King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard ProfileKing Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard and Jimmy Barnes are an unlikely combo, but the psychedelic outfit and rock legend have joined forces for a good cause: to save Scott Reef.
The pair are leading an epic supergroup of Australian talent as they reimagine If Not Now, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard’s Environmental Music Prize-winning song of the same name.
The track has been released digitally today as a collaboration between Greenpeace Australia Pacific, Green Music Australia, and p(doom) Records. Check out the music video below.
Scott Reef has been in the news of late after Kevin Parker, ringleader of Tame Impala, wore a Fremantle Dockers shirt on stage in September and blacked out the logo of one of their key sponsors, Woodside.
With that move, he revitalised calls for Woodside – the Perth-based fossil fuel company – to be dropped as one of Fremantle Dockers’ major sponsors.
The company has recently drawn controversy, with the Conservation Council of WA noting that it “plans to drill up to 57 wells at Scott Reef” – an untouched marine ecosystem in Australia that’s home to protected sea creatures such as migrating whales, the green sea turtle, and the dusky sea snake.
Woodside’s drilling plans are part of its Browse gas export proposal, which would reportedly add “1.6 billion tonnes of carbon pollution into the atmosphere.”
The Federal government is expected to decide on Woodside’s gas drilling plans at Scott Reef in the coming months.
Tim Shiel and King Gizzard’s Stu Mackenzie produced the track. They’ve gathered three generations of Jimmy Barnes’ family, with Jimmy himself sharing the spotlight with his daughter Mahalia Barnes and his granddaughter and 2026 Environmental Music Prize winner, Ruby Rodgers.
Other collaborators include Butchulla songman Fred Leone and Drifting Clouds’ Terry Guyula, bringing First Languages to the song, plus Gordi, Montaigne, Alex Lahey, Spacey Jane’s Peppa Lane, NIDALA, Leah Senior, John Butler, Ngaiire, Close Counters, Dobby, Urthboy, The Moving Stills’ Tom Mahler, and Brinkley Davies—marine biologist who stars in the Scott Reef documentary Coral’s Last Stand—all feature.
FVNERAL’s Tay Blunt helped produce the song alongside mastering engineer Becki Whitton. Meanwhile, The Annex and GYROstream provide digital and promotional support, and music PR specialist Alyse Newman is promoting the single.
Stu Mackenzie said of the reimagined King Gizzard song, “Why are we still digging up coal and gas? Why are we allowing this? Why is the Australian government so hell-bent on destroying our beautiful wild and untouched places?
“I’m proud that a King Gizz song was chosen to represent a growing movement of people who are asking these questions and applying pressure. Let’s shut it down and keep it beautiful.”
Jimmy Barnes added, “Scott Reef is one of the few pristine reefs left in the world, and it happens to be on our doorstep. We’re custodians of it – we’re supposed to be looking after it. It’s ridiculous. We must protect our country and look after what we value most, which is the nature and the beauty of this country.”
Hannah Schuch, Senior Campaigner for Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said, “I’m filled with hope by the incredible musicians and artists who are using their voices and skills to amplify the voices of half a million Australians who are calling on the government to stop Woodside’s nature- and climate-wrecking gas plans and save Scott Reef.
“Australian music has long been a powerful catalyst for change, so saving Scott Reef is a no-brainer for Australian music lovers.”
