Mod 11 - Extension Modification

I fully support the extension to the Cowal Gold Mine extension. The benefits to the social fabric of the community in addition to the capacity building and community relationships are unmeasurable. If the mine was to cease operations and close, the loss to the community would be extremely difficult for the small communities that benefit from the mine to overcome.

I wish to provide support for the mine expansion. The expansion will result in an extension to the life of the mine. The Cowal Gold Mine has provided substantial monetary, (particularly through wages and salaries), social inputs and employment into/for the local economy. It is quite evident that West Wyalong and surrounding areas have benefitted considerably from this. The expansion will help to maintain these community benefits for minimal changes to the existing mine.

I am completely for the mine to get an extension. The mine employs a number a people within our town, and I agree it should continue.

Education, Community Organisations and Sporting Clubs continue to benefit immensely from Barricks funding enabling them to purchase much needed equipment for their organisations to continue.

West Wyalong, Forbes and Condobolin like many rural communities suffered throughout the long drought as they are predominantly pastoral communities. Barrick Cowal is instrumental in the survival of the township of West Wyalong particularly. Local employment at the mine has a flow on affect to all local businesses. An example being the local supermarket was extensively expanded which in turn enables them to employ more staff.
It is essential for a town to keep the younger adults local for the survival of the town..

Schools, builders, coffee shops, hairdressers etc have and will continue to welcome the growth of the towns due to the increase in popualtion and improvement to its facilities and services.

Barrick Cowal provides Cultural Awareness programs for the wider community. The Lake Cowal Conservation Centre provides an environmental education facility for the general public and for school groups. This environmental education is extremely important for todays children who will one day become tomorrows adults.

Barrick Cowal has also been responsible for the erection of a significant Cultural Heritage Centre in Condobolin, working with Aboriginal Communities.

The Barrick Cowal Gold Mine is an extremely environmentally conscious company which continually practices rehabilitation methods. Without the mine being in operation,would have a detrimental effect on West Wyalong and the surrounding communities.

I fully support the proposed extension of the mine.

Barrick coming to West Wyalong has kept this town alive. It has given local people employment. It has kept local farmers on the land, giving them husband and wife a chance to have income through the drought. It has brought other companies to West Wyalong and with that employees. It has kept my business alive, without Barrick the doors of the local Drycleaners would have been closed years ago and along with that our family of six would have left the district.

Provides many employment opportunities, plus supporting local organisations

I live in west wyalong and work at the mine the mine has been very good for me and my family as there are not many jobs in small country towns.farming has been hard with the drought so it has kept me and other familys in the district.
We are very well trained in eviromental and safety .

I suppourt barrick not only because I work there it has the has the locale community at mind. Barrick has lifted the economy of our small town throught some tough years when drought has hit this community hard. With out this support a lot of our locale people and familys would have had to leave the community looking for enployment. Barrick has help build our community with donations to charity groups, child day care centre, sporting groups, Scouts and elderly groups. With out tBarrick West Wyalong will slowly die like other small communitys around NSW.

Thanks
Tim

I being the bus driver took about thirty adults and children to view the gold mine near west Wyalong and all enjoyed the experience immensely. I/we were very impressed with the strict policies and procedures in place to protect every thing, flora,fauna and human life from any hazards.
Management went out off their way to look after us with guides,presentations interactive activities with the children and even put on a sausage sizzle for all of us but when we were joined by the C.E.O for the presentation and b.b.q. just proved to me how committed they are to work with the community and residents. I did not see any issues that were of concern to me with regards to this mine operating into the future.thank you.Brian.

As a resident of West Wyalong for over 50 years and an employee of Barrick I believe the Cowal Gold mine has been essential to our districts economic survival.
I know first hand the difficulties Barrick faces in operating in such a unique environment and the success they have achieved. I have witnessed the turn around in young people who have left behind a life that alternated between idleness and unskilled labour and found a career and self respect under Barrick.
Barrick has proved it is more than capable of mining in a sensitive area already and I'm very confident they will continue with the same high level of achievement throughout the life of the proposed extension.
I urge the NSW government to approve the extension based simply on Cowal's record of excellent environmental stewardship and the economic benefits to the Central West region.

I agree with the extension to the Cowal Gold Mine. The mine has been an integral part of our community offering job opportunities, town growth and development and support to the organizations within our town.

I support the Cowal Gold Mine Extension Modification proposal.

The proposal will secure the future of the mine for another 10 years and providing employment for hundreds of people along with the associated benefits to the local and regional economy. The mine has been a big help to the local communities especially West Wyalong which had up to the last couple of years been impacted by drought. Cowal Gold Mine makes a concerted effort to purchase goods and services locally to ensure the mine's presence further benefits the local community. One community program the mine has funded is driver awareness for high school students which probably would not have been possible without the mines support and if the programs prevents one crash then is certainly value for money

The proposal is an extension of current pit operations and does affect Lake Cowal itself. I also see that it does require any changes to the currently approved external water supply sources or daily and annual extraction limits from the Bland Creek Paleochannel. Cowal Gold Mine works very hard to maintain its licence to operate with 100% commitment to ensure it meets its environmental obligations.

The mine presence is an economic and community success story for the Bland and neighbouring shires and an opportunity for it continue for a further five years is an opportunity that should not be missed.

The Committee and members of Burcher Progress Association, support Barrick (Cowal) Limited's application to extend the open cut pit at Cowal (DA 14/98 MOD 11).
Barrick and Cowal Gold Mine have been very supportive of projects and/or events hosted by our organisation giving generously of time, equipment (in kind) and donations.
Some of our residents are employed at Cowal Gold Mine. If this extension does not go ahead, these families and individuals will move from the district to seek employment. If these families move, it is highly unlikely that they would return to the area on a permanent basis resulting in the loss of community and income to local businesses.
Members of our organisation are all volunteers and any help provided by Barrick is appreciated.
Burcher Progress Association look forward to the benefits of having Barrick and the Cowal Gold Mine in our community for an additional five years.

I wish to support Barrick's application for extension of Cowal Gold Mine (DA 14/98 MOD 11).
Barrick have shown themselves to be generous corporate citizens. The company has been very supportive of Bland, Lachlan and Forbes Shires offering scholarships to local university students; making donations and offering sponsorships for events hosted in the shires; and hosting tours and Open Days for the community.
Barrick employees support the local communities where they live. Without this support, many local businesses would not have survived the last drought.

I write to give thanks to the Barrick Gold Lake Cowal for their generous sponsorship of the Country Education Fund in West Wyalong and district area. Your sponsorship of the CEF has helped my family and I greatly in my relocation and settlement into university in Canberra. Your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you again!

Kind regards,
Tayla

For as long as we've lived in West Wyalong, Barrick have been supportive of the local community. They have poured money into community groups such as Events West Wyalong and the West Wyalong Country Education fund. These funds have allowed the community to enjoy events such as New Years celebrations, "Paris in the West" and "Sweden in the West". They have also contributed to the future success of dozens of local youth. They have also provided an enormous amount of local employment, which continues to support local businesses.
I have seen the numerous ways Barrick Cowal work to protect the environment, and to educate the community on the importance of sensible and safe mining practise.
I believe approving these modifications will provide a great deal of benefit to the wider community.

Events West Wyalong is a volunteer, not for profit community association that has been running successful community events for almost five years with Barrick (Cowal) Limited financial support. Without such generous, ongoing support Events West Wyalong could not have run biannual family fireworks, various art and craft weekends, catering for BSC tourist centre launch, Paris in the West or this month's Sweden in the West. At all these events many other community groups, and market stall operators are also afforded the opportunity to raise funds for their organisations.



The core committee of volunteer members are in strong support of the Barrick (Cowal) Mine proposed extension project of an additional five years of mine life. Barrick (Cowal) Limited has been a strong, civic minded and responsible mining operator in Wyalong - West Wyalong since the start of the Cowal Mine Project. There is no apparent reason that the community expectation for the continuing of this culture will change for the life of the project.



Events West Wyalong is unable to attract sufficient grants of support for the October "in the West" festivals and without the strong support of Barrick (Cowal) Limited the twin towns would have gone without a significant whole of community celebration for the past few years. Having been in the grip of the worst recorded Australian drought since European settlement - the enjoyment and income of the events Barrick has supported in the local community and the tourism being generated by "in the West" ought not be discarded lightly.

My family fully supports the application from Cowal Gold for their extension modification.
Cowal Gold have been brilliant in their contribution to the Shire and without the input from Cowal Gold, the ten years of drought for this area would have been devastating.
They never fail to consult and do not just go ahead without concerns for the area.

I would just like to give my thanks for the support that has been given to the West Wyalong and District Country Education Fund. Tough your support, they have been able to help me achieve my goals of higher eduction. I am currently studying a bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, and without their help this may not have been possible. Once again thank you for the support, it is greatly appreciated.

As a business owner, a supplier to the mine, and a local resident, the mine has been an asset to the town, it has provided employment in time of drought where farming has been a struggle on the community, boosted the local economy, and turned a struggling community into a thriving regional town.
I myself supply uniforms to the mine, and employ 5 local staff, whom without the ongoing work from the mine, and the community, would also be without jobs, should the mine not continue.
Barrick have a positive light in the community, they have supported the town in a very major way, between major sponsorship of events, community grants, or employees volunteering their services and time.
I would like to see the continued success of the mine and the entire community is currently in a concerned state awaiting the outcome of this expansion request, hopefully it goes ahead and the community can continue to thrive