SSD 6395 - Bobs Farm Sand Mine Project

see word document attached

To Whom it may concern

Please see attached submission against the sand mine at Bobs Farm.

Kind Regards
Kerrie Cullimore
[email protected]
0416136729

I am an adjoining LandHolder with 2 boundaries to the proposed sand mine.
Ammoss Resource Management has not consulted with me and hence has not
addressed the Council Approved a 20 Cabin Eco-Retreat and Miniature
Animal Farm that this mine will adversely impact on, as well as the
existing Shark and Ray Tourist Centre.

I am writing this submission to voice my objection to the approve of the
proposed sand mine.

My concerns with this development are as follows.

I have not been able to ascertain whether there has been any
investigation or thought given to the affect on the sand dune where
this mine is going to be situated. I have attached a document, with
photos, showing the sand dune from the aspect of Marsh Road and are
wondering what effect this mine will have on this dune?
It is unclear whether the dune will remain as it is or if it will be
significantly altered in any way. This dune is at the rear of our
property and as such is a worry for me. Will the vegetation be cleared
on the Marsh Road side of the dune? If so what effect will this have
on the stability of the dune? If the dune is to be reduced then what
is the expected water run off from this site as Marsh Road is very low
lying and as such has problems with drainage even in slight wet
weather events?

I also have a worry that the proposed sand mine will adversly affect
the small school of Bobs Farm. W|ith 180 trucks per day trundelling
down the driveway from the mine to within 100metres of the school is
definitely cause for concern. I have a grandson who is 2 so when the
mine is operational in say 3 years he will just be starting
Kindegarten. With this adverse development within close proximity
there is a likelihood that this school will close thereby excluding my
grandson from being able to go to his nearest school which is within
walking distance and having to travel to Anna Bay either by bus or
private vehicle. Every child has to right to attend their local
school.


Traffic on Marsh Road will obviously increase around the area where
the school is located and as this is our nearest exit onto Nelson Bay
Road will have an affect on our safety. We will have to contend with
approximately 180 B double trucks and assorted other vehicle coming
and going from the site every day. With Marsh Road being a 3 tonne
limited road and also there being a 40k speed restriction during
school hours in this area there is every likelyhood that there will be
an increase to the risk of accidents.

Submission 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?

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.

Objection - Signed Hard-copy in post 29 January 2019

President: Soldiers Point Community Group Inc.

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

See attached pdf objection

I am writing to oppose the sand mine off Nelson Bay Road at Bobs Farm.
I believe the sand mine will adversely affect the immediate and
surrounding areas due to the impact of 180 truck movements a day on
Nelson Bay Road, the impact dredging 15 metres below sea level and the
loss of sensitive habitat.
My husband and I, and my children travel along Nelson bay road
frequently to get to Newcastle and I am concerned there will be a
greater risk of accidents due to a large number of trucks as well as
the degradation of the road surface as a result of the higher use.
The Port Stephens area is a sensitive koala area and the sand mine
will see the removal of 877 original hollow-bearing trees, which are
homes to other sensitive species as well. 25 ha of native forest will
be destroyed.
My major area of concern is 50 per cent of the sand would be dredged
from a depth of 15 metres below the water table, which is my drinking
water source.

Hunter Water has stated that's inconsistent with best practice - which
is one metre above the water table - a condition followed by all other
sand mines in the area. Hunter Water also states the company's plan to
create a lake from the final void was "implausible", and a "bad land
use planning outcome" that would result in 90 million litres of water
evaporation a year.

Port Stephens Council has also raised concerns that the environmental
plan for the sand mine contains a significant amount of
inconsistencies and inadequacies.

It says the report contains inadequate flora and fauna surveys for
vulnerable species, and an inaccurate representation of the extraction
footprint.

Another concern is with silica, the fine dust associated with the sand
being mined. According to Cancer Council Australia, silica dust is
harmful when inhaled into your lungs. As it is 100 times smaller than
a grain of sand, you can be breathing it in without knowing.

Exposure to silica dust can lead to the development of lung cancer,
silicosis (an irreversible scarring and stiffening of the lungs),
kidney disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It is
estimated that 230 people develop lung cancer each year as a result of
past exposure to silica dust at work. Not all exposed workers will
develop cancer; cancer risk increases with long term or repeated high
level exposure.

Another reason to be considered, as stated in Statewide policy no. 1:
Policy and guidelines for construction and silica sand mining in
public drinking water source areas (Water and Rivers Commission 1999),
the major potential risks to public drinking water resources from sand
mining include: hydrocarbon
contamination; contamination from waste disposal
systems or activities; the loss of water through
evaporation; and the inadequate rehabilitation of
disturbed areas.
The threat associated with hydrocarbon contamination
in water supply areas is a key management issue.
Hydrocarbon contamination can result from leakage
from fuel storage tanks, spillage during refuelling and
inappropriate disposal of waste. There are serious
health considerations associated with this
contamination as benzene and polyaromatic
hydrocarbons, which are soluble constituents of fuel,
are recognised carcinogens. Remediation of
hydrocarbon contamination of groundwater is very
expensive, and in some cases impractical.
Waste disposal systems can cause contamination of
groundwater with nitrates, phosphates, organic
chemicals, metals, bacteria or viruses. Contamination
is most severe in areas where the water table is close to
the surface and where soils are sandy. These
conditions occur in the Underground Water Pollution
Control Areas throughout the metropolitan region.
The loss of significant quantities of groundwater can
occur through evaporation and inappropriate
rehabilitation. Direct evaporation of groundwater
increases when the water table is close to the surface.

I urge you to research closely how a sand mine, such as this will
negatively affect the surrounding areas, in particular, our precious
water and stop this sand mine from progressing.

Please find submission attached.

See attached file

I wish ti object to this proposal with the reasons in the attached
document

Please see attachment for Submission by EcoNetwork-Port Stephens.

WINC object to this development proposal.

To whom it may concern,
My name is Jessica Faulkner and I'm a resident of Bobs Farm and have
been for 26 years.
I'm writing in regards to the proposal of the AMMOS Resource
(Tattersall Lander Pty Ltd) sand mine
planned to be where the Fig and Olive Farm is along Nelson Bay Road.
Being a past Native Animal rescuer, committee member and carer for
WINC (Wildlife In Need Of Care), I
am quite concerned for the population, habitat, housing and food
source for many species which rely on
the vegetation IN the Fig and Olive Farm and also the surrounding
areas.
I have Studied Certificate 2 in Animal Studies, Certificate 2 in
Agriculture and Certificate 3 in Captive
Animals which covers a vast knowledge of conservation, species
distribution, environmental impacts on
species, and I am very passionate about native fauna and flora, so I
do have some knowledge of the
impacts this sand mine would have on the targeted area and
surroundings.
The main concerns I have about this proposed sand mine are:
 Destruction of habitat/ecosystems of vulnerable and
endangered species, and old growth forest
which exists in the area.
 Destruction of ancient sand dunes and an indigenous heritage
area.
 Effects this mine will have on the surrounding farming
community and me such as:
 traffic due to the proposed 200 trucks a day exiting on Marsh
road in a designated school
zone and Nelson Bay road
 depletion of water levels in the underground water tables
 changing the salinity of the water tables
 habitat disturbances
 silica dust, Diesel fumes and/or other pollutions
 chemical and/or toxic runoffs
 soil degradation
 Noise pollution
 Potential rainwater contamination
Due to the close proximity where the proposed sand mine will be and
the recent large road upgrade as
well as the current land clearing for construction of the Sunrise
Lifestyle Resort located 3kms away on
Nelson Bay Road, it will disturb species territories once again which
could have an even bigger impact on
their species survival and will cause an imbalance in the targeted and
surrounding ecosystem and habitat.
When the construction began for the extension of Nelson Bay Road, a
vast amount of trees were cut down
as well as land clearing which had a huge impact on the native fauna
and flora. The surrounding Koala
population had been pushed further away from their original
territories which caused a lot of stress within
a koala community putting stress on the population, and when they
stress, they are more susceptible to
catching and shedding diseases/illnesses. Not only are their immune
systems impacted by the stress of the
destruction of their territory and habitat but migrating to a new
territory adds more hazards for the
population such as being hit my cars when being forced to migrate, and
being attacked by predators in the
new territory etc.
Where AMMOS plans to create a sand mine, there exists a dwindling
koala population which will most
likely no longer exist IF the sand mine were to be approved. The local
organisation "Hunter Koala
Preservation Society" is trying their hardest to assist the vulnerable
koala population within this area and
another impact like this (Sand mining) will only make it harder. We
WILL see an increase in animal rescues
around the site of the sand mine and this is something I wish not to
see.
Koalas are only ONE of many species which will be greatly affected if
there were to be sand mining in Bobs
Farm.
I live on a property on Marsh Road which is attached by our south and
western boundary to the property
which AMMOS has bought. The property I live on is approximately 150
meters from our drive way to where the trucks will be exiting on Marsh
Road and 30 meters from our closest boundary to where the
trucks driveway goes through their property where they will be exiting
on and its length goes for about 90
meters along our boundary.
Being in such close proximity to 200 trucks a day, not only will it be
a highly significant disturbance to not
only my family but to all other adjoining properties to which some are
even closer.
My property has been home to many Bush Stone Curlews over the many
years of living here.
The Bush Stone-curlew is listed as Endangered (Schedule 1) on the NSW
Threatened Species Conservation
Act 1995, and has suffered a dramatic decline in abundance across
southern and eastern Australia. It was
once a common species of open grassy woodlands, occurring widely
throughout NSW. The species now
occurs in very low densities at scattered locations west of the Great
Dividing Range and isolated patches
along the northeast and central coast of the state.
Oakvale Farm and Fauna Word (where I previously volunteered for 2
years) has a conservation program in
place for this species to help build the numbers in this and
surrounding areas. They have been taking part
in this program for many years and it would have devastating adverse
effects on this effort if this sand
mine were to be approved seeing as there have been multiple sightings
of these birds inhabiting this area
(multiple sightings roughly 1km away from the Fig and Olive farm).
The Fig and Olive farm property as well as the surrounding bushland
also houses a large population of Grey
Headed Flying fox as well as other flying fox species.
The Grey Headed Flying Fox is listed as
Vulnerable due to having to compete with
humans for prime coastal habitat. Due to many
other projects within Port Stephens and
surrounding areas where habitat destruction has
occurred, it has pushed away the colonies which
resided there which has caused an increase and
more concentrated population with a lot of
properties in Bobs Farm and Salt ash INCLUDING
where the proposed sand mine is to be.
Here is a photograph I took of the colony taking
flight. The first photo is taken roughly 1km away
from the proposed sand mine site. The second
photo was taken from my back yard where you
can see the colony taking flight over the sand hill,
right above where the sand mine is proposed to
be.
Photos supplied in attached document.
Due to the location of this proposed
sand mine, it is surrounding many
local farms and businesses that will
be effected by this sand mine,
whether that be by traffic due to the
proposed 200 trucks a day exiting on
Marsh Road, depletion of water
levels in the underground water
tables, changing the salinity of the
water tables, habitat disturbances,
silica or other pollutions, chemical or
toxic runoffs, soil degradation, sound
pollution etc.
In sand mining procedures where
dredging is being performed,
dredging results in lowering of the
alluvial water table which, in turn, directly affects groundwater
storage capacity. Excessive dredging allows
for saline intrusion into groundwater. The lowered water table implies
a rise in water costs, thus restricting
access to only those who can afford it. It results in habitat loss
including destruction and fragmentation of
fragile, endangered ecosystems and reduced species richness. My
property relies A LOT on the
underground water tables to water livestock, and it would greatly
affect us if it were to deplete or if
contents were to change.
Mines can affect surface runoff and groundwater quality through
contamination with dissolved and
suspended materials. Mines can de-water groundwater aquifers some
distance from shafts or open
pits, which can make nearby wells or groundwater bores run dry.
Would my property be affected if it were to flood? Seeing as the
proposed sand mine is on the high
side of an ancient dune and my property is on the lower land below the
ancient dune, would the lower
properties be affected by chemical runoff even more so when prone to
flooding?
Another one of my main concerns with this proposal is the
inappropriate location.
This sand mine has proposed to have 200 trucks a day exiting into a
designated school zone ONLY 20
meters away from the local public school (Bobs Farm Public School,
where I once was school captain). For
many years it has been a great concern that "Hay Enterprises" (the
earth moving company which AMMOS
will have access to with their trucks) has their many trucks
disrupting the school and local traffic along
Marsh Road. "Hay Enterprises" is located to the rear left side of my
property and it produces a lot of noise
pollution with their loud banging from their trucks and machinery.
This will only become a lot worse with
an extra 200 trucks exiting from "Hay Enterprises" property.
I'm concerned that Marsh Road isn't capable of withstanding an extra
200 trucks a day for 15 years. The
road is poorly maintained, full of potholes, cracks, not lines etc and
there has already been MANY road
accidents on the east end of Marsh road where the trucks will be
existing onto Nelson Bay Road.
The traffic along Nelson Bay road (where Marsh Road starts as well as
all through the sand hills) during
holiday season the traffic banks up for kilometres. With the amount of
trucks that will be exiting on to
Marsh Road then onto Nelson Bay road, this will cause terrible traffic
conditions for a town that's a popular
holiday destination. This could then result in our Holiday destination
being turned away by people due to
poor access and poor traffic conditions which will put people's safety
at risk.

It would be such a shame to see this mine being approved as it will
also affect the value of all properties
surrounding the location which includes my parent's property which
will be my siblings and I inheritance.
To sum up my response to this proposal I do have some requests:
 I request that this sand mine proposal to be rejected! It
will have great effects on the targeted and
surrounding habitat as well as adverse impacts on the surrounding
farmers and residence. I feel
that this proposed sand mine is poorly situated and doesn't belong in
such a beautiful holiday area.
 I also request for an extension on the exhibition period for
the EIS so that the larger community
can have enough time for all to assess and understand it. The EIS was
released during the busiest
time for all of us in Port Stephens being a holiday destination and
being the summer holidays.
 Funding for a peer review of the EIS submitted with the
proposal is supplied by the developer due
to concerns of a conflict of interests with local MP's (Bruce
Mackenzie, local MP owns and
operates another sand mine locally - Macka's Sand, and has personal
interest in the industry) DA
approval processes may be swayed by personal economic interests.
 There are a number of cases in which independent reviews of
EIS have aided communities
in reviewing state significant development proposals in the extractive
industry.
For example: Bogabri/Maules Ck state significant Dev. Mine
 If the sand mine were to be approved, choose another location
(such as on Nelson Bay road) to exit
the trucks on a road away from the primary school.
 To have the local wildlife rescue groups (WINC-Wildlife In
Need Of Care, Hunter Koala Preservation
Society) on call during the time in which the vegetation and old
forest were to be destroyed.
 Ongoing monthly testing of all possible pollutants such as
Silica dust (which can cause Silicosis),
ground/soil testing, hydrology reports of salinity and aquifer levels
on site and neighbouring
properties within a 20km radius, at the cost of the operator, by a
professional independent
scientific organisation.
I urge you take all these concerns and information into consideration
when determining the end results
and fate for our beautiful land where this proposed mine will be, and
consider the effects it will have on
the farming producers surrounding the proposed site, the vulnerable
flora and fauna, as well as the local
primary school. Are the short term gains more valuable than our long
term community welfare and the
long term suffering it will inflict if this mine were to be approved?
Regards,
Jessica Faulkner of Bobs Farm NSW.

I strongly object to the proposed sand mine at Bobs Farm.

PSK's submission is attached in .pdf format.

PLEASE FIND SUBMISSION ATTACHED AS PDF DOCUMENT