SHIRE PLANS 600 METRE MINING TRACK THROUGH DUNES

Shire of Gingin staff are proposing to bulldoze 6,400 square meters of coastal vegetation and extend Beacon Road through to the Lead Lights for the sole use of large sand mining trucks. This picture shows about 300m of the planned 600m track (white rectangle).

Right now, the Shire wants your feedback so please copy and paste these email addresses:

mail@gingin.wa.gov.au

emo@gingin.wa.gov.au

crcourt@gingin.wa.gov.au

crfewster@gingin.wa.gov.au

crlobb@gingin.wa.gov.au

crpeczka@gingin.wa.gov.au

ceo@gingin.wa.gov.au

crrule@gingin.wa.gov.au

crjohnson@gingin.wa.gov.au

crmorton@gingin.wa.gov.au

crbalcombe@gingin.wa.gov.au

At present 50 tonne trucks use the track at the bottom left hand of the picture to access the sand mining area which bizarrely is situated adjacent to the main sand mining hill; that’s another story altogether.

At a local meeting on Sunday, a good number of residents and local organisations vehemently opposed the proposal based on the “wanton and unnecessary destruction of sensitive dune vegetation.”

At that meeting it was pointed out that recently “the Shire proposed the closure of the Edwards Island track based mainly on conservation values and protection of the coastal vegetation.” That proposal was declined by the Councillors and a workable compromise was agreed to.

Council staff then announced the proposal to bulldoze this new track in late December allowing just 3 weeks for public comment and they have stated they want to start bulldozing the dunes this month. It’s understood that sand is mined from January to April with a limited number of truck loads allowed to be taken each day.

Organisers of the local meeting are adamant “There are multiple practical and cost-effective alternatives to manage the mining of the dunes which the shire has not examined.”

Rest assured the shire value your feedback via email to these addresses: