the same time protecting our local environment.