See attached.
I prefer that my home address not be given to others, if possible.

Objection - Signed Hard-copy in post 29 January 2019

President: Soldiers Point Community Group Inc.

The NSW Planning Department
Regarding the sandmine proposed for Marsh Road. BobsFarm NSW.

I oppose the sand mine for the following reasons.

1. The issue of dust and fine particulate pollution has not been
addressed even with pre-existing sand mines in the area, with no
permanent air quality monitoring stations, to my knowledge, in the
area potentially putting the health of local inhabitants at risk with
no quantification of risk to health to those already exposed.
This is especially important as there is a public school in the
immediate vicinity with children exposed to dust particles from mining
and truck movements in front of the school, in addition to particles
from diesel exhausts from excavators, and trucks decelerating and
accelerating in front of the school.

2.The exposure of nearby houses and children at Bobs Farm Public
School to noise pollution from mining and truck movements is of
concern at the minimum, for children attending the school, and those
that live nearby which has not been seen to be addressed adequately so
far, with the potential to negatively impact on the health of
inhabitants in the area.

3. The disturbance to wetlands to the extent of leaving a 15metre deep
hole below sea level in the area is unprecedented with uncertainty
into the resulting potential impact on the water table for the
surrounding ridge and nearby houses.

4. The increase in heavy truck movements, with nearby sand mines also
contributing to the current heavy truck traffic load on Nelson Bay
Road has already led to increased damage to roads in the area which is
more evident in potholes or irregularities of the road surface and
sand deposition at intersections. This increases the risk to all road
users for motor vehicle accidents especially with the single lane road
from Bobs Farm to Williamtown and over other connections to the
highways such as Richardson Rd and Cabbage Tree Road.

5. Marsh Road is a narrow road which is also part of a levee system
for houses, businesses and farmlets along this road.
There are multiple sections of road that currently consist of
essentially accumulated repair patches joined together which suggests
to the untrained eye that the road is not capable of supporting heavy
truck loads especially double B trucks full of sand or being widened
easily.
This creates an additional risk of accidents on a road which is poorly
marked with no lane or edge markings in most of its length.
There are no traffic calming devices or any roadside barriers that
would protect the children in class at Bobs Farm School if the worst
case of a heavy truck losing control and running into the school
structure itself ever occurrs
The narrow width of the road will make it more difficult for parents
to pick up and drop off children safely when having to share space
with trucks on a section of road not capable of taking increased
traffic loads with deep drains to one side and the school grounds on
the other side. See Photos attached.

4 The potential negative impact on tourism which is a major income
earner in the area.
Along Marsh Road there are farms, houses a public school and numerous
businesses on the adjoining ridge that cater for tourists to the
region such as Kookaburra Farm for farmstay, a restaurant, Murray's
winery and micro-brewery, the Shark and Ray centre, Go Kart Centre,
avocado farms.
The change to the environment (landforms, water table, traffic flow)
and "natural" amenity of the land puts these businesses at risk that
employ many locals ( who also vote).
I doubt that tourists are attracted to sharing the road with heavy
trucks, at increasingly frequent intervals. I also doubt that tourists
appreciate the changes to the landscape that are currently masked by
trees and fences as it appears that the majority of tourists come for
the eco-tourism aspect with whale watching, koala spotting, swimming,
recreational boating and fishing being the major attractions.
The financial return to the community from royalties, if there are
any, are unlikely to offset any risk of tourists avoiding the area in
preference for other nearby more pristine holiday spots along the NSW
mid north coast.


The fact that the NSW Planning Minister has control of the planning
department will not be forgotten at the coming election if the
decision made is not based on transparent and careful consideration of
the impact on the health and well being of people affected by the
mine, and no credible measures are taken to minimize any negative
impacts of a mine in the area if approval is granted.
The record of past decisions in the Port Stephens region and Hunter
Valley does not encourage optimism.

Yours
Dr Peter Wong B Med BDS

Photos of Marsh Rd near Bobs Farm school have been attached.

BASED ON THE FACT THAT NELSON BAY ROAD IS ALREADY DANGEROUS WITH THE
AMOUNT OF TRUCKS ON THE ROAD, the proposal to move 750,000 tonnes of
sand each year for 15 years to a total of 10 million tonnes is
ridiculous.

To allow that type of 'industry' into the Port Stephens area, with
it's amazing Koala habitat and wildlife, is NOT IN THE INTEREST IN
ANYONE who is not going to profit from this. What "environment" will
be left?

If you are planning on allowing the user both dry & wet mining
dredging, think of the already compromised aquifer on which many homes
rely, & the acid sulphate soil disruption, think about the resulting
water table and change to the acidity of the native land surrounding
before you allow this money making and life threatening industry to
continue. The job prospects for locals are virtually nil, benefitting
none other than the owner of the business and the truck haulers who
will no doubtedly wreck our roads and kill every poor creature who
ventures onto the road...unless you can write signs in Kangaroo and
Koala?

Submission attached