SSD 6395 - Bobs Farm Sand Mine Project

I object tothis propos d development for the gollowing reasons:
Over 100 acres of old growth forest on ancient sand dunes will be
cleared, habitat destroyed and excavated/dredged to below the water
table. The removal of the sand will result in a large lake with a
depth -15m Australian Height Datum (AHD)below sea level.
For15 years180 trucks a day, 6 days a week (7am - 6pm) will be
entering Nelson Bay Rd exiting on Marsh Rd within a designated school
zone causing major disruption to Bobs Farm School with the proposed
operations seeing a loaded truck pass within metres of the school on
average every three minutes.
This area is the gateway to "the Bay".
The operations will be visible to road users and are adjacent to a
residential area and school.
Additiona particulate matter from diesel fumes and silica dust (a
hazardous substance which can cause silicosis) will negatively impact
air quality.
I have great voncerns for road safety with additional trucks exiting
into a 40km school zone, turning left onto Nelson Bay Road and "U"
turning at the Port Stephens Drive roundabout.
Ground water will be affected due to dredging activity, this could
threaten the quality and flow of the aquifer, particularly for those
"downstream". Tank water will potentially be contaminated.
There will be loss of preferred Koala Habitat
The proposed artificial lake will remain permanently within the
ecological corridor and will be approximately 680m at its widest
point. The proposal will result in a reduction in the the function and
quality of the ecological corridor.
There is a potential for ground water contamination from dredging of
the site below ground water.

I strongly object to the mine operations if approved because I believe it
will result in over 100 acres of old growth forest on ancient sand
dunes being cleared, habitat destroyed and excavated/dredged to below
the water table. The removal of this amount of sand will result in a
large lake with depth estimated 15M AHD below sea level. This will
lead to a potential 750,000 tonnes of sand per year for a possible 15
year period.
This leads to the following points which I find totally unacceptable:
*180 trucks a day 6 days per week (7am-6pm)entering on Nelson Bay Road
exiting on Marsh Road within a designated school zone.
*Disruption to Bob's Farm School with the proposed operations passing
loaded trucks within meters of the school on average every three
minutes.
*This location is the "Gateway to the Bay" and is in an inappropriate
location, visible to road users and adjacent to a residential area &
school.
*The affect on air quality with additional particulate matter from
diesel fumes and silica dust.
*Road safety concerns with additional trucks exiting into a 40 km
school zone, turning left onto Nelson Bay Road and then "U" turning at
the Port Stephens Drive Roundabout.
*Affect on ground water due to dredging activity, this could affect
and threaten the flow and quality of the aquifer, particularly down
stream.
*Tank water could potentially be contaminated.
*Koala habitat will be affected and lost. Particularly the preferred
Koala Habitat.
*The proposed artificial lake will remain permanently within the
ecological corridor and will remain. It will be 680M at its widest
point. The proposal will result in a reduction in the function and the
quality the ecological corridor.
*there is a potential for ground water contamination from dredging of
the site below ground water.

I oppose the bobs farm sand mine because of the impact it will make on
the water table , the increase of truck activity , the impact on the
local habitat as well as the danger to the students at Bobs Farm
Primary School.

I oppose the proposed sand mine at Bobs Farm.
This is not an appropriate place to mine sand; taking into considering
the destruction of natural heritage in the hugely significant
geographical location and the undesirable impacts of mining activities
in proximity to populated residential areas that would occur.
I believe the economic benefits to the local community from this
industry will not be significant in comparison to profits withheld for
private stakeholder gain, and that any positive financial gains
arising to Port Stephens Council from the proposed mining enterprise
are highly likely to be misappropriated, meaning the funds will not be
retained for reinvestment within the central ward.

It is not in the best interests of the Bob's farm community for this to
go ahead the medical issues alone should be enough reason for it not
to go ahead

I use Nelson Bay Rd regularly and during peak holiday times this road is
already extremely busy wirh long waits when coming away frim the bay.
180 more trucks a day on this road a day will be way to much for this
busy road and community to handle.

I also di not want to see 36.1 hectares of land cleared, our area has
many rhreatened species and this will greately affect them with their
habitat being cleared.

Our local sand dunes are ancient should be preserved the way they are,
the anount being proposed to he remived will greately affect the
landscape of our area and our history will be affected

I do not want to see the excavation going below our water table, with
contamination already happened to our water table locally I do not
want to see more damage done by these companies who are mining and
only interested in orofit not the affect this will have to iur area
when simething gos wrong.

The size of the dam left behind will forever change the landscape of
our beautiful pristine area, no one wants to be left with such an
eyesore. Once this sand is removed we will never be able to repair the
area to its former state, our history our local animals and our
endangered species will be forever affected. Port Stephens is known
for its natural beauty and long history with the land, people visit
from all over the world to visit the natural beauty here, not to be
stuck on nelson bay rd surrounded by trucks and passing a huge hole/
lake left behind by the sand mining.

I worry about the air quality and the affect all of these extra trucks
will have on my family.

I am against this proposal & the permanent damage it will cause to the
area. The beautiful Bob's Farm School will be threatened, the increase
in truck traffic will be horrendous, with all the flow on effects that
come with that many truck movements per day. An area ruined for greed
& personal agendas.

Really unfair to locals and the school. I don't think the impact this
will have on the community has been taken seriously.

Sand mine will effect the environment of the school. Noise and air
pollution are major concerns for the parents, teachers and students at
the school if the sand mine goes ahead.

My concerns are several including the amount of extra trucks on a rural
road already not up to handling the traffic load. This will be
hazardous to other road users and cause damage to the roadways
concerned. Other issues include excess noise for surrounding areas and
dust from the mine itself. And of course concern for the children and
their safety at the local school. The community don't want or need
this in their area.

Apart from the negative Impacts on the environment, I am concerned about
the extra traffic on Nelson Bay Road. This road needs to be duplicated
just to cope with tourist traffic. With the proposed addition of
trucks carting sand, traffic will be dangerous for all users. In
addition to this, the increased traffic passing Bobs Farm School which
will create noise and risk for children and parents is not acceptable.

I strongly object to this proposed sand mine because this sand mine will
see:
- 180 more trucks on Nelson Bay Road every day
- 36.1 hectares of land cleared
- `threatened species and feeding habitat' cleared
- 10 million tonnes of sand removed from ancient sand dunes
- sand excavated to 15 metres below the water table
- a 24.5 hectare void/dam left afterwards
- increased health and air quality issues

We do not support this going ahead as it will effect the local school and
businesses. The school kids will not be able to concentrate with the
mining and constant truck movement. This school is only a small school
but it is the best school in the area with caring staff, some of the
kids that attend it aren't able to fit into bigger School's due to
their needs. If this school closes their will be a lot of kids doing
home schooling. Local businesses will be effected including the shark
and ray centre and the go-kart centre due to ground movement and
smell, they will lose customers and money. The soil is also
contaminated in this area. We already have contaminated water, please
don't allow this to go ahead. Please think about the environment,
businesses, the people who live in the area and the kids.

I am against the proposed Sand mine at Bobs Farm. There is way too much
traffic on Nelson Bay Road as there is. I live in the next suburb of
Salt Ash and I would not want this mine in my backyard either. There
are many endangered species in this area too.

This development and business activity puts too much pressure on the
environment, local amenities and natural beauty that attracted us to
regional NSW. The Govt encourages regional relocation and then lets
big business trash the very thing that draws people to the area.

There is already too much traffic on Nelson Nay Riad - promises made
about improvements have not been fulfilled.

Surely you have heard the communities voices on sand mining from
previous submissions/campaigns? Take notice!!! This is a swinging seat
- Liberal Party needs to listen to the community not just business
people. The behaviour of the sand mining companies has been
disgraceful - pushing the boundaries of what they are allowed to do.
The fines do not deter the behaviours - Govt has not shown that they
can be kept in check so my trust is low.

We do not want
- 180 more trucks on Nelson Bay Road every day
- 36.1 hectares of land cleared
- `threatened species and feeding habitat' cleared
- 10 million tonnes of sand removed from ancient sand dunes
- sand excavated to 15 metres below the water table
- a 24.5 hectare void/dam left afterwards
- increased health and air quality issues

The sand mine also threatens the learning conditions of Bobs Farm
Public School, a beautiful small school that recently celebrated its
100th anniversary. Increased noise and road traffic will impact the
students.

Leave everything alone, why do you want to destroy everything, do you not
have children or grandchildren. Think past what you are looking to
obtain while you are in office.

The local residents are strongly opposed to this desecration of our local
land, environment and water tables. This mine should not be allowed to
go ahead under any circumstances for the health of our locals and our
environment.

I am opposed to the proposed sand mine at Bob's Farm. Already there are
too many trucks travelling on Nelson Bay Rd, both in and out of peak
hour. The potential damage to the environment, water table and health
of Bob's Farm residents is threatened. There is no foreseeable benefit
to the local economy from the sand mine- only to the mine company
itself.
As a rate paying, proud resident of Port Stephens I ask that you
oppose this sand mine for the benefit of our Port Stephens community.

Yours sincerely
Ann-Maree Simon

As a local resident, I am uncomfortable with the additional truck
movements this would cause. These are large heavy vehicles travelling
on a busy single carriage road. This road is not designed to cater for
heavy vehicles and is largely used by people in motor vehicles. The
design of the entrance and exits into the current facility means the
trucks enter Nelson Bay Rd at quite high speeds. I do not believe this
is a safe development for the people of Port Stephens and surrounds
who use this road regularly. I strongly oppose this and believe that
it should be rejected based on the concerns of residents, who live and
work and travel in the area.

I'm writing this submission to you today as I live on Nelson Bay Road
just past the roundabout on the corner Richardson Road and Nelson Bay
Road. My property has after a number of years I fighting for a safer
Road just had a barricade placed in front of it. Of which has needed
to be fixed already. We needed this barricade to protect our children
as they walk to school or to the shops. The number of trucks already
travelling on Nelson Bay Road that use the roundabout at Paul's corner
leave a tiny little bit of diesel on the road the speed limit for that
roundabout is 80 km an hour. That time a little bit of diesel that is
left on the road buy the prime movers, trucks accumulates and that's
ok when the road is dry but a tiny little bit of drizzly rain and that
roundabout becomes slippery and dangerous. This new sand mine is
looking initially to have an extra hundred and 80 trucks utilising
that roundabout that's an extra hundred and 80 trucks using that
roundabout everyday leaving a little bit of diesel as pass through
adding to the already hundreds of trucks that utilise that roundabout
already. We have cars coming through that roundabout on a drizzly day
and landing in our add drainage Gully every time there's a little bit
of rain. RMS don't have a full record of this as they only have a
record of accidents requiring police or ambulance which thankfully 98%
of the time they are not required. This does not make it better as
100% of the time it is dangerous for pedestrians. You have school
children Crossing the road from school buses and a local Public
School.
There are so many reasons as to why our area should not be submitted
to another sand mine. The added trucks on the road is just one.

The proposed sand mine does not just affect it's Neighbours wildlife
and fauna and flora it affects it's neighbouring communities of Salt
Ash, Williamtown as they will be dealing with the extra 180 trucks per
day on roads that are not equipped to deal with it.

Until you address the speed limits and the safety of all the other
motorists,cyclists and pedestrians' using Nelson Bay Road you can not
in good faith allow money to come before community.