DIALOGUE has helped to build bridges over the issue of Macleay River water quality between a mining company and a group concerned with the threat of contamination.
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Save Our Macleay River (SOMR) chair Arthur Bain has celebrated the group’s achievements in its first 12 months of existence.
He said the group had been recognised as a stakeholder in the issue of water quality management and protection of the Macleay River, and had established relationships with other key players – most notably mining company Bracken Resources.
Mr Bain said SOMR continued to be very concerned at the potential threat of heavy metal contamination of the river from the Hillgrove Mine (now owned by Bracken Resources) in the Upper Macleay catchment.
It is also concerned with the impact of past pollution from what members say resulted from the antimony mining by former owners; and the Gibson open cut mine at Halls Peak, on the Chandler River, which flows into the Macleay.
In November, SOMR held constructive meetings with scientists from the University of New England (UNE), the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and Hillgrove Mine representatives.
“Our biggest win is that we’re now recognised as stakeholders,” Mr Bain said.
“It means we can be at the table for discussions with scientists from the university, the EPA (NSW Environmental Protection Authority) and the mining company.”
Mr Bain welcomed Bracken Resources’ moves to share information with SOMR.
“They’ve showed us the new water management system, which uses reverse osmosis,” he said.
“The previous system (through the mine’s previous owner) has been mothballed.
“They’ve told us the mining network includes backfilling and remediation.
“It’s helped in the process of building trust.”
Mr Bain said Bracken Resources had agreed to share quarterly monitoring of 11 adits – drains set into the side of a hill from which storm water runs out.
The company would also share 10 years of annual reports, he said.
“That’s a lot of data to be processed, but it allows us to be more informed,” Mr Bain said.
SOMR will host a public meeting on January 31 at Bellbrook Hall, with UNE representatives – a time has yet to be finalised.
The university has been collecting data on Upper Macleay water samples since 1999.
Mr Bain also hailed the success of last September’s Paddle the Macleay event, from Pee Dee Station to Bellbrook.
This had helped bring the issue of protecting the river to wider public attention, he said.
