25th July, 2024
The Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales (NCC), the state's leading environmental advocacy organisation, has today expressed relief that the Resources Regulator overturned their decision to allow copper and gold mining exploration by Australian Consolidated Gold Holdings in the Macquarie Marshes.
The Macquarie Marshes, in central-west NSW, is one of the largest remaining inland semi-permanent wetlands in South-Eastern Australia. It encompasses a massive 200,000 hectares, including almost 20,000 hectares listed as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar convention.
This is one of the most biologically diverse wetlands in the Murray Darling Basin that can support hundreds of thousands of water birds when the conditions are right.
In a letter to the landholders of the proposed drill sites, the Resources Regulator said:
"...the decision maker when making the decision was not provided with all relevant and accurate information therefore the decisions were not validly made. As such, both decisions to grant the APOs were not decisions at law and have no legal effect."
However, the door has been left open for considering the applications again if further information is provided.
Statements attributable to NCC Chief Executive Officer Jacqui Mumford:
"The Regulator has thankfully realised that the decision to allow copper and gold prospecting in the Marshes, without any environmental assessment, was the wrong call and we are grateful it has been overturned," said Jacqui Mumford, Chief Executive Officer of Nature Conservation Council NSW.
"It is disturbing that any mining activity could be considered for this environmentally sensitive critical habitat and so we urge the Regulator to decline any further applications for exploration in the Macquarie Marshes."
"The risks of mining activity in the Macquarie Marshes are too high - it could cause irreparable harm to the entire wetland system.
"There shouldn't be drilling here because there shouldn't be mining here.
"The proposed drilling area is right next door to the protected nature reserve and is a nesting and breeding site for threatened, vulnerable and endangered species.
"Can you imagine a gold mine sitting directly next to a protected internationally-significant, Ramsar-listed nature reserve? It's unthinkable."
Statements attributable to NCC Water Campaigner Mel Gray:
"The Macquarie Marshes are a spectacular and special place. They provide critical habitat for an amazing array of wildlife, from frogs to Murray Cod and Purple Spotted Gudgeon.
"Australian Consolidated Gold Holdings wants to drill in Mole Marsh, which is currently under water. It is home to vulnerable, threatened and endangered bird species, such as brolga, magpie goose, Australasian bittern and Australian painted snipe.
"We have serious concerns about the impact drilling and industrial activity would have on the entire wetland system.
"This highly sensitive and critical ecology is not an appropriate area for any mining activity."
Statement ends
