Archive for the “Government” Category
The Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance community are invitation to a community day to celebrate the establishment of Dharawal National Park. The celebration will be on Saturday 5 May at Victoria Road, Wedderburn. Activities will be occurring from 11am until 3pm, with a short official ceremony at 11:30am hosted by the Minister for the Environment, Robyn Parker MP.
There will be fun family activities throughout the day and the opportunity to provide your views on the future management of your new national park. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase. Further information can be obtained at http://www.wildwildworld.com.au/dharawal.
This is an open invitation and there is no need to RSVP. We hope you will be able to join in the celebrations and look forward to seeing you on the day. Please feel free to extend this invitation to any person or group you feel may wish to celebrate with us.
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A report from Dr. Peter Turner, founder of the Save Our Water Catchment Areas campaign.
There was standing room only at Cawdor School near Camden as over 70 people including representatives from Rivers SOS’s member groups from around NSW gathered for sharing of information and for discussion with six MPs also in attendance, plus Wollondilly Councillors and Deputy Mayor.
Rivers SOS groups are concerned over the expansion of coal mining and CSG extraction, to the detriment of river systems, aquifers and prime agricultural land. We were happy to have this dialogue with senior politicians and decision-makers.
Groups represented were from the Hunter, Merriwa, Blue Mountains, Southern Highlands, Gloucester, Wedderburn, Georges River, Sutherland, Illawarra, Oakdale, Putty Valley, Stanwell Park, Sydney, Douglas Park, Helensburgh, Picton, Razorback,Thirlmere, Campbelltown, Robertson, Penrith and Wollondilly. Drew Hutton, Lock the Gate leader, and Keith Muir of the Colong Foundation were among prominent speakers.
Speaking on a panel of MPs from the three major parties were Chris Hartcher (Lib), NSW Minister for Resources and Energy; Luke Foley (ALP), Shadow Minister for Environment, Energy and Water; and Jeremy Buckingham (MLC), mining spokesman for the NSW Greens.Other MPs in attendance were Chris Patterson, Liberal MLA for Camden; Russell Matheson, Federal Liberal member for Macarthur; Andrew McDonald, ALP Shadow Minister for Health, MLA for Macquarie Fields, and Jai Rowell, Liberal MLA for Wollondilly. ALP guru and elder statesman Rodney Cavalier was also present.
Minister Hartcher outlined reforms made by his government to the mining approvals process, and was congratulated for removing the requirement for mining companies to buy exploration licences for fees running into hundreds of millions. However the government’s Strategic Regional Land Use and Aquifer Interference draft policies were criticised for failure to give promised protection to vital agricultural land and water resources. The government was also criticised for failure to give adequate support to alternative energy sources.
Luke Foley admitted that the ALP need to revise the lack of balance in the pro-mining policies it held while in government. Jeremy Buckingham outlined Greens policies, insisting on proper research being carried out before approvals are granted. The Greens had proposed a moratorium on expansion until this is done, a motion which was defeated in parliament. After lunch, a panel of speakers concerned with coal mining and CSG extraction in Sydney’s drinking water catchment Special Areas included Cr. Larry Whipper, Deputy Mayor of Wingecarribee Council and member of the Sydney Catchment Authority Board; Dr Ann Young, expert on the upland swamps of the Woronora Plateau; and Dr Peter Turner, founder of the Save Our Water Catchment Areas campaign.
Group representatives signed a letter to Minister Katrina Hodgkinson, cc to the Premier and Minister Robyn Parker, protesting at the removal of environmental and community positions from the boards of the EPA and the SCA, and asking for a meeting with a Rivers SOS delegation about this and other matters.
Channel 2′s camera crew and local media were present, and a long segment on the event was included on the ABC’s national news that evening.
On Sunday morning a large group was shown over the Thirlmere Lakes, suspected to have been badly depleted through longwall mining nearby.
Rivers SOS is supporting the NSW Farmers Association’s rally “Protect our Land, Protect our Water” in Martin Place on May 1st.
Rivers SOS add thanks for the help and for wonderful food contributions from Margaret Armstrong and her neighbour Rhonda, Eva Krattli, Geraldine Hunt, and Debbie Gibson. And thanks a million to Julie’s friend Sharon, the Principal of Cawdor School, who let us have the premises.
Rivers SOS will hold our 13th regional meeting in August, venue to be decided.
Further information:
Caroline Graham 46309421 m: 0409447913
Julie Sheppard 46366301
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During early March, Botany Bay catchment experienced a one in thirty year down pour. It had been so long since the last major event, our present generation had forgotten the consequences.
Cooks River was badly affected, with the downpour arriving at high tide in Botany Bay. There was no ware for the water to go but build up in the lower reaches until tidal change. Suburbs along the river experiences major flooding. Parks and river frontages went under swirling brown water. The PET bottle cemetery behind Canterbury Racecourse, was propelled further east, a new cleanup opportunity for the hard working volunteers Mudcrabs.
In Wolli Creek backup from this major catchment saw Turrella Reserve below water and flood waters lapping the pedestrian walking bridge at the end of Henderson Street, the weir under metres of water. New environmental works within the Reserve became an underwater garden. Further up the creek Bardwell Park railway station platform became an island platform at which only rowing boats could pick up passengers. The East Hills-Airport railway line was closed until waters receded. Bexley Road bridge was also below water.
Along Botany Bay the foreshore took on a strange dark colouring as siltation and sewerage streamed into the pristine waterway, often a revered swimming spot.
Georges River Weir at Liverpool station was under a foaming mass of brown water. The Chipping Norton lakes became a brown sink for all kinds of floating refuse.
In Fairfield Local Government Area, Cabramatta Creek and it’s tributaries burst their banks with a floatilla of PET bottles and shopping trolleys visible from the railway overpass. The creek system was worthy of the gondoliers of Venice.
Hurstville Local Government area saw the worst environmental accident when Sydney Water’s sewer aqueduct overflowed, swamping Dairy Creek and the Lime Kiln Bay wetlands, with an environmental flow passing along Lime Kiln Bay, into Georges River and closing Oatley Park Baths in Jew Fish Bay for over three weeks.
A Hurstville City Council report states, “It is understood that at approximately 5.00pm on Friday 9, March 2012, a resident of this area observed overflow from a Sydney Water aqueduct, discharging diluted sewage into Lime Kiln Creek. At the time it was estimated that the discharge rate was at least 30 litres per second and was most likely due to the stormwater flows into the waste water system to the Malabar Sewerage Treatment Plant reaching capacity due to heavy rain on the preceding day. It is also understood that both the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and Sydney Water were notified and advised of the incident and that according to the Licensing Guidelines for Sewage Treatment Systems it clearly states that onus in investigating and managing sewer overflows rests with the EPA and the authority that holds the license, in this case – Sydney Water. The responsibility of clean up, notification of residents and rectification works is clearly the responsibility of Sydney Water – a fact they have acknowledged.
Based on information provided to Council, Sydney Water (who were notified of the incident at 5.38pm on Friday 9, March 2012) had an investigation team on site by 7.15pm that evening, with remediation works commencing early the next day.
On the afternoon of Wednesday 14 March, 2012, Council Officers met with officers of Sydney Water who advised that as a result of their investigations, the event had significantly impacted on the area and that approximately 8 tonne of sediment and waste had been discharged into the wetlands – affecting the sedimentation ponds, micro-pond, and the reedbed and mangroves down to Oatley Baths and Lime Kiln Bay. Sydney Water have advised that the ponds will be completely drained and dredged to remove contaminants before allowing fresh water back into them. They have also advised that water testing will be conducted daily, and that the baths will not be re-opened until it is safe to swim. It is further estimated that these works will take up to a month to complete. Council has also written to the EPA and recommended that they negotiate specific Pollution Reduction Programs with Sydney Water in order to address any future issues or incidents in association with this infrastructure with a view to preparing and implementing a plan of management that will hopefully prevent and at the very least minimise wet-weather overflows from this system.” [Hurstville City Council 04/04/2012 QWN007-12 SEWAGE OVERFLOW INTO LIME KILN BAY WETLANDS]
All beaches in Botany Bay were closed as were Oatley Park, Como, Oatley Bay and Carss Park Baths following thease events
During water testing in Cox’s Creek, Greenacre, natural creek in a suburban environment, large quantities of floating debris was observed in the creek bed, reeds and trees following the extra-ordinary downpour. Sewerage readings were high, but the colony of Green and gold bell frogs were making a lot of music.
It is high time Sydney Water, New South Wales Government, Commonwealth Government and local councils within Botany Bay catchment, came to grips with public and private sewerage issues. For a public body such as Sydney Water, to allow unchecked sewer flows on the scale at Dairy Creek is unforgivable. The issue is not an accident nor a new issue. The aqueduct was recently relined, supposedly to remove the problem.
Below are some video clips and news articles from regional papers and a link to pics from Fairfield Council area.
Wolli Creek Flood
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWNhfXITpm8
Bardwell Park Station
www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPeh9DApyk
Cooks River Flood
Georges River Flood
www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpaKzdfEjXGxs
Newspaper articles
www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/general/stench-invades-oatley-neighbourhood/2489491.aspx
www.fairfieldchampion.com.au/news/local/news/general/minor-flood-warning-for -the-georges-river/2481606.aspx
Facebook: Chan Gream
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The following articles were published in the “Macarthur Advertiser”. They are republished for information of members living beyond the newspaper circulation area.
DHARAWAL DAWN
ALEXANDRA PLEFFER
28 Mar, 2012 01:00 AM
GOOD things come to those who wait, and the people of Campbelltown have certainly waited a long time for their own national park.
Eighteen years after it was first promised by then-opposition leader Bob Carr, local residents’ patience was rewarded on Sunday when Premier Barry O’Farrell announced the opening of Dharawal National Park at Wedderburn.
It takes in the stunning O’Hares Creek gorge and Minerva Pool waterfalls and stretches south and west through the upper catchment of the Georges River to near Appin and the Darkes Forest swamps.
Until now, this bushland gem has been largely hidden away behind locked gates, but will now be opened up to the public.
Environment Minister Robyn Parker said the government would provide $1 million to improve community and disability access, walkways, signage and lookouts.
For Mr O’Farrell, it is the climax of lengthy negotiations with the mining companies and environmentalists.
“When I first got a chance to do a little bit of walking in this area, it was clear to me why Dharawal National Park should be established,” Mr O’Farrell said of the local natural treasure.
“I’m particularly proud that we didn’t put it in the too hard basket.
“We didn’t give up on the hope of establishing here a national park.”
Mr O’Farrell said there had been no compensation paid to mining companies. He said the government had waited for one last mining lease on the site to lapse earlier this month before moving ahead with the creation of the park.
“The excuse given by Bob Carr for 18 years was that it couldn’t be done because of mining interests,” Mr O’Farrell said.
While he admitted BHP Billiton was “a bit resistant” to start with, Mr O’Farrell said there had been no deal made with the mining giant to avoid paying compensation.
Plans for the park will soon be put on public display and will include picnic facilities, a new lookout with access for the disabled and walking tracks.
The gazettal on Monday co-incided with the one-year anniversary of the O’Farrell government’s election in 2011.Mr O’Farrell said he believed the 6500-hectare national park and its great swimming holes would soon become a tourist attraction.
Wollondilly MP Jai Rowell thanked the local groups and individuals who had not given up hope on a Dharawal National Park over the decades.
“Our community have been wanting this for such a long time,” he said.
But Labor environment spokesman Luke Foley raised concerns on Sunday that BHP Billiton would continue to mine on the boundary of the national park which he claimed could affect the park’s water reserves and the headwaters of the Georges River.
Mr O’Farrell said the Environmental Protection Authority would issue fines for any activity that affected the park’s water.
Ms Parker said the exploration licences for the land which is on the fringes of the national park had already been approved by the former Labor government.
THE government’s plans for the park will soon be placed on public exhibition and will include:
¦ A new lookout over O’Hares Creek with disabled access;
¦ Improved walking access to swimming holes and waterfalls;
¦ Picnic facilities;
¦ A loop walk at Darkes Forest to Maddens Falls.
Triumphal shouts raised over new park
28 Mar, 2012 01:00 AM
THE creation of Dharawal National Park has been met with a mix of cheers and sighs of relief.
Sharyn Cullis, of the Georges River Environmental Alliance, said the national park gave Campbelltown residents the opportunity to celebrate a regional image centred on nature and beauty.
“It’s an amazing outcome,” Ms Cullis said. “Dharawal was virtually an invisible and unknown landscape, with rich coking coal underneath already granted by lease to BHP.
“Honestly, who would dare to think it had any future?
“It was set to become the shattered and desiccated collateral damage of a mining project.”
National Parks Association NSW chief executive Kevin Evans said Dharawal’s creeks and upland swamps were important for the protection of the Georges River’s headwaters and the biodiversity of southern Sydney.
“This dedication will ensure this beautiful area will be given the strongest possible protection, a goal NPA’s Macarthur branch has campaigned to achieve for over three decades,” he said.
Campbelltown’s Labor mayor, Anoulack Chanthivong, applauded Mr O’Farrell for protecting such a special place for locals.
“This is a great thing and I think it will be well received by the people of Campbelltown,” Cr Chanthivong told the Advertiser.
“This is not about Labor or Liberal — it’s about Campbelltown.”
Pat Durman, of the NPA Macarthur branch, said for her the announcement had to be seen to be believed.
“It’s absolutely marvellous — it really is the end of a very long fight,” she said.
The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service Dharawal field officer Andrew Lawless has cared for the park since about 1995 and was over the moon.
“After 25 years in my time with the service it’s great to be involved in the gazettal of a national park that I came into 15 years ago and I had to go around and survey and drive every fire trail because not a lot of people knew what we had,” he said.
Ranger Anita Zubovic was also very excited by the news. “This used to be the quietest park in the state and now it’s becoming the most exciting,” she said.
Park a win for Campbelltown’s koalas
28 Mar, 2012 01:00 AM
SUNDAY’S announcement of a Dharawal National Park was also a major win for Campbelltown’s koala population which uses O’Hare’s Creek gorge in the park as a shelter from bushfires.
University of Western Sydney koala expert Robert Close said the announcement gave local koala colonies a much greater chance of long-term survival.
“I think this will allow our koalas to survive here, probably forever,” said the Advertiser columnist.
Dr Close said he first noticed the importance of the gorge when he found one of the radio-collared male koalas sheltering in the caves there on a very hot day.
“I believe the gorge is the place where koalas will survive bushfires — and by surviving bushfires, there’s always going to be recovery. The cliffs, the gorges and the caves give the koalas a place to hide and the actual way the gorge burns is very spasmodic, so you get little fingers of flames.”
Read the original articles:
www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/dharawal.dawn/2503704.aspx
www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/triumphal-shouts-raised-over-new-park/2503710.aspx
www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/news/local/news/general/park-a-win-for-campbelltowns-koalas/2503711.aspx
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The following article is republished from the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader for information for members living beyond the newspaper circulation area. We congratulate Murray Trembath on this fine article, and join the celebrations with environmental groups, state government and local state members of parliament, who have worked so hard to achieve the birth of this National Park.
BY MURRAY TREMBATH
27 Mar, 2012 04:00 AM
THE gazettal yesterday of Dharawal National Park climaxed a community campaign which started in the 1980s.
Premier Barry O’Farrell confirmed the 6500 hectare conservation area on Sydney’s southern fringe would be protected to the centre of the Earth, preventing mining taking place beneath it.
Environmental groups, who had grown nervous by a three-month delay in the proclamation, were delighted.
‘‘Knowing what BHP had planned for Dharawal, I really thought national park status was the impossible dream,’’ said secretary of the Georges River Alliance, Sharyn Cullis.
‘‘Dharawal was virtually an invisible landscape, with rich coking coal underneath already ‘granted’ by lease to BHP.
‘‘Who, honestly, would dare think it had any future [as a national park]?
‘‘It was set to become the shattered and desiccated collateral damage of a mining project.’’
Ms Cullis said that groups such as Oatley Flora and Fauna Conservation Society, the Botany Bay and Catchment Alliance and the National Parks Association, Southern Sydney branch, were very much a part of the campaign.
‘‘The campaign had everything: the right mix of commitment from the ‘activists’, quality scientific argument, the vindication of findings from an independent inquiry, and most importantly media and political responsiveness,’’ she said.
Ms Cullis said ‘‘continuous coverage’’ by the Leader and sister paper, the Campbelltown-Macarthur Advertiser, had played a significant role in the outcome and she was ‘‘immensely grateful’’ to them.
Also present at the announcement were Environment Minister Robyn Parker and six Liberal MPs, including Mark Coure (Oatley) and Lee Evans (Heathcote), whose electorates take in the new park or are affected by it.
Mr O’Farrell said he was extremely proud a Coalition government had achieved in its first 12 months what the previous Labor Government could not deliver in 16 years.
Plans for new facilities, including a new loop walk from Darkes Forest to the spectacular Maddens Falls, will be exhibited, and a community celebration held on May 5.
LINGERING THREAT
BHP’s mining operations on the fringes of the new national park, as well as coal seam gas exploration, could still pose a threat to waterways within it.
Opposition environment spokesman Luke Foley said he was concerned coal seam gas drilling nearby could make Dharawal ‘‘nothing more than a Clayton’s national park’’.
Premier Barry O’Farrell said the Environmental Protection Authority would be aggressive in issuing fines for any damage caused to waterways by nearby mining activity.
Environment Minister Robyn Parker said Mr Foley’s comments amounted to “abject hypocrisy”, as the coal seam gas exploration licences were issued by the former Labor government.
Full article:-
http://www.theleader.com.au/news/local/news/environment/a-new-national-park-is-born/2501284.aspx
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