Bowdens Silver

Please view the attached letter for my objection to the project.

I wish to register my wider concerns about the planned lead/silver mine at Lue. My wife and I live in Mudgee - a pristine and beautiful town that formed in the early 1800’s because of the Cudgegong River supplied clean water and the rich soils surrounding the town supplied wealth derived from agriculture.
Before moving to Mudgee in 2013 we lived on a 600ha grazing property 10kms east of Lue by road for 28 years. The property had a 1km frontage to Lawson Creek - a water source easily underrated because it appeared to stop flowing but which had a number of beautiful water holes that never dried up. In the time we spent at Wonga as the property was known, these water holes were shared by all kinds of local fauna as well as our sheep and cattle. There were always fish & tortoises in these holes too. Our children loved swimming in them but it was always unpleasant because of the leaches they had to flick off their bleeding legs if they stayed in for too long.
The water that runs past our old property travels westwards on a journey that has contributed prosperity to many towns and millions of hectares of productive country in the central west and western plains of NSW.
This mine proposal is just too close to the vast catchment area that Lawson Creek is part of. I just can’t imagine how the risks this mine poses to the catchment can ever be properly addressed. Not now, not ever. The downstream communities and the long term sustainable wealth derived from agriculture are far to important.
At some point, we all need to walk away from this project and rejoice in what we have in this region and never let anything or anyone take it away from us.
Kind regards & thanks

I object to the Bowdens Silver mine project in Lue. I believe there is no safe level of lead contamination as a result of mining and that many of the proposals in this exhibition are unprecedented. How can the health and wellbeing of the community be guaranteed? I am asking you to please reject the application for a mining licence by Bowdens Silver Pty Ltd.

Madam, sir

My name is Elodie Delwaide and I live in Lue, 2km from the proposed mine, (2948 Lue Road). I moved here 1 year ago in order to start a life with my partner. We decided to start a life here because we enjoying being in the nice peaceful area, with a healthy connection to the natural world.

I'm opposed to the Bowdens silver mine project because a project like this could have serious effects on our health.

Firstly, I really hope the department of planning won't accept a project like this that will force us to live in a contaminated area. We have our lives built here and our future is at risk through the inexperience of this mine. Its design and planning show very little success in its containment of dangerous materials to the environment, sustainability of our water source, and destruction to our lifestyle and the value of our property.

Secondly, the lead in the air would be toxic especially for children under 5 years within a 5km radius from the mine. The water would also be contaminated with acid, Leached out of its failed containment, which could be fatal for animals and humans alike. Who would want to live in that kind of area?

My future plans include opening a wellness Centre/yoga retreat here in Lue. I think the project would compromised my business, as many would not like to visit a community involved in such unhealthy and noisy development. We have to support local economy and businesses, but healthy ones with an ever increasing positive relation towards the region.

Finally, opening that kind of mine would create some jobs, however the overall impact on other business and employment out ways these jobs. Wineries within the region will use contaminated water over their grapes, farmers with less water and bad quality water for the animals, the local olive press subject to its products contaminated with lead dust.

A solution would be to stop the exploration of silver and develop a more economical and environmentally sustainable alternative.
Away from civilisation. 2 km is too close.

Thankyou for your attention.

Elodie Delwaide