The State’s leading environmental authority has knocked back a contentious sand mine proposal next to one of the world’s most unique wetlands.
Last week the Environmental Protection Authority recommended against a proposal to extract sand and limestone from a quarry north of Preston Beach, in the heart of Yalgorup National Park.
EPA chair Darren Walsh said the proposed quarry area was bordered on three sides by the Yalgorup National Park — an internationally recognised class-A conservation reserve and the second largest national park on the Swan Coastal Plain.
The Yalgorup wetland is also one of only 12 Ramsar-listed wetlands across WA — wetlands which are recognised globally for their environmental significance.
“The natural features of the park are of high social significance, and the area is a popular recreation and camping destination for nature-based tourism,” Mr Walsh said.
“Monthly visitor numbers are upwards of 70,000 during peak holiday periods and a single, unsealed access road made amenity impacts a key consideration during this process.”
Mr Walsh said that in recent years the EPA had completed a number of other assessments of limestone quarry proposals in the area with more favourable outcomes for proponents.
“The big difference here is its location and the significant residual haulage impacts on the nearby national park,” he said.
Mr Walsh said management was necessary to ensure the public’s enjoyment of the values of the national park were protected.
“In this case the EPA believes that noise and dust from combined quarry operations and truck haulage will result in unacceptable environmental impacts,” he said.
Waroona shire president Mike Walmsley said the proposal had been ongoing for some time, and there was a level of community concern with the proximity to the national park and the added pressure the development would have on North Preston Beach road.
Cr Walmsley said there was always a need for natural resources such as limestone, and it was a hard balance for those putting forward such proposals.
However, Cr Walmsley said from his understanding, the community was never overly in support of the proposal to start with.
Peel Harvey Catchment Council healthy waterways senior scientist Danielle Eyre said the PHCC were very happy with the EPA’s decision.
“We think it’s important that they have respected their own strategic advice form 2010 that this type of development shouldn’t happen within the national park,” she said.
“This wetland regularly hosts more than 20,000 migratory birds — and these are birds that come all the way from the Arctic Circle every year.
“We’ve also got the thrombolites at Lake Clifton, which are really reliant on stable groundwater conditions, with a flow of fresh groundwater coming into the lake — so changes to the groundwater environment in that area risks the survival of the thrombolite community.”
WA’s leading conservation group also praised the decision with Conservation Council of WA executive director Matt Roberts saying it was promising to see the EPA standing firm on its decision.
“This is a great win for nature and the local community, saving 14.5ha of native bushland bordered on three sides by Yalgorup National Park, an internationally significant class-A conservation reserve and ‘wilderness experience’ tourist destination,” he said.
“In its report, the EPA said the proposal posed unacceptable risks to the park’s ecological integrity and biodiversity.
“The conservation movement has been working tirelessly to elevate our concerns for nature, so they can be adequately accounted for in the planning of future projects in WA.
“Let’s hope we see more of this in the future.”
With the EPA making its position known, the final decision on the proposal will be made by WA Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourn.
