Gerroa Sand Mining Proposal
How much do you value Seven Mile Beach ?
Cleary Brothers Pty Ltd is proposing to extend their current sand quarry and build a golf resort subdivision at Seven Mile Beach, Gerroa, that threatens the environmental values of rare coastal forests, wetlands, and the scenic beauty and amenity of the area.
Why a sand quarry at Seven Mile Beach should be rejected
1. It is located in an Area of High Conservation Value:
The quarry is located within a protected conservation area containing biologically important forests. Sand quarrying is not permitted within conservation areas under Kiama Council’s Local Environment Plan.
2. It involves clearing of important forests:
The quarry area contains mature coastal forest, including the Endangered Ecological Community Bangalay Sand Forest, which will be cleared if the quarry is approved. Endangered Communities are protected under the Threatened Species Conservation Act, and coastal clearing is incompatible with the aims of the State Coastal Planning Policy SEPP 71.
3. It may impact on the hydrology of Blue Angle Creek and Crooked River:
Due to the constraints of the narrow site there is little room for adequate bunding to protect the river system from contamination from the quarry lake. The adjoining endangered Swamp sclerophyll forest growing in the riparian corridor of Blue Angle Creek is also at risk from quarrying.
4. Aboriginal archaeological sites are under threat:
Two significant archaeological sites, identified for protection and marked by GPS co-ordinates, are located within the proposed extension area. At least one is threatened by the proposed extension.
5. There is no justification to destroy high conservation forests to extract this sand:
The sand volume available from the proposed quarry expansion will be small in regional terms. There is ample sand available from nearby Dunmore quarry, which has well over 10 times the sand resource of the proposed Gerroa quarry. The Gerroa quarry anticipates a supply of 75,000 tonnes per annum over 10 years where as Dunmore is licensed to produce 800,000 tonnes of product per annum over 25 years.
6. It will impact on the scenic beauty of the area:
The quarry will double in length and the forest to its immediate north will be cleared. The narrow northern end of the site will be difficult to screen from the road so travellers will see an industrial rather than natural landscape along Crooked River road.
It’s important to write and express your concerns NOW
Write and have your say about the ‘Proposed Expansion of the Gerroa Sand Quarry’ during the exhibition period which is from the 8th November to 16th December.
You can find the more information on the NSW Department of Planning website at www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/register.asp (look under ‘on exhibition’ then ‘Major Projects part 3A’)
Write or email to:
Frank Sartor Minister for Planning Level 34 Governor Macquarie Tower 1 Farrer Place Sydney 2000
Michael Young. DOP. Mining and Extractive Industries, GPO Box 39 Sydney NSW 2001, email: information@planning.nsw.gov.au
David Kitto A/Director Major Projects Assessments GPO Box 39 Sydney NSW 2001 email: information@planning.nsw.gov.au
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