Blayney Abattoir

I wish my objection to the proposal to be registered with the minister.

My Objections to the proposal are as follows:

Location:

The proposed site is 500 metres from the Blayney main street, 450 metres from a retirement village and less than 1 kilometre from TWO schools. It is also within the Belubula river flood plain. This issue is of great concern in regard to potential flooding into Blayney retirement village and township of contaminated / polluted waters.

Truck movements:

The potential for up to 60 B Double trucks each day passing through Millthorpe and Blayney 24 hours each day seven days each week. I have concerns about:
* Safety of pedestrians (especially school children and the elderly)
* School zones (trucks travelling down Orange road pass between two schools)
* Damage to infrastructure and costs associated with maintenance
* Noise to both residents and school students
* Pollution (small, waste)
* Traffic management (including lights)
* Facilities for truck drivers (after hours)

Q Fever potential:

Research indicates that the site will be a potential hazard as it is within 5 kilometres of a built up area. The prevailing winds and water proximity make the spread of Q Fever almost assured. This is a fool hardy proposal which fails to address the hazards to the local community (particularly children). Research also indicates that Q fever can be spread through the air, water and by being in contact with contaminated animal products (spillage from trucks onto roads and waterways is of great concern). There is also concerns in regard to the spread of Q Fever to existing stock located in adjacent paddocks.

Lifestyle quality:

Blayney is a quiet, pretty town located at high altitude on the Central Tablelands. Residents choose to live here because of proximity to services, the climate and relaxed lifestyle. The air here is pure, the seasons are each wonderful in their own way and there is a well-developed sense of community. Many people choose to retire here as a lifestyle choice. The proposed abattoir raises questions about air quality, noise, aesthetics and a possible reduction to services (as businesses close due to lack of patronage due to the abattoir). Blayney is also a suitable, even desired place to raise a family and many young families are located in town. Will these young families remain once an abattoir opens "on their doorstep"? Will the health and prosperity of the town children continue to be assured?

Water usage / availability:

Water will be harvested and also drawn from the Blayney residential supply. This is a concern as we enter another `el Niño' period of extreme dry weather. I do not believe that it is appropriate for the town drinking water be used to supply this proposal.

Monitoring of conditions:

While there may well be conditions attached to the state approval I have concerns about the local monitoring and enforcement of these conditions. Will the EPA be advising on this process (and enforcing condions)?

Inspections:

It is my hope that members of the planning assessment team will visit Blayney and see first-hand the inappropriate nature of this proposal.


While I have listed my concerns above I have serious issue with the potential smell, negative aesthetic, proximity to town and loss of quality lifestyle. It is my belief that if this abattoir gains approval then every aspect of life in Blayney will be affected.

I have no objection to an abattoir in Blayney shire, but the location and proximity to Blayney township is completely objectionable.

Your receipt of this submission is requested.


Bruce C Paine

Bruce Paine

33 Hill Street, Blayney NSW 2799

I am a single mum with 2 young children who live very near to where the trucks will drive. I worry about the increased traffic, noise, pollution, water contamination and the risk of Q fever is especially great. My whole family lives here and i dont want any of them to get sick.

I wish to object to the proposed Blayney Export Meats Smallstock Abattoir. The number of B-double trucks that will pass through Millthorpe every day is unacceptable to a small, heritage town with a single lane each way as the main thoroughfare through town. I cannot understand how the developers don't see this as a problem to the residents, the school located on the main road (Park Street), and the tourist trade that comes to Millthorpe every weekend.

I support the proposal to build an abattoir on the Newbridge Rd at Blayney. The reasons are as follows.

1. Employment . Blayney was really made by the abattoirs that were conceived in the 1950s . It employed about 600 people directly at its peak. It only closed due to bad management.

2. There are people in this town that lost their jobs and have never had a full time job since.

3.Many of the houses in Blayney were built by Blayney Council to house workers at the abattoirs. This in itself created more employment.

4. The abattoirs will employ people from Blayney and other towns this will inturn provide opportunities for other business to develop and support .

5. There were many young people who were forced to leave Blayney when the abattoirs closed . Many went to other abattoirs all over the country. Some of them I know will return to work here and their skills will be in demand.

6. With environmental controls and safe guards I believe that the abattoirs will fit in without all the problems that will be raised by the nay sayers.
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I oppose this development at this site because of:

1. The close proximity to the township of Blayney and therefore the danger of Q fever being spread along the route and from the proposed abattoir site. This is a serious and debilitating disease and rangeland goats are known carriers of this disease.
a. Apart from residences and businesses the trucks would need to pass
i. Millthorpe Public School
ii. Blayney Public School
iii. Blayney High School
iv. Little Learners Pre School in Adelaide Street (Mid Western Highway)
v. The Anglican Retirement Village in Farm Lane
to reach the site therefore exposing the people within the grounds of these premises to risk of this disease.

2. The number of trucks, possibly 58 per day, including some that may be b-doubles, travelling along the roads and streets of the Shire causing damage to the carriageway and increasing the danger to pedestrians. There would also be an increase of employees' vehicles along Adelaide and Burns Streets. This would be the case particularly in Adelaide Street and Burns Street, Blayney for pedestrians wanting to access the Post Office. It would be very difficult to restrict transport movements through Millthorpe and Blayney to avoid school zones when trucks will have travelled long distances with distressed animals on board and so close to the destination.

3. Blayney has a past history of being an abattoir town with depressed house prices and an associated stigma. To have such a facility so close to the town would be a retrograde step.

I do not object to an abattoir being developed within the Shire at a location away from habitation. I recognise the economic benefits to the community of creating more jobs.

I have lived in Blayney Shire all my life. My husband worked at the, now closed, Blayney Abattoir approximately 20 years ago.. It was there that he contracted Q Fever after working on the maintenance staff in the area were feral goats were handled. He became extremely ill, spending a long period of time in hospital with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees. After leaving hospital he was unable to work for several months due to chronic fatigue. He still has recurring bouts of the disease and his immune system has been irrevocably damaged.
I am greatly concerned about the location of this development being only 1.2klms from Blayney township.
The Q Fever virus can be contracted by direct contact but also can be airborne and survive within a 5klm radius of its source Along with its close proximity to the town, trucks carrying the feral goats will be travelling directly through the town passed aged care units, schools, preschools, food outlets and business houses I feel there is a huge risk of contamination to the townspeople.
Other logistics of the development also concern me i.e. waste management, wear and tear on shire roads, hours of operation and others but the Q Fever risk in my opinion is too great.
Having said all of this, if the development was to be relocated farther away from the town, for example. in the area of the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange, I would have no issue. Obviously I want our shire to develop and provide employment opportunities but not at the expense of its residents

I certainly want to see my town remain viable and go ahead but I am very concerned this venture is far to close to the town. Not only would it be next door to a Wedding reception venue which is an established business and residential homes but there is a retirement village also on the boundry. It will be on a flood plane which concerns me as this flood water runs into the Belubula River feeding Carcoar dam. I'm also extremely concerned about the threat of Q- Fever as the research shows this will be very likely. Blayney now has a high population of elderly people which would be more prone to the disease as would children. I'm told up to 48 trucks per day loaded with feral goats will be going through the main area of town going passed schools, day care centre, retirement village and the main street 7 days a week 24 hrs a day. Not only will this increase risk to other cars and pedestrians (as we already have a high volume of trucks going through the town)& increased noise but the damage to the roads will be untold. Blayney is very windy ( guess that's why they built a wind farm here) so having already lived for over 30 years with the previous Abattoir in Blayney I know exactly how smelly & unattractive it gets which would be very detrimental to the tourist trade as well as us locals. I am very concerned about these points that I have raised and hope that the relevant departments will seriously consider all the information as we the residents of the town are entitled to our opinions . Thank you.

As a life long resident of Blayney Shire I wish to object to the proposed construction of a goat abattoir on the outskirts of Blayney.
I contracted Q Fever some 20yrs go while working as a maintenance fitter at the Blayney Abattoir in the section handling feral goats. After a lengthy illness including a long stay in hospital and an even longer time off work suffering from chronic fatigue I still to this day have recurring bouts of the disease and my immune system is impaired. I would hate for anyone to contract this disease.
As well as the Q Fever risk I also have serious concerns about the storage, removal and transporting of animal by-products e.g. offal, hair and blood.
The proposal states that waste water will be treated and sold to the local Cadia Mine. What will happen if any of this waste water makes its way into the local Belubula River when dams etc overflow during heavy rain and flooding which often happens in the river flood plain were the abattoir will be located. As a 61 yr old life time resident I can tell you this will happen. With an estimated 58 truck movements per day, the intersection of Adelaide and Burns St will be sure to suffer from gridlock. Even with any reconstruction. Meaning locals suffer again.
Go ahead with the proposal but only if it is relocated to a position much farther away from the township.

1. The proposed development should be considered carefully because of the risk to residents health from Q Fever
It is my understanding that this virus is both airborne and in
iffluent water.With the site of the proposed abattoir being less than 1.5 kms from Blayney town centre, the risk of contraction by town residents of Q Fever is very real.
2. Within the boundaries of Blayney Shire, trucks carrying the feral goats for slaughter, will travel directly passed 3 schools and 2 child care centres - 1 school in Millthorpe, adjacent to the main road and ! childcare centre some 50 metres from the main road which the trucks will be using. In Blayney, trucks will pass between two schools located adjacent to the main road- Church St/OrangeRd. This poses a health risk - Q Fever and also safety risk for children and parents getting children to and from school.
In the case of the chilcare centre, this is situated in the main street of Blayney, in the block between Orange Rd (from where the trucks will be making a right hand turn) and Burns St (trucks will be turning left) This poses a serious safety risk to small children and their parents as there is very limited street parking and no off street parking.
Once the trucks are in Burns St, they will then travel past a Retirement Village. There is no existing pedestrian crossing in either Burns St or Adelaide St for the residents to use.
3. The proposed development will be less than 1 km from the Retirement Village. This poses Health, safety and noise issues for the residents in those Retirement Units and other residents living in close proximity.

I am very concerned and worried about this proposal and wish to lodge my objection.
I live here with my husband who has Cancer (and felt safe living here) and I have two grown children also living in Blayney with their families. I recently moved my elderly father to the retirement village in Blayney. His unit will look out at the proposed site, he will hear the trucks, smell the smells and fail to have the restful days he has now, not a very positive way to spend ones twilight years.
My Husband, my children, my father and I are very worried and the issue is causing me sleepless nights.
Having lived here for the past 25 years I have always been supportive of some industrial development in Blayney and support the local council's policy of `clean' industry. It seems to me that the establishment of an abattoir in Blayney Township does not meet the definition of `clean'.
The proposed small stock abattoir will be located some 400 metres from the town's main street. The probability of dust along with smell and light and noise pollution surely make this proposal unacceptable. The excessive truck movements 24/7 and all the associated issues with that (noise, smell, waste, reduced safety) only cement my disbelief that this issue is even being considered. It is my strong hope that staff from your office will visit Blayney to see how ludicrous this proposal is.
I am disgusted that an elected member of our Council, when asked during a public meeting about his feelings on this issue, would say publicly "if you don't like it, pack your bags and go". What a narrow minded, rude attitude to an issue which has the potential to permanently ruin the lifestyles of almost all residents of Blayney.
I have done a substantial amount of reading on the potential of Q Fever associated with feral goats. In addition to the well documented steps which need to be implemented to attempt to reduce the spread of this disease I am interested to learn that many established abattoirs refuse to kill feral goats because they can't risk the contamination. My readings indicate that the proximity of this development to Blayney places the residents of the town at unacceptable levels of risk. It is my understanding that an abattoir such as this which constitutes such a health risk MUST be at least 5 kilometres from any township.
This proposal places the development adjacent to the Belubula River which passes through Blayney. The development is on the Belubula flood plain. I am sure that any reasonable person could see the potential hazards of having an abattoir on a flood plain. There is also the issue of Q Fever entering the waterways and effecting stock and residents downstream during times of heavy rain and flood.
I also understand that the proposed development will draw water from the town supply which is, at times, inadequate in times of drought.
Further concerns are:
* All the other towns which are being affected by truck movements
* The reduction in the value of our homes as we become "another abattoir town"
* The reduction of living standards for the elderly residents and children of Blayney
* The loss of `community' as established people move away
* While it is designated `small stock abattoir' now, will this be overturned at some stage later so that it becomes a `large stock abattoir'
I do not disapprove of the proposed development coming into Blayney Shire but I, and almost everyone I know in town and in surrounding districts, positively object to the proposed location adjacent to the township.
In summary, I object to the proposed development. I object to the likelihood of the noise, the smell, the traffic, the proximity to town, the potential for Q fever contamination and the completely unacceptable loss of the high standard of living enjoyed by all Blayney Town residents.

I respectfully wish to object to this proposal due to and in my opinion not enough research has been done on the potential health effects of transporting feral goats through two urban areas (Millthorpe & Blayney) and again transporting any residual waste through a residential area to a nearby waste facility.
The incidance of Q fever as a result of the movement and slaughter of feral goats is well establsihed by a variety of studies and I would think that given the lifelong affects of Q-Fever that the health and future well being of the local inhabitanant would be of paramount importance.
I recommend the relocation of this facility away from areas that will be impacted be airborne bacteria.

I am writing to air my concerns about the proposed small livestock abattoir-
We have lived in the area for over thirty two years and the site for this abattoir has always been flooded when ever we have substantial rain and there would be a big chance of run off into the belubula river causing pollution. I feel it is too close to town and a major waterway.
The trucks carrying the ferral goats have to pass three schools,a pre school,multiple businesses and an old peoples home in the town. As I understand Q FEVER is an air born disease which these animals carry and is quite contagious. With an extra fourty to fifty trucks passing through our town a day this is a big concern for the people of Blayney.
There is also an established wedding venue which is less then four hundred metres from the proposed site. Putting this abattoir there will surely put them out of business. I am sure I would not get married near a meat factory and the stink of feral goats.This would also leave their employees without work.
The meatworks will also be less then five hundred metres from our only supermarket in town which i feel is another health risk with the Q FEVER. There is also a sports oval even closer where the kids play weekend sports.
We also own property right next to this proposed abattoir so our livestock is at a high risk of catching the disease and our family when we work the stock also.
I am not against progress for our town of Blayney but I am against this being built so close to town and the amount of trucks that have to come through our main street. Most towns are trying to keep trucks out of the main part of town not bringing more in.I feel this industry should not be within five kilometres of the town because of the health risk it brings with it.
Taking everthing into consideration would this goat abattoir be going ahead if the people making the decisions for the town of Blayney lived within a kilometre of the proposed abattoirs. I THINK NOT!

Having attended a recent meeting held by Blayney Shire Council concerning the Small Animal Abattoir proposed for the Sealink site on Newbridge Road, Blayney I wish to record my abjection on the following grounds.
1. The site is located on a flood plain which I have seen inundated on more than one occasion, making disease spread from the site a major risk involving both live animals and their waste.
2. The site is located less than 1 kilometre from the town's only supermarket, a sports ground, retirement village and several residences, including the Heritage listed 'Athol Gardens' reception centre.
3. The stock to be slaughtered will be transported by road passing three local shire schools as well as numerous others in the towns along the route. This stock is not being sourced locally but will come from the far west of NSW as well as southern Queensland.
4. The risk of spreading Q-fever from aborting females during transport is very high, posing unacceptable health risks to all locals as the virus is able to be spread both airborne as well as by water. Drainage from the site will inevitably end up in the local water table, Belubula Creek, Carcoar Dam and then along the Lachlan River to towns located downstream of Blayney. Containment on site of truck wash waste water heightens this risk especially when prevailing winds come from the east across the town.
5. The road to the site is unsuitable for large volume heavy vehicle traffic, being narrow and having traffic islands already in place at the Post Office corner in order to offer safe crossing to pedestrians accessing the Post Office.
6. Site environmental works from previous developments at the Sealink business have not been completed. Apart from being an unacceptable development so close to the town, no amount of site environmental works will alleviate the smell, sound and waste issues generated by an abattoir. The now derelict site of the original Blayney Abattoir is so polluted that no development of that site could meet modern acceptable EPA standards. A new development will lead to a similar outcome on the east of the town as that already existing to the north.
7. If the feral goat problem is of such a magnitude that an abattoir with the capacity such as being proposed is needed, it should be built where they are, rather than transporting them over long distances, and exposing communities along the transport corridor to infection, smell and pollution. Urine spray and other waste from transport vehicles, which cannot be fully enclosed and sealed, will inevitably spread disease all along the transport route.
8. There is little economic value for the Communities of Blayney Shire in this proposal. Employment opportunity will predominantly come from redundant and displaced workers currently living and working in Orange and Bathurst.

I would like to object to the proposal to build an abattoir so close to Blayney and Athol Gardens. I grew up in Blayney and have strong and unpleasant memories of the abattoir that used to be in operation there. The old abattoir covered the whole town in an awful stink on a very regular basis. The years since that abattoir's closure have been the best smelling years of Blayney's recent history!
My concern also extends to the impact the proposed abattoir would have on Athol Gardens. I was married at Athol Gardens and all my wedding guests made special mention of the fresh country air, the ambiance of the gardens, and the beautiful setting. The air will not be so fresh with 4500 head of feral goats being unloaded less then 500m away.
My wedding guests nearly all came from out of town, bringing their tourist dollars to Blayney and Millthorpe during that weekend. We ate at local cafes, drank at local pubs and filled up the local motels. Athol Gardens is one of the best wedding venues in the whole region but it's amazing setting would be ruined by an abattoir so close by. 4500 feral goats would put off any bride from choosing it in the future.
While I applaud anyone who acts to remove feral goats from western NSW, I really dont see how anyone would want an abattoir in their town. Why not put it out of town, nearer the Central West Stock Exchange?
I am also concerned about the health risks to Blayney residents. Feral goats, by their very existence, are not a managed herd. They could easily be carrying diseases like Q fever which in turn could contaminate the soil at an abattoir site, then trampling hooves will send dust in to the air for Blayney residents to breathe in.

SUBMISSION FOR PROPOSED FERAL GOAT ABATTOIR, BLAYNEY
APPLICATION No SSD 6594
I am a resident of Blayney, directly in line with the proposed abattoir, across the other side of the Belubula River. Between our place and the proposed abattoir is a 29-units Retirement Village. I am writing not only as an affected resident, but also as Chairperson of the Christ Church Retirement Village (relevant sections in shown in bold print).

PREVIOUS POOR COMPLIANCE RECORD
Metziya has shown, from its initial application to open a freezer works, its disregard for consultation and subsequent compliance with development stipulations.
There has been constant failure to consult with community in the past on any new development stages of the freezer works - much of the community, until recently, knew nothing of this current development.
Similarly, a short time ago, when extensions were being made to the freezer works, Council had to be pressed by the community to hold consultations. A meeting was finally held, but the proponents of the development did not appear, and only a couple of councillors turned up as observers. One of the Council's officers just presented the project to the assembled company, heard their grievances, and that was it. Ticked the boxes. No interest in any submissions and no feedback; the exercise was a complete sham.

The original application to build in the early 2000s was signed off by the then General Manager of the Council. This person subsequently joined Metziya. The original land use was changed from general rural to industrial dry storage classification, and now appears to go to yet another classification with the stroke of a handy pen.
The required visual barrier of trees in the original development was a half-hearted attempt, and Council seems to have been unable to press the company into making a proper job of it.
Under the original agreement, Metziya was to have upgraded the road from the edge of town to its site. One bridge has been unable to withstand the loads of trucks and has been replaced by the Council and the State Government, not by Metziya, as was required. Also during this development, the sight distance of 100m at 60km/h was necessary, particularly at the curve on a slight hump near the entrance to Athol Gardens (were truck or car braking distances considered?). The road has been widened (at whose expense?), but the speed limit is 80km/h.
The promise of jobs, jobs, jobs keeps pouring from promoters (including political promotion). Some numbers, such as 200 jobs, were thrown around when the freezer works rail sidings were built. Until recently, not a train has used the sidings.
This brazen ignoring of development requirements does not augur well for the current development, wherein Council has asked for recommended changes to the development. The recommendations are weak and ineffectual, and will be brushed aside, as have the past requests.

TRAFFIC
The State Government had a plan to build a Mid-Western Highway bypass road around Blayney some 20 years ago. This has not been built, and all heavy transport goes down the main street.
The industrial traffic is set to increase significantly in volume and frequency with this development. There is no evening curfew; trucks will work 24 hours a day.
Large trucks will need a wider turning radius at the corner of Adelaide St and Burns Rd. Parking will probably be removed from the front of the Royal Hotel. Hopefully, the town's original historical survey chain posts will not be affected.
Trucks will be going past Blayney Public School, Blayney High School and Millthorpe Public School. Children crossing the Mid-Western Highway, going home or to the supermarket, will have to avoid large trucks.
Although the speed limit is set at 50km/h through town, a few trucks tend to go over that speed.
The night traffic will disturb visitors accommodated at the Royal Hotel and the Post Office B & B, particularly when the trucks change down gears for the corner. The trucks will also pass by the Retirement Village.
Of great concern is the difficulty facing aged people crossing Burns Road to the Post Office. Trucks suddenly appearing and sweeping around the corner would bear down too quickly on slow and feeble pedestrians. This is already a concern; the longer and more frequent trucks will make this crossing more difficult and hazardous.

DISEASE
Blayney's old abattoir gave one of the current Council workers Q disease. It also smelt the town out, and its demise was an uplift to the town's amenity, along with a reduction in undesirable social behaviour.
The proposed abattoir is just short of 1 km from the Retirement Village. Easterly winds are stronger in Summer in this area. This means that odours and dust (including any airborne germs) will sometimes be carried toward the Retirement Village and the town. Elderly people are more at risk from the effects of this disease. Stock trucks regularly spray fæces and urine over following cars - there is no such thing as complete containment of these contaminating substances.
The local supermarket, selling fresh foods, is also the same distance from the proposed abattoir, as is the nearby recreation ground.
The abattoir appears to be about 400-500m from Athol Gardens, an historic house and Reception Centre for weddings, etc. This would put guests and food at risk from airborne disease and odours.
The site is also 1.4 km from the local schools. Q fever can have a debilitating effect on children for life.
Blayney has just started to attract tourists and locals to the local shops and some cafés now have outdoor tables. Now these will be affected by odours and disease risk.

ODOURS
All abattoirs are smelly, but feral goats are worse than most other animals. Dubbo has a town abattoir, but is far enough away from town to be reasonably safe for the people's health and far enough away for the city to avoid the smell.
Blayney is in a valley, where any dust and smells will settle. With this background, Blayney will be known as an abattoir town. It is certain that any business like Athol Gardens will cease to operate. There is not much hope for the little outdoor cafés either. The Post office B & B will be hard pressed to attract customers a second time.

ENVIRONMENT
The EIS states, `The Project Site is situated within an isolated area of land classified as having a "high" vulnerability to groundwater contamination.' The slope of the land means that all run-off water will seep toward the Belubula River, which runs past the front of Christ Church Retirement Village and alongside the town.
CONCLUSION
This proposal does not suit a small town, which is part of the heritage cluster in the Blayney Shire. The abattoir would be too close, too overwhelming, a source of potential contaminants, a traffic hazard, a blot on the landscape and only positioned for the convenience of Metziya, at the expense of the community. The abattoir should ideally be situated near the Central Tablelands Livestock Exchange or thereabouts, far removed from any living areas (particularly any area set aside for older people), cafés, town accommodation or business areas.
Donald Hawes.

Submission re. Proposed Small Stock / Goat Abattoir, Blayney. NSW.
23.05.20152

As a resident of Blayney Shire for some 40 years I have lived for most of that time on a rural property about seven kilometres from Blayney on the Newbridge Road. My family and I are regular commuters along the Newbridge Road in order to access shops and other services in Blayney, or to attend various meetings and functions as required. We are against the siting of a small stock abattoir on the outskirts of Blayney. We are, however, not against the establishment of an abattoir, but the location. We question the wisdom of placing an abattoir in such close proximity to town. As long term residents of the shire we also have an understanding of the impact that the previous Blayney abattoir had on the local area, and feel that such developments should not be situated close to an urban area. It is also difficult to understand how, in the light of modern environmental expectations, an industry such as an abattoir would even be proposed for a site less than one kilometre from the Belubula River which effectively forms Blayney's eastern border. It would also seem to be quite impractical to transport large numbers of feral goats for extremely long distances, from far western New South Wales and Queensland, through many rural communities, for the purpose of slaughter at Blayney. An abattoir established closer to goat rangelands would be far more appropriate.

It is important that the following issues be considered in relation to the proposed Small Stock Abattoir at Blayney.

 Publicity and Communication - One of the requirements listed in a letter to SLR Consulting from the NSW Department of Planning and Environment (Ref. No. 14/1918-1) emphasised "the importance of effective and genuine community consultation and the need for proposals to proactively respond to the community's concerns." I feel that this point has been quite neglected within the Blayney community. The project was first brought to the attention of Blayney residents in the "Blayney Chronicle" newspaper of 11 September 2014. Readers were advised that a public information night was to be held the following week (18 September 2015) at the Blayney Community Centre. This meeting was hosted by SLR Consulting on behalf of the proponent company. According to the newspaper the meeting was to outline the proposal and give opportunity to the community to comment on the project. As this was the first time the project had been presented, how could those in attendance make a considered response to it on the basis of a "one-off" talk and power-point display? The edition of the Chronicle available on that same day also made no mention of the meeting at all, not even a reminder notice. There would have been many community members who were oblivious of either the proposal or the meeting if they had not read the original article on the 11th September, or missed TV news reports. Since then there have been few references to the project in the Blayney newspaper. It has been left to the proprietors of Athol Gardens ( a wedding reception venue close to the project site) through letters to the newspaper to address specifically the public need for precise and clear information. Surprisingly there has been more detailed information on the proposal published in other regional newspapers. One recent "Cowra Guardian" paper actually had coloured pictures of the layout of the proposed abattoir for its readers benefit. Why didn't the same article appear in the "Blayney Chronicle?" When Blayney readers were finally advised that the documents for the proposed abattoir were available for Public Display in the Blayney Chronicle on 9th April 2015, neither an address or specific website was given for residents to find the documents or respond to the proposal. Only two printed copies of the proposal have been made available locally for perusal - to be shared in a town of over 3,000 people. A follow up article to the proposal, published on 16th April, gave some details of the proposal but again there was no illustration given for the community. It has since been left to the Blayney Shire Council to provide a forum in the form of another meeting which outlined council's attitude to the project. This gave residents an opportunity to express their opinions and share further information on areas of concern, but still no detailed information on the project was available from the proponents.

The presentation of news articles whether on TV or in the newspapers has been couched in such a way as to presume approval has already been given. This has led to many people considering it a "done deal" which amounts to subtle psychological manipulation of the Blayney community.

 Monitoring Sites - These were limited to Athol Gardens homestead and function centre; and nearby residence on the southern side of the proposed development; a house on the east; and one house to the west on the edge of Blayney. No mention in the various reports has been made of Dakers Oval, used for sport principally by school teams and junior sporting groups, which is in a direct line west of the proposed abattoir, and the Blayney IGA supermarket which is in the same area. Also, no reference has been made to the Christchurch Retirement Units complex which is situated in a block on the eastern edge of Blayney between Burns Street and Church Street, and facing the Belubula River on Henry Street, on the same street as one of the residents chosen for a monitoring site.

 Air Quality - The study does not adequately address the odour of feral goats. A speaker at the original presentation to the local community on September 2014 stated that goats did not smell, however, as rural residents know - the larger the group of animals, the more concentrated their odour. Parked stock trucks carrying domestic animals to the Carcoar saleyards south of Blayney can be smelt a block away, or if enroute can be smelt from passing vehicles and by pedestrians. The daily transport of some 4,500 feral goats would share that smell from western NSW and southern Queensland with every community enroute. As feral goats have not been desexed it is logical to assume that any truckload could carry about 50% of male goats, and as most goats have to be of a size that would produce over 10kg of meat, they would be older stock. The older a buck, the more offensive its odour. In Blayney Shire the communities of Millthorpe and Blayney would be most affected. Three schools, and one day care are situated on the direct route to the abattoir, as well as aged care units in both Millthorpe and Blayney. On arrival at Blayney that odour would be magnified as large numbers of goats or sheep are offloaded and held for slaughter. There could be 2,000 male goats or more at a time on the proposed site. The impact on Athol Gardens, which has developed a sought after venue for wedding receptions, over the last decade will be catastrophic, especially as the abattoir proponents intend to operate for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with holding capacity for 10,000 goats. The report indicates that "there is potential for four times as much odour to accumulate in the air inside the holding pen." It is very difficult to stop odour from becoming air borne, and spreading, particularly on windy days. It must also be noted that meteorological data was obtained from a monitoring station at Orange Airport some distance outside Blayney Shire. Residents around Blayney will know that temperatures may be similar, but other climatic conditions will often be quite different at Blayney. Blayney is prone to high winds, both from the west and the east. Easterly winds rarely reach the Orange airport. During the summer, strong easterly winds would carry odour across the town of Blayney, impacting the town's shopping centre; its business area on the main street; and the retirement units. The large numbers of vehicle movements on and off the site on a daily basis would increase exhaust emissions in both Blayney and Millthorpe, being particularly noticeable to residents close to the proposed abattoir site.

 Noise Impact - The report by S L R Consulting on noise is based on technicalities and data, which does not reflect the true impact of high numbers of vehicles accessing the project site, during construction and also during operation. The noise of large trucks in what is generally a fairly peaceful rural environment will be far more noticeable than would those in an urban area. As the intended abattoir is supposed to operate 24 hours a day, with deliveries of stock occurring at night as well as day, the impact on residents along the route through Millthorpe and Blayney will be quite noticeable. Trucks arriving at the project site will need to change gear, and brake a short distance from the Athol homestead, impacting not only on residents, but also on guests for wedding receptions at Athol Gardens. Similarly, older residents of the Blayney retirement units would be adversely impacted. Noise at night is far more audible than during the daytime, and given certain atmospheric conditions not only truck noise could be heard across Blayney, but also livestock noise. Distressed animals make more noise than those in their natural habitat. Feral goats would be far more stressed than domesticated animals, especially in unfamiliar and threatening environments. Even domestic animals respond adversely to such places.

 Traffic - The realities of pedestrian and driver safety have not been adequately addressed by the S L R report. Formulae and road conditions do not account for human judgment and behaviour. The intersection of Adelaide Street and Burns Street is a particularly busy one in Blayney. The Blayney Post Office is located on the south-eastern corner, the Royal Hotel on the western side of the intersection, with other businesses and two church properties on the same side. Visibility is often difficult for drivers attempting to access Adelaide Street from Burns Street, without the addition of many more trucks and vehicles. One of the two peak periods for trucks is intended to be during school closing hours. There is much more local traffic on the main street (Adelaide Street) at that time, including school buses, with many children also walking home. The high school is located a block to the west of the intersection. Accessing the Post Office will be difficult and dangerous for older residents of the retirement units, especially as it is the main payment point for utility services in Blayney, and will soon act as agency for Westpac banking services.
The access point to the abattoir on the Newbridge Road is proposed to be a short distance from a blind bend on the rise next to the Athol Homestead. This will be extremely dangerous for vehicles heading east on the Newbridge Road, especially with stock trucks slowing down to turn onto the proposed road. Early in the morning, at peak delivery time for stock deliveries, when the sun is rising, drivers travelling out of town can be blinded by the rising sun on that same bend, which means that a collision with a turning truck, especially a B-double would be inevitable. By the time vision is restored, an accident would be inevitable.

 Visual - It is difficult to adequately screen large industrial developments successfully in rural areas. Some attempt has already been made to screen the current Sealink buildings from the Newbridge Road, but as there has been little maintenance or replacement of dead trees, by Metziya Pty Ltd until this year, local residents would be rather sceptical of maintenance of future landscaping. The proposed access road into the site, in any case is going to remove some of the planting already in place, thus losing a considerable portion of screening from the Newbridge Road. This will impact road users and guests at the nearby wedding venue.

 Hazard - The Blayney Local Environment Plan 2013 lists the proposed abattoir site as IN1 General Industrial and its examples of permissible developments are light or semi industrial businesses. Heavier industries; sewage treatment plants; waste disposal and water recycling facilities are prohibited on the site, yet, the LEP also says that livestock processing industries could be permitted in the IN1 zone with development consent. As a shire resident and ratepayer there seems to be a conflict of purpose. As all waste from the site, including animal waste; blood from the slaughter floor; animal hair, etc. is similar to sewage in nature and would have a significant biological element, related to the various diseases that feral goats carry, surely it could not be allowed. Combined with the use of cleaning elements the resultant sludge would be highly toxic, especially if it inadvertently entered the nearby Belubula River. It would have the potential to be a major ecological disaster for the shire, including Carcoar Dam, further downstream on the Belubula River. No human activity is fool proof.

 Socio-economic Impact - The proposed development will undoubtedly bring more work into the region, but it also has to be balanced by the negative impact on nearby Athol Gardens as a wedding reception/events venue. Ultimately the construction of an abattoir will force the closure of what has been a very positive addition to the Blayney community, not just locally but also due to the image it has promoted of the town across New South Wales. The closure of this business would also have a flow on effect through the community, with less work for caterers; photographers; food suppliers; florists; motels, hotels and the caravan park in Blayney, and throughout the wider district. Figures on potential benefits for the local community look positive, however, the impact on the town of Blayney may be minimal. Many workers will travel from the larger centres of Bathurst, Orange and possibly Cowra, with their pay packets spent in those centres. It is unlikely that they would relocate to Blayney. There is also no guarantee that workers will be sourced locally. Many other such businesses use overseas workers on short term visas.

 Health - Feral goats carry a wide range of conditions and parasitic worms that are threats to both humans and domestic animals. It is a known fact in agricultural areas that such animals can harbour the following diseases: Ovine Johne's disease; Q fever; tetanus; leptospirosis; hydatids; pulpy kidney; and black leg. Q fever is especially a risk as it can be carried by air and water and is particularly virulent. The close proximity to the Belubula River and a town of 3,000 people, is particularly concerning. No work place is fail safe. There are many schools along the access routes to the Newbridge Road site; and the close proximity of retirement units to the main operational area, put many people at risk. Workers in the livestock industries may be vaccinated against some of these complaints, but it is extremely rare in other communities. School children and pregnant women cannot be vaccinated against Q fever. There have been documented cases of large scale infections in towns close to such abattoirs as promoted for Blayney. That is just another reason why it should not be constructed so close to town, or a waterway.


As a concerned ratepayer and resident of Blayney Shire I understand that the proposed project, if successful would be of benefit to the region, however, I feel that the proposed development should not be approved for the proposed site due to its proximity to the town of Blayney, and the Belubula River, as well as the potential for negative impacts on both local residents and the environment. It would also have a detrimental affect on other established businesses in the community.

My husband and I are considering investing in the Central Tablelands in an area around Blayney. However we were very surprised to find out that it is proposed to build an abbatoir witin 5 kms of the town. If an abbatoir is built in the proposed location we will not proceed with this investment for the following reasons;
1. Health concerns. From the research I have done it seems that Q fever can spread from an abbatoir for up to 15 kms. I have not been able to find any health professionals who state that there is not risk of Q fever wishing 5 kms of an abbatoir.
2. Visual concerns. We first discovered the joys of Blayney whilst attending a wedding at Athol just outside Blayney. We have recommended this wedding venue to a few friends and everyone has enjoyed the superb gardens. As it is proposed that the abbatoir is to be located across the road from Athol I will not be able to recommend this location if it goes ahead. I understand that Athol is at least 140 years old and I think it would be criminal for the properties location to be compromised by having an abbatoir over the road from it.
I understand that the the reason that the abbatoir is planned for the proposed location is because it is close to a freezing plant. I find it hard to believe that the health, and quality of life of the residents of Blayney, is being risked because a private company wants to save money transferring carcasses to the freezing plant.
I would ask the Department consider whether you would want to invest in an area within a few kilometres of an abbatoir. If not I would ask that approval for this abbatoir in this location is not given.
We will delay our decision on investing I this area until a final decision is made on the location of the abbatoir.
Thank you

I do not wish this proposed abattoir to go ahead in Blayney. The site is far too close to the town of Blayney, it is on a flood plain and it far far too close to the beautiful historic reception venue of Athol. It would be the ruination of this very busy wedding reception venue. The proposed site is far too close to Blayney. The disgusting smell of goats would be all consuming . The threat of Q Fever is a serious concern that could affect the whole town. This proposed abattoir may provide jobs but it would kill the town if allowed to go ahead. I do not want this project to go ahead.

This should not be built so close to a town!!

Manager Industry Assessments
Department of Planning and Environment
GPO Box 39
SYDNEY NSW 2001

24 May 2015


Submission SSD 6594 Metziya Pty Limited 137 Newbridge Road Blayney

We would like to object to the above development proposal.
Our objection is based on the location of the project. To have an abattoir within 800 metres of our main street is ludicrous. The proposal is a health issue with feral goats being trucked past our homes, schools, pre-school, retirement village and along our main street, not to mention how close the development is to our only Supermarket.

It is also a safety issue with 48 truck movements along our Adelaide Street every 24 hours. How is the main street going to deal with that amount of B Doubles along with all the other through traffic, local traffic and pedestrians? The intersection of Adelaide and Burns Streets is said to be upgraded but this corner will still be a traffic hazard. Newbridge Road is a very narrow rural road and it would not be safe for locals sharing this road with the large trucks.

Has anyone considered the smell of the goats or uncontrolled discharge of waste coming from these B Doubles in transit to the abattoir, especially down the Adelaide Street. Feral goat waste can transfer pathogens into the community and this would affect more than 3,000 people in the Blayney area, is this project worth the risk at this location, we think not.

If goats are allowed to graze on the land surrounding the proposed abattoir they would cause issues for the community with the smell. The land is situated on a flood plain which could also cause environmental problems with waste being washed into the Belubula River and on to Carcoar Dam.

All of these issues would have an adverse effect on tourism which would in turn affect all established businesses in the area and the community in general.

We also object to this type of industry being located across the road from Athol Gardens, which is the only function centre of its type in the Blayney area. Our son was married in the magnificent gardens and the reception was also held there. We have attended many other functions at Athol and it is an exceptional venue that would be adversely affected by this development.

This industry could be an asset to the town if located in the correctly zoned area and not within 5 kilometres of town.