MOD 11 - Slope Stabilisation and Mining Support Activities

I wish to oppose the changes that CM3 have requested to make as per application no: DA60-03-Mod-11. I further wish to keep my name confidential as I am a tenant in the Kembla Heights Village and the Dendrobium Mine is my landlord and has been for the past twenty years.

When CM3 purchased the mine (Dendrobium and Appin) approximately a year ago they were aware that Dendrobium had a 6-year life, now 5 years. It seems to be a great expense and irreparable disturbance to our diverse environment for this short lifespan.

In regard to increasing the pit top footprint to stabilise slope and facilitate access once again this seems environmentally destructive and counter intuitive. My understanding is that the roots of the trees stabilise slopes by anchoring soil, improves soil structure and prevents landslides. This would also create further noise pollution as the corridor of trees buffer a little of the mining noise. Additionally, there is an abundance of birdlife and native animals that live within the trees, I have had the privilege of seeing echidnas, wombats, bush rats and even a Koala! Removal of these trees would remove their habitat. Once gone it is never coming back.

I have to question why access to the pit top requires changes – for the past twenty years that I have lived in the community the mine has managed access. Especially if you once again consider that Dendrobium mine only has a further 5-year lifespan.

Personally, I resent an overseas company destroying native land – this land is sacred and significant. I feel a sense that these requests for changes are the beginning of creeping normality, when something harmful arrives slowly and where each step feels harmless, whereby the decline comes about gradually and not all at once. Where no single change is worth objecting to then big corporations (with money) manoeuvrer the way for changes that is not in the best long-term interest of community or environment but rather at the behest of money.

Below are points that a community member has also written and shared rather than reinvent the wheel I have copied them as additional opposition to the changes that CM3 wish to impose on our land and environment


1. Environmental Impacts
• The extension of the Pit Top area and associated infrastructure will increase the disturbance footprint within a sensitive natural environment.
• The Modification Report acknowledges vegetation clearing, earthworks, and biodiversity disturbance but underestimates the cumulative effect on surrounding bushland, wildlife corridors, and watercourses.
• No adequate offsets or long-term rehabilitation commitments are presented to balance the expanded impacts.
2. Noise, Dust and Air Quality
• Increased activity, including construction, operations, and waste transport, will heighten dust and diesel emissions in the Mount Kembla and Cordeaux Road areas.
• Communities nearby already experience impacts from existing mine operations; additional dust and particulate matter pose unacceptable risks to health and amenity.
3. Heritage Impacts
• The report identifies heritage constraints in the Kemira Valley rail corridor. However, it fails to fully assess or mitigate the risk of damage to items of historical and cultural significance.
• The Mount Kembla community has a deep cultural and historical connection to the mining landscape. Any further degradation of heritage places is unacceptable.
4. Transport & Traffic Concerns
• The proposal relies on waste rock transport via the Kemira Valley Rail Line, which increases the frequency of train movements.
• Increased rail traffic will heighten noise and vibration impacts for surrounding communities and risks degrading local amenity.
• The long-term use of this transport route was never intended for permanent waste disposal and sets a dangerous precedent for further intensification.
5. Helicopter Use & Amenity Impacts
• The proposed helicopter use is inadequately justified and introduces new noise pollution into an otherwise quiet escarpment environment.
• This would significantly impact the residential amenity of Mount Kembla and surrounding communities, as well as recreational users of nearby bushland.
6. Cumulative & Precedent Effects
• This modification is not minor — it introduces significant new impacts and extends the mine’s footprint and disturbance well beyond what the community was originally consulted on.
• Approving this modification would create a precedent for continued piecemeal expansions without full environmental assessment of the long-term impacts of Dendrobium operations.

Good day, I fully support the motion proposed by Councillor Deidre Stuart OBJECTING to Peabody Coal's proposed extension 4 Longwall 317 and 318.
Clean water is essential for survival, & no wise or prudent government would sign off on a project that carries such a large, ongoing risk to the Northern Illawarra and Sydney water catchments. Indeed it's profoundly irresponsible to even consider such an option, bearing in mind that any assurances from Peabody re contamination &/or environmental subsidence and the drying out of surface ecosystems (that also exacerbate bushfire risk) wouldn't occur, are invalid, because NO such guarantee can, in point of fact - be offered.
Coal is on the way out, renewable energy is the future, and yet Peabody still seek clearance to pursue major industrial works with an undeniably high risk factor to a critical water catchment essential to millions, and all for a dying resource?
No-one with a shred of common sense or judiciousness would countenance it.
AGL, Australia's biggest coal generator - recently proclaimed that it's rapidly growing battery storage portfolio would emerge as a major cash cow as Australia's main grid transitions from baseload to renewables & flexible capacity, highlighting the rapid changes in the sector and the clear roadmap for the future.
A roadmap that must be based on accountable and sensible ecological decisions that produce more robust, resilient and stable environmental conditions that allow for the critical need to prepare for climate disruption which is an ongoing and intensely serious issue.
Fact is without a healthy environment we've got Buckley's of coping with, let alone competently managing, the rapidly escalating impacts and costs of atmospheric warming and climate change.
Sincerely, Anne Quinlivan.

1. Environmental Impacts
The extension of the Pit Top area and associated infrastructure will increase the disturbance footprint within a sensitive natural environment.
The Modification Report acknowledges vegetation clearing, earthworks, and biodiversity disturbance but underestimates the cumulative effect on surrounding bushland, wildlife corridors, and watercourses.
No adequate offsets or long-term rehabilitation commitments are presented to balance the expanded impacts.
2. Noise, Dust and Air Quality
Increased activity, including construction, operations, and waste transport, will heighten dust and diesel emissions in the Mount Kembla and Cordeaux Road areas.
Communities nearby already experience impacts from existing mine operations; additional dust and particulate matter pose unacceptable risks to health and amenity.
3. Heritage Impacts
The report identifies heritage constraints in the Kemira Valley rail corridor. However, it fails to fully assess or mitigate the risk of damage to items of historical and cultural significance.
The Mount Kembla community has a deep cultural and historical connection to the mining landscape. Any further degradation of heritage places is unacceptable.
4. Transport & Traffic Concerns
The proposal relies on waste rock transport via the Kemira Valley Rail Line, which increases the frequency of train movements.
Increased rail traffic will heighten noise and vibration impacts for surrounding communities and risks degrading local amenity.
The long-term use of this transport route was never intended for permanent waste disposal and sets a dangerous precedent for further intensification.
5. Helicopter Use & Amenity Impacts
The proposed helicopter use is inadequately justified and introduces new noise pollution into an otherwise quiet escarpment environment.
This would significantly impact the residential amenity of Mount Kembla and surrounding communities, as well as recreational users of nearby bushland.
6. Cumulative & Precedent Effects
This modification is not minor — it introduces significant new impacts and extends the mine’s footprint and disturbance well beyond what the community was originally consulted on.
Approving this modification would create a precedent for continued piecemeal expansions without full environmental assessment of the long-term impacts of Dendrobium operations.

I strongly object!

I am objecting this proposal. I am a resident living near the pit top of the mine. The mine regularly makes noise, particularly in their "self-imposed curfew time" of 10pm-6am. The noise is so loud at times that it wakes my family from our sleep and has kept us awake... this would easily occur 3 out of 7 nights of the week. As this is a regular occurrence it shows that the mine has little regard for the surrounding community by regularly ignoring their own curfew.

The mine has now proposed the use of a helicopter. This would add further noise disruption to the area along that would be no doubt extremely disruptive to residents. There are other options for helicopter landings for helicopter pad at Shellharbour or Wollongong that could be considered.

The noise impacts already significantly impact the community. Cordeaux Road is increasingly busy with large trucks, machinery, buses for shift change. Additional construction for the expansion of the pit top would further negatively impact the community. The pit top expansion including using aircraft is not a minor change to the operations at the site. There has been no community engagement for these changes which I believe demonstrates the attitude of the mine to the community in which they operate. This modification request seems to underestimate the changes that are requested and does not appropriately investigate the impacts it would create for the community and environment around the pit top area.

I would also like to note the noise, dust and air quality risks. With the increased activity, including proposed construction, transport and operations will heighten dust and diesel emissions in the Mount Kembla and Cordeaux Road areas. Those living close to the mine already experience impacts from the current operations and this would only exacerbate these risks even further.

I would like to acknowledge that the mine has been investigated for taking surface water without proper licenses and for potential impacts on Wingecarribee Swamp, a vital part of the drinking water catchment. Furthermore, a coal sludge spill from the mine polluted local creeks, leading to fines and ongoing concerns about water quality. These two situations demonstrate the mine's culture for complete disregard to the environment and approving this proposal would place further impetuous risks for self-gain.

The modification to the mine is proposing is major. If it goes ahead it will introduce significant new impacts and extends the mines footprint and disturbance well beyond what the community was originally consulted on. The fact that the community has only attained access to the proposed changes through this submission demonstrates that the mine is far from authentic with its relationship with the community. Approving this submission would create lasting long-term effects to the environment and the surrounding community and would set a precedent for expansions within the mining sector.

Mt Kembla is rich in biodiversity, home to endangered species, recently koala have been sighted. The area needs to be preserved and protected. Mt Kembla Heights is an archeological dig site prolific in historical artefacts, records of the lives of miners and of the Mtkembla mine disaster are buried and strewn across the area. If you dig up land and chop down trees you are distroying the artifacts. Mt Kembla is a sacred Aboriginal mens site there are indigenous artifacts to be preserved and protected in the ground, in the creeks and in the rocks and caves. The area needs to be recognised as Mt Keira is. As a resident of the area I have borne witness to these artefacts.

I strongly object to the proposed Modification 11 to the Dendrobium Mine Development Consent on the following grounds:

1. Environmental Impacts

The extension of the Pit Top area and associated infrastructure will increase the disturbance footprint within a sensitive natural environment.
The Modification Report acknowledges vegetation clearing, earthworks, and biodiversity disturbance but underestimates the cumulative effect on surrounding bushland, wildlife corridors, and watercourses.
No adequate offsets or long-term rehabilitation commitments are presented to balance the expanded impacts.

2. Noise, Dust and Air Quality

Increased activity, including construction, operations, and waste transport, will heighten dust and diesel emissions in the Mount Kembla and Cordeaux Road areas.
Communities nearby already experience impacts from existing mine operations; additional dust and particulate matter pose unacceptable risks to health and amenity.
The impacts predicted at receiver R6a are significant, and no mitigation is offered that is not currently in place. This receiver should be compensated for the impacts at their residence and commitments must be made to mitigate noise at the source and the receiver .

3. Heritage Impacts

The report identifies heritage constraints in the Kemira Valley rail corridor. However, it fails to fully assess or mitigate the risk of damage to items of historical and cultural significance.
The Mount Kembla community has a deep cultural and historical connection to the mining landscape. Any further degradation of heritage places is unacceptable.

4. Transport & Traffic Concerns

The proposal relies on waste rock transport via the Kemira Valley Rail Line, which increases the frequency of train movements.
Increased rail traffic will heighten noise and vibration impacts for surrounding communities and risks degrading local amenity.
The long-term use of this transport route was never intended for permanent waste disposal and sets a dangerous precedent for further intensification.

5. Helicopter Use & Amenity Impacts

The proposed helicopter use is inadequately justified and introduces new noise pollution into an otherwise quiet escarpment environment.
This would significantly impact the residential amenity of Mount Kembla and surrounding communities, as well as recreational users of nearby bushland.

6. Cumulative & Precedent Effects

This modification is not minor — it introduces significant new impacts and extends the mine’s footprint and disturbance well beyond what the community was originally consulted on.
Approving this modification would create a precedent for continued piecemeal expansions without full environmental assessment of the long-term impacts of Dendrobium operations.

Conclusion

The proposed Modification 11 would result in unacceptable environmental, social, and heritage impacts. It is inconsistent with community expectations of responsible mining and transparent planning processes.

For these reasons, I urge the Department of Planning and Environment to refuse DA60-03-2001-MOD-11.

I am in objection to this proposal. I live close to the pit top of this mine, the mine continually makes excessive noise at night even though they boast a curfew between 10pm and 6am. The frequency of this noise would be at least 3 nights a week. I believe this shows that the mine has no real desire to operate responsibility within the community.

The mine has proposed a helicopter to be used on-site for mining use. This would be incredibly noisy and disruptive to residents who would not expect aircraft to be used around their houses. There are several options for the use of aircraft with half an hour of the mine, I would like to understand why the helipad at Wollongong or Shellharbour Airport couldn't facilitate the mines requirements.

The mine already significantly impacts the community, Cordeaux road has very heavy vehicle movements and increased traffic when there is shift change. Additional construction for the expansion of the pit top would further negatively impact the community. The pit top expansion including using aircraft is not a minor change to the operations at the site, there has been no community engagement for these changes which I believe demonstrates the attitude of the mine to the community in which they operate.
This modification request seems to underestimate the changes that are requested and does not appropriately investigate the impacts it would create for the community and environment around the pit top area.

The Dendrobium mine expansion would be such a positive impact to the local business community and the local Illawarra workforce, from all the surrounding businesses the local mine is connected to.
Over the past years the mine has employed a permanent workforce of 250 + people, with an additional 150 + contractors, all working at Dendrobium.
Dendrobium as a mine has donated various projects including Unanderra pool upgrades, mt Kembla school computer system upgrades, and figtree public.
Over the years contributed to the shared path upgrades on cordeaux rd in the community, in the millions of dollars.
In closing the expansion project will be a valuable asset to the community now and into the future for the community.

I object to this proposal for mine expansion on so many levels! As a local I am concerned about how these developments will impact the environment and the community, as well as the precedent that will be set for on-going developments which will continue to compromise the health of this place and its residents.
1. Environmental Impacts
The extension of the Pit Top area and associated infrastructure will increase the disturbance footprint within a sensitive natural environment.
The Modification Report acknowledges vegetation clearing, earthworks, and biodiversity disturbance but underestimates the cumulative effect on surrounding bushland, wildlife corridors, and watercourses.
No adequate offsets or long-term rehabilitation commitments are presented to balance the expanded impacts.
2. Noise, Dust and Air Quality
Increased activity, including construction, operations, and waste transport, will heighten dust and diesel emissions in the Mount Kembla and Cordeaux Road areas.
Communities nearby already experience impacts from existing mine operations; additional dust and particulate matter pose unacceptable risks to health and amenity.
3. Heritage Impacts
The report identifies heritage constraints in the Kemira Valley rail corridor. However, it fails to fully assess or mitigate the risk of damage to items of historical and cultural significance.
The Mount Kembla community has a deep cultural and historical connection to the mining landscape. Any further degradation of heritage places is unacceptable.
4. Transport & Traffic Concerns
The proposal relies on waste rock transport via the Kemira Valley Rail Line, which increases the frequency of train movements.
Increased rail traffic will heighten noise and vibration impacts for surrounding communities and risks degrading local amenity.
The long-term use of this transport route was never intended for permanent waste disposal and sets a dangerous precedent for further intensification.
5. Helicopter Use & Amenity Impacts
The proposed helicopter use is inadequately justified and introduces new noise pollution into an otherwise quiet escarpment environment.
This would significantly impact the residential amenity of Mount Kembla and surrounding communities, as well as recreational users of nearby bushland.
6. Cumulative & Precedent Effects
This modification is not minor — it introduces significant new impacts and extends the mine’s footprint and disturbance well beyond what the community was originally consulted on.
Approving this modification would create a precedent for continued piecemeal expansions without full environmental assessment of the long-term impacts of Dendrobium operations.

This proposal clearly has the profits and interests of the mine at its core, at the expense of the environment, heritage cocnerns and community. As a local resident, I strongly oppose this proposal for the aforementioned reasons have outlined.

1. Increased noise and dust. Increased activity in transport, construction will negatively impact residents
2. Helicopter use. This introduces new noise pollution to an already noisy site.
3. Environmental impacts. The plan is for vegetation clearing and biodiversity disturbance. This will impact wildlife corridors and bush land

Supporting local jobs into the future

I object as I do not want this mine in the Greater Sydney water catchment, and I don't want this mine that's released coal waste into the Royal National previously. It will endanger the fragile ecosystem

The affects to wildlife, the community and the environment are massively negative

1. Environmental Impacts

• The extension of the Pit Top area and associated infrastructure will increase the disturbance footprint within a sensitive natural environment.

• The Modification Report acknowledges vegetation clearing, earthworks, and biodiversity disturbance but underestimates the cumulative effect on surrounding bushland, wildlife corridors, and watercourses.

• No adequate offsets or long-term rehabilitation commitments are presented to balance the expanded impacts.

2. Noise, Dust and Air Quality

• Increased activity, including construction, operations, and waste transport, will heighten dust and diesel emissions in the Mount Kembla and Cordeaux Road areas.

• Communities nearby already experience impacts from existing mine operations; additional dust and particulate matter pose unacceptable risks to health and amenity.

3. Heritage Impacts

• The report identifies heritage constraints in the Kemira Valley rail corridor. However, it fails to fully assess or mitigate the risk of damage to items of historical and cultural significance.

• The Mount Kembla community has a deep cultural and historical connection to the mining landscape. Any further degradation of heritage places is unacceptable.

4. Transport & Traffic Concerns

• The proposal relies on waste rock transport via the Kemira Valley Rail Line, which increases the frequency of train movements.

• Increased rail traffic will heighten noise and vibration impacts for surrounding communities and risks degrading local amenity.

• The long-term use of this transport route was never intended for permanent waste disposal and sets a dangerous precedent for further intensification.

5. Helicopter Use & Amenity Impacts

• The proposed helicopter use is inadequately justified and introduces new noise pollution into an otherwise quiet escarpment environment.

• This would significantly impact the residential amenity of Mount Kembla and surrounding communities, as well as recreational users of nearby bushland.

6. Cumulative & Precedent Effects

• This modification is not minor — it introduces significant new impacts and extends the mine’s footprint and disturbance well beyond what the community was originally consulted on.

• Approving this modification would create a precedent for continued piecemeal expansions without full environmental assessment of the long-term impacts of Dendrobium operations.

1. Environmental Impacts

•     The extension of the Pit Top area and associated infrastructure will increase the disturbance footprint within a sensitive natural environment.

•     The Modification Report acknowledges vegetation clearing, earthworks, and biodiversity disturbance but underestimates the cumulative effect on surrounding bushland, wildlife corridors, and watercourses.

•     No adequate offsets or long-term rehabilitation commitments are presented to balance the expanded impacts.

2. Noise, Dust and Air Quality

•     Increased activity, including construction, operations, and waste transport, will heighten dust and diesel emissions in the Mount Kembla and Cordeaux Road areas.

•     Communities nearby already experience impacts from existing mine operations; additional dust and particulate matter pose unacceptable risks to health and amenity.

3. Heritage Impacts

•     The report identifies heritage constraints in the Kemira Valley rail corridor. However, it fails to fully assess or mitigate the risk of damage to items of historical and cultural significance.

•     The Mount Kembla community has a deep cultural and historical connection to the mining landscape. Any further degradation of heritage places is unacceptable.

4. Transport & Traffic Concerns

•     The proposal relies on waste rock transport via the Kemira Valley Rail Line, which increases the frequency of train movements.

•     Increased rail traffic will heighten noise and vibration impacts for surrounding communities and risks degrading local amenity.

•     The long-term use of this transport route was never intended for permanent waste disposal and sets a dangerous precedent for further intensification.

5. Helicopter Use & Amenity Impacts

•     The proposed helicopter use is inadequately justified and introduces new and extreme noise pollution into an otherwise quiet escarpment environment.

•     This would significantly impact the residential amenity of Mount Kembla and surrounding communities, as well as recreational users of nearby bushland.

6. Cumulative & Precedent Effects

•     This modification is not minor — it introduces significant new impacts and extends the mine’s footprint and disturbance well beyond what the community was originally consulted on.

•     Approving this modification would create a precedent for continued piecemeal expansions without full environmental assessment of the long-term impacts of Dendrobium operations.

I support the proposal made by Dendrobium Mine. I am a local in the area, along with my entire family and most of my extended family. Having grown up in the Illawarra, coal has always been a major part of the local economy and local jobs. I support the ongoing production of coal in the Illawarra and hope that the coal mines in the area can continue to operate and create jobs in the local community for generations to come.

1. Environmental Impacts

• The extension of the Pit Top area and associated infrastructure will increase the disturbance footprint within a sensitive natural environment.

• The Modification Report acknowledges vegetation clearing, earthworks, and biodiversity disturbance but underestimates the cumulative effect on surrounding bushland, wildlife corridors, and watercourses.

• No adequate offsets or long-term rehabilitation commitments are presented to balance the expanded impacts.

2. Noise, Dust and Air Quality

• Increased activity, including construction, operations, and waste transport, will heighten dust and diesel emissions in the Mount Kembla and Cordeaux Road areas.

• Communities nearby already experience impacts from existing mine operations; additional dust and particulate matter pose unacceptable risks to health and amenity.

3. Heritage Impacts

• The report identifies heritage constraints in the Kemira Valley rail corridor. However, it fails to fully assess or mitigate the risk of damage to items of historical and cultural significance.

• The Mount Kembla community has a deep cultural and historical connection to the mining landscape. Any further degradation of heritage places is unacceptable.

4. Transport & Traffic Concerns

• The proposal relies on waste rock transport via the Kemira Valley Rail Line, which increases the frequency of train movements.

• Increased rail traffic will heighten noise and vibration impacts for surrounding communities and risks degrading local amenity.

• The long-term use of this transport route was never intended for permanent waste disposal and sets a dangerous precedent for further intensification.

5. Helicopter Use & Amenity Impacts

• The proposed helicopter use is inadequately justified and introduces new noise pollution into an otherwise quiet escarpment environment.

• This would significantly impact the residential amenity of Mount Kembla and surrounding communities, as well as recreational users of nearby bushland.

6. Cumulative & Precedent Effects

• This modification is not minor — it introduces significant new impacts and extends the mine’s footprint and disturbance well beyond what the community was originally consulted on.

• Approving this modification would create a precedent for continued piecemeal expansions without full environmental assessment of the long-term impacts of Dendrobium operations.

I would like to object to this modification. I don't believe there has been any proper consultation about these proposed changes.
This mine has been going since 2001, with the same train movements and the same footprint. To say that they now need to make these changes makes no sense.

Increasing the frequency of train movements will have a huge impact on residents, who already put up with coal dust , diesel pollution and wheel squeal. The current consent has always only allowed coal trains, to now allow other rail movements opens the doors for much heavier use of the railway and subsequent impacts on residents.

The idea to remove the vegetation on the western slope of the mine is completely unacceptable. This has been the footprint for a very long time and the surrounding bush has not impacted the mine operations. To conduct land cleaning to the extent proposed will leave a large part of the mountain as a concrete wall, rather than bush . This will be visible and not in keeping with the surrounding vistas. The impact on local fauna is unacceptable, with loss of habitat for wildlife. There appears to be no plan to replace this in the local area.

The projected noise levels in the modification documents will leave some residents health and amenity heavily impacted. I cannot see in the documents any mitigations that are not already in place, so the noise will just be greatly increased with no mitigation changes.

The proposed Modification 11 would result in unacceptable environmental, social, and heritage impacts.

I want to object to this proposal.
The increase in footprint at Dendrobium is completely unnecessary . This mine has been working since 2001 . During that time there have been many significant rain events. The idea that this level of land clearing and concreting is required to safely operate is ridiculous, and demonstrated by the fact that ,mining has been going on there for over 20 years. The removal of the vegetation will have serious impacts on local fauna. The visual impacts cannot be understated. Currently the vista looking west is one of tree's and vegetation, to suggest that this be removed and replaced with concrete is completely unacceptable. The mining consent required the proponent to minimize the visual impact of the mine. Land clearing and concreting does not minimize visual impact.

The noise , particulate pollution and extra traffic resulting from the modification is unacceptable. They will seriously effect health and amenity. The proposal notes that at at least 1 private residence noise limits will be significantly exceeded. There is no new mitigation suggested however . This excessive noise should be reason enough to refuse the application . If it is to go ahead new mitigation should be implemented both at the source, transmission and at effected residences.

The increase in use of the train line sets a precedent . Already coal wagons are uncovered, leading to particulate pollution as well as significant noise and disturbance. By allowing further expansion of the train line use health and amenity impacts will result .

The proposal is not minor in nature. It significant increases the footprint of the mine. Other than a cursory note to the DCCC there has been zero community consultation .

Approving this modification would result in a piecemeal expansion of the Dendrobium mine, whilst not taking into account long term impacts and cumulative effects.

I strongly object to the proposed Modification 11 to the Dendrobium Mine Development Consent on the following grounds:





1. Environmental Impacts





The extension of the Pit Top area and associated infrastructure will increase the disturbance footprint within a sensitive natural environment.
The Modification Report acknowledges vegetation clearing, earthworks, and biodiversity disturbance but underestimates the cumulative effect on surrounding bushland, wildlife corridors, and watercourses.
No adequate offsets or long-term rehabilitation commitments are presented to balance the expanded impacts.
The visual impacts are significant . The proposed extended footprint will use concrete as slope stabilisation, this will be highly visible to surrounding residents and is at odds with the consent requirement to minimise the visual impact of the operations.






2. Noise, Dust and Air Quality





Increased activity, including construction, operations, and waste transport, will heighten dust and diesel emissions in the Mount Kembla and Cordeaux Road areas.
Communities nearby already experience impacts from existing mine operations; additional dust and particulate matter pose unacceptable risks to health and amenity.

The noise impacts to receiver R6a are unacceptable. The proposal offers no new noise mitigation measures, other than those that are currently in place an ineffective. With this level of noise impact there should be significant mitigation both at the source and the receivers.






3. Heritage Impacts





The report identifies heritage constraints in the Kemira Valley rail corridor. However, it fails to fully assess or mitigate the risk of damage to items of historical and cultural significance.
The Mount Kembla community has a deep cultural and historical connection to the mining landscape. Any further degradation of heritage places is unacceptable.






4. Transport & Traffic Concerns





The proposal relies on waste rock transport via the Kemira Valley Rail Line, which increases the frequency of train movements.
Increased rail traffic will heighten noise and vibration impacts for surrounding communities and risks degrading local amenity.
The long-term use of this transport route was never intended for permanent waste disposal and sets a dangerous precedent for further intensification.






5. Helicopter Use & Amenity Impacts





The proposed helicopter use is inadequately justified and introduces new noise pollution into an otherwise quiet escarpment environment.
This would significantly impact the residential amenity of Mount Kembla and surrounding communities, as well as recreational users of nearby bushland.






6. Cumulative & Precedent Effects





This modification is not minor — it introduces significant new impacts and extends the mine’s footprint and disturbance well beyond what the community was originally consulted on.
Approving this modification would create a precedent for continued piecemeal expansions without full environmental assessment of the long-term impacts of Dendrobium operations.










Conclusion





The proposed Modification 11 would result in unacceptable environmental, social, and heritage impacts. It is inconsistent with community expectations of responsible mining and transparent planning processes.



For these reasons, I urge the Department of Planning and Environment to refuse DA60-03-2001-MOD-11.