McPhillamys Gold Project

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I oppose the McPhillamy's Gold Mine Project because it will damage the Beluluba River system and the health for agriculture and humans is too precious, already in trouble with drought problems, for such an unneeded project.
https://www.centralwesterndaily.com.au/story/6334791/states-farmers-languishing-as-the-widespread-drought-continues/

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The amount of natural water sources is at an all time low with the current environmental conditions; we should be conserving our natural springs and promoting water conservation, holistic environmental management and sustainability. I feel the location of the facilities that are needed for the development of this mine will eliminate several of our local natural springs and the availability of water for agriculture and the preservation of native animal and plant species should be at the forefront of our long term sustainability plan, not the destruction of local natural resources. The Central West is a hub of diverse agricultural productivity and the increasing efficiency of resource management is something we are working towards; this development would destroy the long-term planning for an environmentally sustainable balance between agriculture and natural resource management.

To whom it may concern,

To have a significant mining project that will bring additional road safety risks with a increased volume of heavy vehicle movements, increased noise and air pollution, environmental issues with ground water management in an LGA with agriculture as a main industry in close proximity to a residential community in Kings Plains and directly next to a high traffic highway is simply unrealistic and doesn't make good community or economic sense. Planning and consideration of all aspects needs to be carefully balanced. As it currently stands, this proposal brings many unknown and detrimental variables.

Despite these lengthy reports and analysis to try to justify dollar benefits through immense mitigation and workarounds, research reports and EIS statements clearly shows the negative impact to the local residents and surrounding towns only to the benefit of Regis shareholders.

The evidence presented outweighs any proposed economic benefits for the local region even for the short-term (up to 15 years) compared to significant long-term negative environmental issues, health and safety risks and immediate community impacts of the Regis proposal. Although the project is yet to get off the ground, already we have seen negative impacts of stress, mental health issues and a large number of families displaced and moved off their agricultural land which is eroding small towns and community spirit.

Blayney Shire Council has established zoning for small farm residential acreage along Walkhom Rd which has brought many young families to the area who are now facing quality of life issues as the proposed mine is very close to their properties bringing noise, dust from blasts and tailings dam, additional truck movements to their doorstep. Houses that for sale along Walkhom Rd, remain on the market as the uncertainty of even a proposed mine site is having a negative impact in keeping people away. The last ABS census results shows Blayney is one of fastest growing regional NSW LGAs with over 7600 residents and neighbouring LGAs are also showing population growth in Orange and Bathurst. This growth can be attributed to relocators, professional businesses, developments in health, tourism and agricultural sectors so any new mine poses a significant threat to the significant growth initiatives already taking shape in the Central West region. As experience with other mining towns has proven over the years, any estimated job increase is likely to be short-term and minimal for locals in the Blayney area as specialist mining skills will be needed from elsewhere. If jobs are to realised locally, these roles will be redundant when the mine closes leaving these regional LGAs with a labour surplus and further social and economic issues.

Specifically, the key major flaws in the proposal that should be brought to your attention and urgently addressed include:
1. The failure to recognise potential impacts in terms of noise from blasts, dust, heavy vehicle movements or proposed employee movements to the South of the site, directly across the Mid-Western Highway along Kings Plains Rd to Newbridge. If Regis took the time to present an analysis of this road, they would have discovered a number of young families who reside and commute along Kings Plains Road and regularly use the road to travel to and from Blayney and Bathurst past the mine site to access the school bus and work. Any extra traffic along Kings Plains Rd from employees who may commute from Newbridge, Trunkey, Barry, Perthville, Georges Plains and any other small towns to the South will cause a significant health and road safety risk issues to residents. Kings Plains Rd is an unsealed road based of loose gravel and dirt/ dust managed by Blayney Shire Council. There is no speed limit and it is signposted to "drive to the conditions". It starts at Walkhom Rd and at about 5 kilometres, turns into Village Road to Blayney and/ or continues 7km to Newbridge. It is one lane in most places with many blind corners, blind hills/crests, 90 degree bends, oversize potholes, large trees that jut into the roadway, 'wildlife habitat' in terms of logs, old fencing materials, presenting little opportunity to pull off the road to let other vehicles, let alone heavy vehicles past. This poses significant road safety risk at the best of times and when there is low visibility through poor weather conditions such as fog, rain, dry, snow and icy conditions, access along this route is further compromised. Currently, Blayney Shire Council grades the road as required (usually annually) and there is mostly residential traffic. While Kings Plains Road is not a viable transport link to the mine, if the proposed mine is to go ahead and as a result brings additional traffic, Kings Plains Road would need to be widened, trees removed and the road sealed (bitumen) to improve safety. Alternatively, other solutions to restrict traffic caused by mine operations would need to be put in practice to improve road safety. The proponent has made no attempt to review the potential impacts to residents who live beyond Walkhom Road to the South which is a flaw in planning considering Kings Plains Rd to the village of Newbridge is one of the closest local through-roads to the mine site and the proposed mine entrance. When questioned about this, representatives of Regis advised that only traffic areas where the 'bulk of local people' would be affected such as Blayney, Bathurst, Orange were being considered. This is simply not good enough.

2. Previously, the proponent has made indications that heavy vehicle trucks from another proposed mine site at Mandurama would connect with the Kings Plains Regis Mine Site and bring heavy vehicle truck movements into Blayney and possibly along Kings Plains Rd and then Walkhom Rd to the mine site. Unfortunately, this issue has not been adequately addressed or even mentioned in this proposal. While it may be a different site, it would be prudent to explore the intentions here which would seriously impact road safety for the community (as per above) and bring health issues to residents caused by dust, including silicosis.

3. The proposed mine entry site is only 190m from the main intersection of Walkhom Rd East and Mid Western Highway to Bathurst where residential and school bus traffic would need to turn right and give way to all employee traffic and heavy vehicle (b-double trucks and similar) leaving the site as many as 30 per day. This would be a significant road safety hazard and be an inconvenience for motorists adding to the journey time to Bathurst. Heavy vehicles would take a considerable distance to reach the 100km/hour speed limit slowing following traffic (potential rear end accidents) and vehicles would need to consider overtaking heavy vehicles immediately. As there is a long, straight stretch of highway before the proposed entrance (towards Blayney), vehicles tend to get up speed which may bring rear end collisions with the mine trucks or Walkhom Rd traffic as they approach the intersections. In addition, page 17 of the serious accidents report from 2013-2017 showed there were 3 major accidents leading to serious injury and even death around this site. Traffic from Walkhom Rd East on to the Mid Western Highway are already impacted by a blind corner when looking right (to Bathurst) so the entrance to the mine being on the left will bring another significant hazard to this intersection and further impact residents of Kings Plains. A better solution would be to move it to the east of Walkhom Road intersection (towards Bathurst) so traffic flow would not be impeded at that intersection or better still leave the existing mine entrance on Dungeon Road away from flowing traffic or move the mine entrance to the east of the Walkhom Road West intersection allowing traffic from Blayney to overtake trucks along the long, section of straight highway.

4. A mine site with visible open cut pits, noise, lights, dust so close to the Mid Western Highway poses a significant road safety issue causing distraction to motorists travelling at high speeds. There have been 6 significant road accidents along this stretch of the highway including fatalities which is a community concern if the mine is to proceed.

5. Recreational studies of the vicinity that simply focus on the Mid-Western Highway over a period in February 2017 presents an outdated, inaccurate and narrow view of the growing village life in the area. In over two years since the study was conducted, there has been positive community growth with an increase in the number of residential housing in the Kings Plains area including many new families who have built houses and moved to the area for recreation and lifestyle. Regularly people are seen walking their dogs, cycling, running and horseback riding along Walkhom Rd and Kings Plains Road. This health and well being activity should be encouraged, supported and recognised by the mine, not ignored. Blayney Shire Council regularly promotes an annual Healthy, Happy Wellness Challenge to counter the LGA being named as one of the highest risk areas for obesity. However, the the proposed mine threatens this way of life for residents. In addition, a nursery with buildings of significant heritage is less than 3 kilometres away. There are often tourism events such as open gardens and community gatherings held here that would be impacted by the mine. I would like to see how the mine in such close proximity to Kings Plains could support recreational activity for families and add to the quality of life for residents.
Unfortunately, there is lack of transparency around many of these important issues.
Thank you for your time in considering this submission.

I am writing to object to the proposed gold project near Blayney. Here are my objections:

Having grown up in Central NSW I have not been a stranger to periods of dryness across our land. The dought we are currently witnessing is by far the worst I have seen. It seems everyone is doing their part to assist in preserving what precious water we have. Then I hear about the effects this proposed mine would have on top of the headwaters of one of the few rivers in the country that is still in responsible condition and it frankly makes me feel sick. The toxic sludge that could potentially effect this water source is alarming.

Tailings dams have been known to fail, with catastrophic consequences. Destroying this agricultural area for a 15 year project to extract gold at a concentration of perhaps 1.05gm/tonne, producing 60m+ tonnes of waste, and leaving a destroyed landscape and toxic legacy that will last forever just cannot be justified to produce a metal that will likely end up as jewellery, or be locked away as bullion. No doubt the financiers and engineers who are promoting and designing this project are highly skilled, but the risks posed by this project are way out of proportion with the benefit to be gained for the country as a whole.

The use of cyanide to process the gold from ore and then pumped into the tailings dam. Cyanide has been banned in nine countries, Korea, Ecuador, Argentina, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey, Germany and Hungary and some US states and poses a dangerous and toxic threat to the water and land in the region.

Inevitable contamination of the Belubula and Lachlan Rivers, due to seepage though groundwater flows from the tailings dam.

Traffic problems and caused by the continuous stream of heavy vehicles, and light vehicles at shift changes.

The blot on the landscape caused by the “amenity bunds” and dust.

Loss of natural land and environment for wildlife, and the impact of toxicity on surrounding wildlife.

Noise, dust, vibrations, particulate pollution from diesel fumes, light pollution 7 days a week and 24 hours a day.

The noise, vibrations and risks posed by regular explosions permitted for 12 hours a day. This will impact live stock and dometic animals on neighbouring properties and could damange heritage buildings.

Permanent degradation of prime agricultural land and scenery.

Loss of trees including high altitude yellow box that may be 200 years old.

Impact on bee population due to loss of ground flora and contaminated water.

Loss of the forest where the mine is proposed that is considered an ecologically endangered community as defined by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
The high probability that the developer will not be willing or able to rehabilitate the site when the mine eventually becomes unviable, as has happened so many times in the history of mining.

The whole project proposes less than 1000 short terms jobs. Other industries in this area, with support a more diversified and resilient economy including tourism, renewables and sustainable agriculture offer far more employment.

Thank you for considering my objection to this project.

Our Community has struggled for employment advancement for many years, and although some very supportive and progressive businesses operating within the Council area, the continued unemployment, and lack of ability for residents to see a progressive way forward is leading to discontent and negativity within the shire. There are some wonderful attributes to the surrounding community however with uncontrollable drought conditions, many struggling business sectors, this mining opportunity is certainly a welcome process. With the area already having tremendously successful engagement with Mining (CVO) operations, and known controls and procedures that must be met and continuously achieved, our family operated local business and our staff welcome the efforts and opportunity that Regis / McPhillamys offer.

I object to this proposed mine for the following reasons:
• The vast majority of Australia is in the grip of drought, claimed by some to be the most severe and widespread in recorded history. Most expert opinion is that, due to the now unavoidable climate change caused by global warming, such droughts are going to become the new normal. This will result in reduced rainfall, increased evaporation, and consequent scarcity of water for all purposes, including farming, on which we all depend for food production. Yet this project is seriously proposing to construct a tailings dam, full of potentially toxic sludge, on top of the headwaters of one of the few rivers in the country still in reasonable condition.

• Tailings dams have been known to fail, with catastrophic consequences. Destroying this agricultural area for a 15 year project to extract gold at a concentration of perhaps 1.05gm/tonne, producing 60m+ tonnes of waste, and leaving a destroyed landscape and toxic legacy that will last forever just cannot be justified to produce a metal that will likely end up as jewellery, or be locked away as bullion. No doubt the financiers and engineers who are promoting and designing this project are highly skilled, but the risks posed by this project are way out of proportion with the benefit to be gained for the country as a whole.


• Some towns in NSW are about to run out of water. It is morally problematic, to say the least, that water has been turned into a commodity in this country rather than an essential resource to which everybody has a right and human and animal interests are considered higher than the profits of organisations.
• The use of cyanide to process the gold from ore and then pumped into the tailings dam. Cyanide has been banned in nine countries, Korea, Ecuador, Argentina, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Greece, Turkey, Germany and Hungary and some US states and poses a dangerous and toxic threat to the water and land in the region.
• Inevitable contamination of the Belubula and Lachlan Rivers, due to seepage through groundwater flows from the tailings dam
• Traffic problems and caused by the continuous stream of heavy vehicles, and light vehicles at shift changes
• The blot on the landscape caused by the “amenity bunds” and dust
• Loss of natural land and environment for wildlife, and the impact of toxicity on surrounding wildlife
• Noise, dust, vibrations, particulate pollution from diesel fumes, light pollution 7 days a week and 24 hours a day
• The noise, vibrations and risks posed by regular explosions permitted for 12 hours a day. This will impact livestock and domestic animals on neighbouring properties and could damage heritage buildings
• Permanent degradation of prime agricultural land and scenery
• Loss of trees including high altitude yellow box that may be 200 years old
• Impact on bee population due to loss of ground flora and contaminated water
• Loss of the forest where the mine is proposed that is considered an ecologically endangered community as defined by the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage
• The high probability that the developer will not be willing or able to rehabilitate the site when the mine eventually becomes unviable, as has happened so many times in the history of mining
• The whole project proposes less than 1000 short terms jobs. Other industries in this area, with support a more diversified and resilient economy including tourism, renewables and sustainable agriculture offer ings