As previously reported by News Of The Area, parent company Adbri Concrete and Quarries Northern NSW has applied to Port Macquarie-Hastings Council to amend its 30-year-old Development Application (DA).

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It initially sought to expand the quarry by three hectares between Dunbogan Beach and the Camden Haven River and increase the volume of sand mined to 685,000 tonnes.

Following considerable opposition, Adbri resubmitted plans for a smaller but still significant increase in operations.

However, opponents say the amended plans still don’t address their concerns.

“Adbri is seeking Council’s approval to extract an additional 249,990 tonnes of sand from the .98 hectares expansion of the mine’s dredge pond, the artificial lake resulting from the sand mining operations,” resident Peter Johnson said.

“It’s difficult to see how nearly a quarter of a million tonnes of sand can be dredged from 0.98 hectares without going beyond the dredge pond depth specifications outlined in the original EIS and DA Consent conditions.”

In addition to environmental impacts, there are concerns for heavy truck movements on local roads, possible sand dune collapse, Aboriginal heritage, climate change and breaches of the original DA consent conditions.

Residents also suspect that the larger extension is still on the table and that its amendment is a short-term measure to allow operations to continue.

They are calling for a new DA to be submitted.

Mr Johnson said that Adbri’s original DA consent conditions included detailed engineering plans for a “bird sanctuary island” in the dredge pond, however the island cannot be seen in aerial photographs.

“Adbri has never given any valid explanation as to why this valuable environmental asset doesn’t exist,” he said.

“The removal of the island must have resulted in tens of thousands of tonnes of sand being extracted above the amount specified in the DA consent conditions.”

Several submissions to Council point to a failure to construct and protect fauna corridors as detailed in the DA Consent Conditions.

“The DA consent conditions required these corridors to be started in 1996, be progressively developed throughout the life of the quarry, and be reported on annually by an independent ecologist,” environmentalist Les Mitchell said.

“Most of the land earmarked for the corridors has been cleared and excavated.

“Had these DA Consent Conditions been complied with, we would now have a mature 30-year-old corridor that would have linked the National Park to the Port Macquarie Koala Plan for Dunbogan.”

President of the Mid North Coast National Parks Association Brett Neil, said, “The original quarry DA approval in 1995 was a deal between the community, NPWS and the quarry to improve the environment and create fauna corridors in exchange for the 2.6 million tonnes of sand.

“Had the Quarry upheld their end of the deal we would now have better environmental outcomes.”

Local tourism operator Kerry McFayden said the impacts of the changing climate have not been considered.

“Climate change has resulted in increased coastal erosion. Council should refer the application to the coastal specialists at the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water,” she said.

The former director of the University of Sydney Institute of Marine Science Professor Peter Cowell is similarly concerned.

“The 30-metre-wide dune field separating the dredge pond from the active beach is well within the typical risk envelope for climate change impacts.

“Any breach of the dunes would have a major impact on the dredge pond, groundwater, Dunbogan Beach and beaches to the north,” Professor Cowell said.

The original hydrology report in 1994 predicted that the Dredge Pond would remain freshwater.

The latest report confirms it has turned saline.

“We now know that the dredge pond has been sucking in saltwater from the sea, posing a risk to the quality of our groundwater, which may be exacerbated by the impacts of climate change,” resident Peter McKid said.

Mr Neil said the NPA is also concerned about seawater contamination “and its adverse effects on the adjacent northern parts of Crowdy Bay National Park.”

Adbri’s original DA stated that Aboriginal sites located during investigations for the quarry would not be disturbed.

However, a number of submissions to Council claimed that the Aboriginal heritage site identified in the

original DA and located in the July ’24 proposed expansion had been cleared or not been maintained contrary to conditions.

Kerry McFadyen said, “We have so much evidence of alleged non-compliance with the original 41 DA consent conditions, we suggest that Council not approve any amendments to the original DA but should order a ‘pause’ to operations and require Adbri to submit a new DA covering all current and planned operations on the site.

“This would require a full Environmental Impact Statement, notification to all Government agencies, community consultation, community impact statements, compliance with local and State regulations and complete engineering plans.”

A spokesperson for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council told NOTA that the modification application to expand the quarry was still under assessment.

“It will ultimately be referred to Council’s Development Assessment Panel (DAP) for determination,” they said.

“At this stage, a DAP meeting date is not yet known, however those that made submissions on the proposal will be notified once a meeting date is set.”

The quarry is a major employer in the Camden Haven area.

Adbri has been contacted for comment.

By Sue STEPHENSON