I object to the Lake Lyell Hydro Project for a number of reasons.
Environmental Damage will be significant as 100 hectares of almost pristine bushland directly adjacent to the Marrangaroo National Park will be destroyed in the construction of the upper dam wall, wiping out the habitat for numerous species of birds and animals, many of which are nearing the endangered species title. At the end of life for this project, apparently 80 years, the mountain will never be rehabilitated.
The construction works in the Lake itself will impact many species including the Platypus in Farmer's Creek. It is proposed to cut through a by-pass channel to try to mitigate this, but Platypus don't just re-home that easily.
The visual impact of the dam wall and associated infrastructure will destroy so much of the natural beauty around the area, and it will be seen from so many locations along the Great Dividing Range from Hampton to Rydal. The massive dam wall, the size of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, will be a blight on the landscape forever.
During the 6 year construction time the area will suffer from noise and dust. From my experience this happens despite mitigation plans being put in place.
There will be very little economic value for the Lithgow region, as Energy Australia have already stated they are building a 400 person construction camp to house the workers from outside the area. This will result in majority of services being provided on site. Potentially the additional traffic on the roads to the construction area will cause problems, especially in light of the closure of the Great Western Highway at Mount Victoria, which is causing all traffic to travel through the very congested centre of Lithgow.
As far as the generating power of the project, it is not going to produce a substantial amount of electricity relative to the costs involved. The electrical power required to pump the water from Lake Lyell to the upper holding dam is more than the power generated when it is released for the short period each evening. There are much better power storage alternatives, like battery storage which is more efficient and available immediately. Pumped hydro works well in some places, but this is not one of them.
There are other submissions against this project which explain in more detail the inefficiencies in detail.
I am concerned too about the responsibility of the project being sold or passed on to other entities which releases companies from their responsibility as things change during the construction and running periods.
Therefore I strongly oppose the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro project.

I strongly oppose the Energy Australia Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Project. The size of this project could mean 100 hectares of natural bushland that 1000’s species of animals, insects and flora and fauna call home. We need to stop destroying our bushland and the creatures living there all for the sake of small return. How can Mt Walker be rehabilitated when it has reached its use by date. Over 100 hectares of mountain and natural bushland destroyed forever along with all the creatures, flora and fauna that have existed way before the human came along.

In 1995 we bought a parcel of land in the small village of Rydal, NSW, believing that this would eventually become our little piece of paradise on this earth, a place to live out the remainder of our lives in peace surrounded by the beauty of nature all around us. After living and working in Sydney all of lives we were finally on the road to achieving our lifelong dream of enjoying peace and being able to live in harmony with our wildlife, nature and the many wonders that this area had to offer. In 2010 we finally moved into our newly completed home believing that the view, peace and quiet was to be ours forever.

If this project goes ahead, we will have 6 long years of construction and noise and then a view of a massive man made development all for such a small gain to the overall requirements of the future needs of this states energy requirements.

Energy Australia were sold this land and that shouldn’t automatically mean they have the right to destroy it all for massive profits especially without further investigations into other less damaging and possibly more beneficial options such as battery storage similar to that in the nearby town of Wallerawang. This battery storage has not impacted any further on the town’s footprint.

Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro is very much a wrong project for this area as has been established by expert evidence in this field. It will be situated 6 kms from the town centre of Lithgow and will impact on so many lives, their homes and businesses especially in the Magpie Hollow, Sir Thomas Mitchell Drive and those with businesses and properties overlooking the Lake Lyell and Mt Walker areas. There will be so many visitors who will be impacted by the loss of the spectacular scenery, enjoyed when driving for many kilometres on the surrounding roads as these visitors and residents alike enjoy what is a truly stunningly area.

Mt. Walker is the highest mountain in our area and it also an area of high Indigenous cultural significance and the impact of this project will be felt so far beyond the construction site for many reasons. Who wants to be living with years of heavy construction with dust, noise, pollution as the side of our highest mountain is destroyed and all of the other construction at Lake Lyell which is needed to create this disaster. Why cant batteries be used instead as at Wallerawang, why can’t other options be investigated before this decision is made. More than a 100 hectares of natural bushland will be cleared and destroyed for this project, gone forever!


This project will impact on the Lake Lyell Recreation area and the many businesses that have been created because of the spectacular views of Mt. Walker and with the loss of these tourist business the flow on will be felt so much further as recreation users, wedding groups, accommodation and tourist venues also engage many food and liquor suppliers, photographers, florists, cleaners, gardeners and many other general and skilled staff plus the supply of groceries, linen, drinks etc, the list is endless.

Instead of supporting this project in its current form, Energy Australia should be required to offer other proposals for the area to see if an alternative project could be created without such massive destruction to our area and without taking up to 3 metres of water from Lake Lyell every day. How is Lake Lyell to be enjoyed with this much water taken from it each and every day when the Lake is in its full use as a recreational facility?.

We can not keep wiping out large areas of land and think that nature will not be affected or simply not care about the consequences. We lose so much of our wildlife through fires and floods without deliberately destroying part of a mountain that can never be rehabilitated back to what it was when pumped hydro is deemed an old outdated technology or it gets to the end of its use by date.

We are so privileged to have a small colony of Platypus in Farmers Creek. Energy Australia proposes to destroy their home and rebuild a brand new place for them. It takes more than a lifetime of a platypus for their habitat to be established to be able to feed and provide the right conditions for them to survive so what energy Australia is proposing is a death sentence for them. Their numbers, like much of our unique wildlife is declining at a very rapid rate and much of this is through human destruction of their habitat. We have so many other creatures whether it be in the water, on the land and in the vegetation that are all so important and needed in the balance of humans and nature on the planet and Mt Walker and Lake Lyell are abundant with this.

Jess Watson
Senior Environmental Assessment Officer
Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure

24th April 2026

By email: [email protected]

Re: Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy
Storage SSD-77018220 EXH-110908988

This submission is in full support of the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Project (SSD 77018220). The NSW Power grid has not had any significant additional supply of electricity since the commissioning of the Mount Piper Power station in 1992 (over 34 years ago).

In reference to the above project – Environmental Impact Statement, Appendix I - Excavated Rock Management Strategy

It states that the Hydro project will displace 7.1 million tonnes of (predominantly) quartzite rock during construction.

Walker Quarries operates the Wallerawang Quarry, located 6 kilometres (due) north of the Project. This Quarry commenced in 2016 and operates in similar (if not the same) Quartzite Geology/Lithology as that of the proposed Hydro Project, and the Walker Quarry company has over 10 years of experience in the local environment.

Taking into account Walker’s operational experience (of this type of geology), in general terms the size distribution of the excavated material (7.1 mt) is estimated to be as follows:

· 5.68 million tonnes of the excavated rock will be > 20 millimetres - this material will be used (recycled) on site in the construction of earthen dams and roads etc.
· 1.42 million tonnes of the excavated rock will be what is commonly called “Fines” (<20 millimetres)

In Section 4.2.1 (of Appendix I) this Fine material (< 20 millimetre) is due to be "washed". It is noted that this washing process is normally done with a "Wash Plant". There is no 'wash plant' planned to be constructed as part of the Hydro Project.

The sand washing plant is engineered to maximise material recovery and normally produce four products

- 5% of the output will be a washed aggregate >3.8mm and <20mm
- 45% of the output (from a wash plant) will be Coarse (manufactured) Sand <3.85 millimetre (and >0.5mms) - (commonly used in high strength concrete construction)
- 40% of the output (from a wash plant) will be Fine (manufactured) Sand <2 millimetre (and >75 microns) - (commonly used in concrete finishing)
- 10% of the output will be Clay and silt - < 75 microns – this clay is used as a small percentage as a binding agent in road base but in the majority of cases it is classified as a waste product. Note: this percentage may increase due to the raised bore and the powder factor utilised in the underground explosive.

The main advantage of a (large) Sand Washing Plant (250 tonnes per hour) is the ability of producing two clean sand products and recovering the clay/silt material into a transportable material/product (8% moisture), thus avoiding the requirement of large settling ponds to remove the excess water. If a small mobile sand washing plant is utilised on the Hydro Project, these smaller plants generally require the construction of settlement ponds. These ponds require approximately 6 months turnaround to “settle” the fine clay material – not considered feasible for the Hydro Project.

It is noted that the Wallerawang Quarry has an on-site Wash Plant, capable of processing the "fine material" from the Construction Phase of the Hydro Project and producing both Coarse and Fine manufactured sand together-with a silt residue by removing/recycling and recovering the water used in the washing process.

It is also noted that 1.42 million tonnes of “rock fines” will need to be transported (possibly) to the Wallerawang Quarry and the returning trucks can recycle the washed clean sand back to the Hydro project or to any of the concrete batching facilities to be placed into the concrete mix. The clay material can also be utilised in the lining of any dams or water storages to prevent leakage. The Wallerawang Quarry is located on the Great Western Highway at Wallerawang.

Regards

Paul Hensley (Not for Publication)
Director
Walker Quarries Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 307
Lithgow
NSW 2790
Ph: 0263244066

Note: I (or Walker Quarries) have not made any Political Donations at any time.
Physical Address:963 Great Western Highway, Marrangaroo NSW 2845

“As a resident of the Lithgow region, I have observed ongoing environmental stress and infrastructure challenges…”

FORMAL OBJECTION SUBMISSION (LEGAL VERSION)

Project
Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project
Location: Lake Lyell, Lithgow NSW
Assessment: State Significant Infrastructure (SSI)

1. Position
I formally object to the proposed project. This submission is made in the public interest, raising serious concerns regarding biodiversity, hydrology, cumulative impacts, infrastructure capacity, and compliance with ecologically sustainable development (ESD).

2. Statutory Framework
Under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW), the consent authority must consider environmental impacts, ESD principles (including the precautionary principle and intergenerational equity), and the public interest. The proposal raises substantial concerns under each of these heads.

3. Biodiversity Impact
The project will result in vegetation clearing, habitat fragmentation, and ecosystem disturbance affecting species including platypus, gang-gang cockatoo, wedge-tailed eagle, microbats, and wombats. The scale of impact risks irreversible ecological harm.

4. Aquatic Impact – Platypus
The platypus is highly sensitive to hydrological change. Alteration of flow regimes, sedimentation, and bank disturbance present a material risk of local population decline. This elevates the requirement for a precautionary approach.

5. Cumulative Impact (Critical)
The Lithgow region has already experienced significant environmental degradation due to historical mining and subsidence. These legacy impacts reduce ecological resilience. The EIS appears to inadequately assess cumulative impacts, contrary to legal requirements.

6. Hydrological Risk
The proposal introduces artificial manipulation of water systems, with potential impacts on groundwater, creeks, and long-term water availability. Scientific uncertainty remains regarding long-term effects.

7. Bushfire Risk
The project may alter vegetation patterns and introduce infrastructure into bushfire-prone areas. Insufficient evidence is provided that risk will not be exacerbated.

8. Biodiversity Offsets
Reliance on offsets is inappropriate. Offsets cannot replicate mature ecosystems or ecological function and risk resulting in net biodiversity loss.

9. Infrastructure and Financial Capacity
Access roads to Lake Lyell are currently in varying states of disrepair and are not demonstrably fit for increased heavy vehicle use.

There is concern that Lithgow City Council may face financial constraints affecting its ability to upgrade and maintain infrastructure.

The reliance on asset sales as a funding mechanism should not be treated as a positive outcome, but rather as a potential indicator of financial stress and reduced long-term public asset base.

10. Public Interest
The public interest requires protection of biodiversity, sustainable land use, and responsible infrastructure planning. These objectives are not adequately met.

11. Conclusion
For the reasons outlined, the project should be refused. Alternatively, it should be subject to substantial revision, independent review, and strengthened environmental protections.

Final Statement
Approval of this project in its current form would be inconsistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development and risks compounding environmental harm in an already impacted region.

Submission Objecting to the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project (EIS)
To Whom It May Concern,
I write to formally object in the strongest possible terms to the proposed Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project, as outlined in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
I have been a resident of the Lithgow region for over 70 years. In that time, I have served the community not only as a long-term resident, but also as a former Mayor and business owner. My family has deep and enduring ties to this অঞ্চ, and I have a comprehensive understanding of both its environmental significance and its economic and social fabric.
Having reviewed the EIS documentation, I do not consider that it adequately addresses the scale or severity of the impacts associated with this proposal. In its current form, the project represents an unacceptable risk to the Lithgow community and its natural environment.
1. Inadequate Assessment of Environmental Impacts (EIS Chapters – Biodiversity, Surface Water, and Aquatic Ecology)
The EIS fails to provide sufficient assurance that the environmental impacts—particularly on aquatic ecosystems and native species—can be effectively mitigated. The risks to water quality, habitat integrity, and biodiversity are significant and, in my view, understated. Of particular concern is the lack of certainty around long-term impacts on Lake Lyell’s ecological balance.
The precautionary principle must be applied. Where impacts are uncertain and potentially irreversible, approval should not be granted.
2. Unacceptable Impact on a Critical Community Asset (EIS – Social Impact and Land Use)
Lake Lyell is a critical recreational and social asset for the Lithgow community. The EIS acknowledges its importance, yet fails to adequately justify the loss or degradation of this resource. The proposed works will significantly restrict access, diminish amenity, and fundamentally alter the character of the area.
This is not a marginal impact—it is a direct and substantial loss to the community.
3. Economic Risks to the Region (EIS – Economic Assessment)
The economic assessment within the EIS does not, in my opinion, adequately account for the negative impacts on local tourism and small businesses. Lake Lyell is a drawcard for visitors, and any long-term reduction in its usability or appeal will have tangible economic consequences.
Short-term construction benefits do not outweigh the long-term damage to the region’s tourism and local economy.
4. Construction Impacts Grossly Underestimated (EIS – Noise, Traffic, and Air Quality)
The scale of construction required for this project is substantial. The EIS does not convincingly demonstrate that impacts such as heavy vehicle traffic, dust, blasting, and prolonged noise can be managed to an acceptable level.
For local residents, this represents years of disruption and a significant decline in quality of life.
5. Failure to Justify Site Selection and Consider Alternatives (EIS – Project Justification)
The EIS does not adequately justify why Lake Lyell has been selected as the preferred site for this development. Given the known environmental, social, and economic value of this location, a far more rigorous assessment of alternative sites and technologies is required.
It is not sufficient to demonstrate that the project is beneficial in general terms; it must be appropriate for this specific location. That case has not been made.
Conclusion
Based on my lifelong connection to this region, my experience in public office, and my review of the EIS, I am firmly of the view that this proposal is fundamentally flawed.
The impacts are significant, the mitigation measures uncertain, and the justification inadequate.
I therefore respectfully but unequivocally request that this project be refused.
At a minimum, it should not proceed without substantial revision, independent review, and genuine reconsideration of alternative options that do not compromise the environmental and social assets of the Lithgow community.
Yours faithfully,
Raymond Thompson
2 Mayview Drive Sheedys Gully
Lithgow 2790

My name is Marjory Stuart-Smith and I am the owner operator of Springmead B&B and Stud Farm .
The pumped hydro scheme (or water battery scheme because that is what it really is) is a project of convenience for Energy Australia. It has no benefit for anyone else.
The reality is that approximately 28 jobs will be lost on my side of the lake to be replaced by between 5 (as Energy Australia told me while sitting in my lounge) to 15 as sighted in their Scope of works. The flow on from Eagle View (accommodation) and Seclusions (wedding venue) closing , and to a lesser extent me, will impact other local accommodation places, cafes, restaurants, tourist attractions and tour companies. The negative impact will be far more than 28 jobs.
Realistically the Pumped Hydro project offers little to no positive benefit to our community and more probably will leave us worse off in
It will take from the community one of our prime assets Lake Lyell.
It will take from the environment destroying valuable ecosystems and endangering many vulnerable species.
For those that live in the surrounding area of the project it will take their lifestyle, businesses, wellbeing and give no benefit back.
The Lithgow Council area is one of beauty and enormous potential. We have so many natural assets that could be used to make Lithgow a world leader in how to live sustainably.
Community consultation has been a traumatic experience for me. Those that have interacted with me have left me feeling depressed and battered. What I am told changes each meeting and my questions are answered with “we do not know” or “we can not answer that”. Questions such as will I be able to feel the drilling? It disturbs me that such a simple question is unable to be answered. Representatives from Energy Australia working as community Liaison have told me that the project will close my business and due to the noise and dust and were unable to confirm if I would be able to live here during construction. This meeting was later denied by those involved. I feel abandoned and gaslighted by the consultation process. Energy Australia is constantly changing key dates for the project, and this might go on for years with no start date ever given that is adhered to .Due to the constant changing of dates we are unable to plan anything. The most we can plan for the business is 12 months (not 5 years as most business advisors suggest) and we can’t even formulate a backup plan as Energy Australia won’t tell us what the actual impact will be. Whenever we ask we are told the either don’t know or can’t say. There is an overwhelming feeling of doom within our community reflecting our own feelings and outlook Already our property has lost significant value and is close to unsellable.

Please find attached my strong objection to the project.
REQUESTED OUTCOME
(a) That the Department does not approve the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project in its current form due to the significant and irreversible impacts to biodiversity, hydrology, water quality, cultural heritage, landscape values and the local economy.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
This submission objects to the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project on the basis that the proposal will cause significant, long-lasting impacts to native vegetation (including threatened ecological communities), threatened species habitat (including Koala habitat and Bathurst Copper Butterfly habitat), hydrology and groundwater-dependent ecosystems, water quality in the Coxs River catchment, landscape and heritage values (including Mount Walker), Aboriginal cultural heritage, and the local tourism economy associated with recreational use of Lake Lyell.

KEY ISSUES AND GROUNDS OF OBJECTION
1. Clearing of native vegetation (including threatened ecological communities)
The project would require clearing of approximately 100 hectares of native vegetation. As the vegetation forms part of, supports, or is adjacent to threatened ecological communities, clearing will fragment habitat, reduce ecological function, and undermine resilience to drought, fire and weed invasion. Reliance on offsets is not an adequate substitute where impacts are irreversible or where like-for-like offsets are not feasible. In this case finding offsets of alpine communities that are core koala habitat is not possible.

2. Significant impact on Koala habitat and Bathurst Copper Butterfly habitat The proposal will clear and/or degrade habitat used by Koalas and the Bathurst Copper Butterfly. For Koalas, habitat loss, fragmentation and edge effects can reduce carrying capacity and increase stressors (vehicle strike, dog attack, heat stress) by forcing movement through disturbed landscapes. For the Bathurst Copper Butterfly, impacts to host plants and the specific ecological conditions required for breeding and persistence will be highly sensitive to clearing, changes to microclimate and weeds. The Department should require an avoidance-first design response.

3. Groundwater / water table impacts, vegetation change and weed introduction into Marrangaroo National Park
Pumped hydro projects will alter groundwater regimes through excavation, tunnelling, dewatering, seepage pathways and changes to storage/pressure conditions. A changed water table will lead to decline of groundwater-dependent vegetation communities, dieback, and shifts in species composition. Disturbance corridors and changed moisture/light regimes also elevate the risk of weed establishment and spread, including into nearby conservation areas such as Marrangaroo National Park. So, it is not just the immediate clearing impacts on the native vegetation, due to the ongoing dieback, it will be significant and long lasting and cover all the catchment area below the proposed upper dam.

4. Water quality: toxic sediment and turbidity risks for the Coxs River
Construction and operation activities (earthworks, spoil emplacement, access tracks, tunnelling and potential acid/metal mobilisation depending on geology) will increase turbidity and introduce contaminated sediments to receiving waters. Elevated turbidity will smother aquatic habitat and reduce light penetration; contaminated sediments can pose chronic risks to aquatic biota and downstream users.

5. Economic impact on local tourism and recreation at Lake Lyell
Lake Lyell is used for recreation and is a drawcard for local visitors. Construction impacts (noise, dust, heavy vehicle movements, access restrictions, water level changes) and long-term operational changes (altered shorelines, infrastructure footprint, industrialisation of the setting) will reduce amenity and the attractiveness of the area for tourism and local businesses.

6. Visual impacts on historic Mount Walker
The project’s built elements (new access roads, transmission and switching infrastructure, ventilation structures, portals, stockpiles and altered landforms) will introduce prominent visual intrusion in views to and from Mount Walker and surrounding lookouts. This can diminish the appreciation of historic and landscape character, particularly where industrial elements are visible on ridgelines or in otherwise natural settings.
Mount Walker has colonial-era heritage significance as part of the early nineteenth-century westward expansion beyond the Blue Mountains, including early land grants and pastoral activity that established European settlement patterns in the district. Its historic character and prominent ridgeline position contribute to the legibility of this cultural landscape, where landforms, views and place-names help communicate the history of exploration, early road/rail-era development and subsequent rural and industrial land use in the Lithgow region.

7. Impact on a known Aboriginal site
The project area includes a known Aboriginal site. Any harm to Aboriginal objects or places is unacceptable and may be unlawful. Beyond physical disturbance, indirect impacts (restricted access, altered setting, vibration, erosion and visitor pressure) can also damage heritage values. The Department should require that Aboriginal cultural heritage assessment be led by the relevant Aboriginal knowledge holders, include field survey and cultural mapping at a standard agreed with the community, and commit to avoidance as the primary measure (no-go buffers and design changes).

8. Long-lasting, significant and permanent ecological change to Mount
Walker
The combined footprint of clearing, excavation, altered landforms, changed hydrology, edge effects and weed invasion risk means impacts will be long lasting and significant, with a high risk of permanent change to the ecology of Mount Walker. In this context, rehabilitation claims should be treated cautiously: re-establishing mature ecosystems, soil profiles and ecological function can take decades to centuries and may never fully recover. The Department should apply the precautionary principle, and refuse the proposal as avoidance of significant impacts cannot be demonstrated.

CLOSING
For the reasons set out above, I request that the Department refuse the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Project. The impacts are significant and irreversible and include: impacts to threatened ecological communities, Koala habitat, Bathurst Copper Butterfly habitat, groundwater-dependent ecosystems and the Coxs River. There is no protection shown for Mount Walker’s landscape and Aboriginal cultural heritage values.

I have lived in the Lithgow area for approx. 25 years. As a family we have enjoyed this recreational area for swimming and many family/friend gatherings and parties. It is a beautiful serene and peaceful place. I would hate to see this tranquil place completely ruined by noise, pollution and families being forced to leave temporarily or permanently. It will be a HUGE loss to our community. I am concerned that the impacts have not been adequately assessed. I do NOT support the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro project and believe it should NOT be approved in its current form...

Date: 13/4/26

To NSW Planning
Project Name: Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Project
Project Number: 7701822


Submission Against the Project

I am writing to formally object to the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Project (Project Number 7701822). I am not against renewable energy projects when they are sensible and do not destroy native flora, fauna, and heritage. However, this proposal will do exactly that.

For us personally, it has destroyed our lifestyle during the last four years due to stress and worry about this project. I currently see a psychologist as the project has affected both my mental and physical health in a severe manner. I am concerned about the way it will affect me should this project go ahead. I have had meetings with EnergyAustralia and told them about this. I have even had to leave meetings that got too distressing for me.

Consultation by EnergyAustralia has been deeply disappointing. Our questions have not been answered honestly or transparently. Some representatives have behaved in ways that felt threatening and intimidating towards us and other neighbours. This has only compounded our distress.

My husband and I purchased our property 20 years ago seeking solitude and found this property ideal. We envisioned a life filled with the calming sounds of native birds and wind through the trees, surrounded by nature. It took years of hard work to afford our place and we planned on it being our sanctuary for the rest of our lives.

Instead, we now live in despair. In the later stages of our life, we do not know how long we will live. The EIS states that property devaluation is short term and reversible but we may not live to see this.

The EIS identifies that any perceived devaluation would most likely affect:
Properties:
Closest to project infrastructure
Within direct visual line of sight
Near construction corridors or access roads
We have all three of these, yet EnergyAustralia has classed our property as ‘nil to low impact’. Please see the photo attachment of our property’s location in relation to Mount Walker on which the property will be built.
There are contradictions and weak assumptions in the information in the EIS, including the fact that they do not include comparable case studies, hedonic pricing models and before/after local data. One of our neighbour’s property was sold at a seriously devalued price due to the project and she was told by prospective buyers that they would not buy because of the project. This EIS avoids quantifying or mapping actual risk and dismisses perception, even though it drives markets.
This project has effectively ruined our retirement. We are retirees who have paid taxes and contributed to our country for decades. We deserve peace and security in our final years, not anxiety and uncertainty.

We live on Sir Thomas Mitchell Drive. According to the EIS, this narrow rural road with land slips, runs in-between steep mountains and steep valleys, will be the primary access road for this project. The EIS states that this road will experience significant increases in traffic including heavy vehicles, buses and trucks. This presents a serious safety risk to residents. Construction is proposed to occur seven days a week. The noise, vibration from drilling and blasting, and dust will make our property unlivable. This will not only affect us but also our farm animals. Please see photo attachment of the current road.

The project footprint is unreasonably close to neighbours along Sir Thomas Mitchell Drive and surrounding areas of Lake Lyell. The flora and fauna along this road hangs in the balance. According to the EIS 4.4.3 the following potential landuse conflict risks are: construction ground disturbance, construction noise, construction dust, construction traffic. According to the EIS 4.1.2, this noise will impact our cattle and horses and increase livestock stress which is unacceptable.

Over the years, my husband and I have invested time and money restoring land along Farmers Creek - removing weeds and replanting with native species. To see this threatened is heartbreaking.

Even more distressing is the potential permanent loss of native plants and animals. Our area is home to significant biodiversity, including:

Southern Myotis Bat, which forages along Farmers Creek and Lake Lyell. If breeding habitat on Mount Walker is impacted, their survival is at risk.
Eastern Coastal Free-tailed Bat
Platypus, which breed and forage in Lake Lyell and Farmers Creek. While not listed as threatened, they are protected native fauna. Please see the attachment of a platypus that forages at the site where the Lake Lyell Hydro project is proposed to be built.
Purple Copper Butterfly (a threatened species)
Koalas, known to migrate through Mount Walker, with scats identified in the area
Gang-gang Cockatoo and Glossy Black Cockatoo
White-bellied Sea Eagle
Powerful Owl and Sooty Owl
Identified native flora includes:
Black thorn (Bursaria spinosa), habitat for the Purple Copper Butterfly
Central Tablelands Peppermint Gum
Snow Gum
Red Stringy-bark
Peppermint shrub grass

In addition, Aboriginal artefacts have been found on Mount Walker and reportedly taken off Country. Ancestral remains and cultural heritage should not be disturbed nor removed from their Country.

We respectfully ask that NSW Planning reject the Lake Lyell Pumped Hydro Project. There are better, less destructive renewable alternatives available. This project risks permanent environmental damage, community harm, and cultural loss for an outcome that may well be outdated before completion.

We deserve better. Lithgow deserves better.