So … in recent times ...
Mayor of the Rockhampton region, Cr Brad Carter, and his ‘fail to think outside the box’ councilors have concocted, yet another, ‘easy-fix’ solution to Rocky’s increasingly smelly waste removal and management issue.
(The links to the documents I'm referring to can be found below)
Moreover, the Rockhampton Regional Council (RRC) is currently coercing Anna Bligh to fund a $15 million SUPER DUMP facility.
And we all know what Premier Bligh’s stance on the environment is after her run in with protesters over the damming of the Mary River.
The establishment of a 40-year landfill at Hedlow, consisting of a 400-acre section of land, would involve moving five existing dumps to one by 2017.
Council’s ‘Infrastructure and Planning Services’ general manager, Gavin Steele, said residents would still be able to use their nearest dumps, which would essentially become “transfer stations”.
That's an awful lot of rubbish and garbage being collected in one place at any one time: one shudders at the vision of what it will look like in 40 years time - particularly when considering Rockhampton’s rapid population expansion.
The RRC claim the visual impact from the area would be small.
It will be blended in and it would be very difficult to notice so the intention is not to impact on the visual amenity.
Well, I'm thinking at a space of 400 acres, its going to take a lot of 'blending in' to hide an eyesore like that!!
In one blasé comment, Council’s chair of 'Health and Regulation', Cr Tony Williams says, “If there wasn’t a sign there on the side of the road to say it was the landfill it would be very difficult for someone to point out.”
Mayor Carter further adds, "… you won’t be able to see it from Mt Jim Crow or Mount Archer".
His incredible claim is made despite the fact that the facility will be situated only 1.25km from Mt Jim Crow National Park.
Predictably, there will be no public access to the site.
An aesthetic, as well as a ‘Health and Safety’ issue? - perhaps.
However, I believe this highlights the ‘out of sight – out of mind’ mentality that the RRC are becoming famous for.
With the 'out of the way' location of Hedlow, Rockhampton and Capricorn Coast residents won’t be so concerned and distressed about the environmental genocide occurring if they can’t see the constant growth of rubbish that is decomposing with rats and toxic gas emissions.
Chances are though, that even if you can’t see it, you’ll be able to smell the 'modern landfill'.
One wonders - how this disgusting stench, staining the area with its inescapable rotting odour, will be met by the 1000’s of tourists who use the dump’s road during their transfers to Rydges Resort, the Capricorn Coast and the Keppel Bay National Park.
The RRC claim only a small percentage of the total grazing property will be affected, but they are also practicing their ‘bullying tactics’ in terms of forcibly removing Hedlows current farmers and graziers.
Land owners, George and Mary Seifert, have been issued with a notice of intention to compulsorily acquire the land by council but intend to fight it.
George has declared that he is “consider(ing) all options” in the fight to keep his grazing property.
He has approached Greens Senator, Dr. Bob Brown, to warn him that a dump on his property could have serious environmental consequences.
To this, Cr Carter flippantly responds, "The possible threat of court action did not alter council’s position."
The RRC also hypothesises that the ‘modern landfill’ site, situated three kilometres from Hedlow Creek, will not adversely affect the waterway with contaminated ground water or run-off.
Carter also crows that this "... is an issue that should not occur and cannot occur and we have to design it and engineer it so it doesn’t occur".
Whilst, on one hand, Mr. Steele stiffly postulates that there is a “significant amount of naturally occurring clay” on the site which would make the landfill “water tight”.
“The clay quality is that good it might meet the requirements of being sufficient without any additional synthetic liner,”
On the other, Mr. Seifert, clarifies that, "It will scar and damage that area scenically forever, contaminate the site ... where future development will go - it will impact on that," he further believes
"[There's a] high probability of water sources of Rockhampton and Yeppoon, the whole coast, being contaminated if there is any escape from that site".
NO SYNTHETIC LINER = ENVIRONMENTAL GENOCIDE!!
The Department of Environment and Resource Management (DERM) will demand no water run-off from the top or through seepage as well as consider all liquid and gas emissions. DERM will only approve the site when they are 100% satisfied nothing leeches out and that the waste is securely capped once in.
Well, let’s hope so, because if it’s not sufficiently contained, the effects of contamination in Capricornia will resonate for generations to come.
Hedlow Creek, Stony Creek and other small tributaries in the area all eventually feed into the Waterpark Creek catchment. Waterpark Creek – the main water supply to Yeppoon (and surrounds). The catchment is regarded as Queensland’s cleanest water source as it is sand dune fed. Hedlow Creek, some nine kilometres long, features as an aquatic delight for fish species such as Barramundi, Bream, Whiting, Flathead and Grunter. It is also nature’s playground for activities such as swimming, canoeing, bush-walking and photography. Water is also drawn from this source for local orchards, Eco accommodation and restaurants.
Waterpark Creek flows into Corio Bay, a haven fishing spot for locals and tourists which is also protected by the RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands. Corio Bay then runs into the Coral Sea at North Farnborough Beach then through to Yeppoon’s main beach. Large tidal ranges ensure rapid transport in fast currents to Yeppoon and the Keppel Islands - hence any contamination will result in rapid contamination of the Capricorn Coast’s water supply, the Byfield National Park, Corio Bay, Keppel Bay and the Capricorn Coast.
Damage to the creeks and catchments can occur from any number of sources and the concerns of local people are reasonable. Fears of the water being contaminated by toxins and cancer causing pollutants may be one reason for the (now debunked) Livingstone Shire Council’s decision to construct a 50 kilometre water pipeline from the Fitzroy River.
Just last week, some 20 concerned residents participated in 'heated' discussions with councilors about the controversial site during a Community Catch-Up meeting.
One such resident who has lived in the area for 35 years, Bill Peff, fears his cattle will be at risk of drinking poisoned water if Rockhampton Regional Council chooses Hedlow as its new dump site.
He's deeply concerned that if the land becomes a dumping ground, the runoff from the dump would flow into Hedlow Creek, his cattle's source of water, and in turn flood into the Fitzroy River, affecting the whole community.
“With the residue from the dump, you don't know what's in the water. I have 550 head of cattle at stake,” he said.
The Capricorn region is already facing massive environmental and social pressures. Shoalwater Bay Training Area is constantly monitored for contamination from the military activities that occur, and if Tower Holdings get their way and the MEGA RESORT is constructed on Great Keppel Island there will be the waste of 2,400 additional people per day to deal with.
Other prominent locals have also been quick to voice their concerns.
Paul Bambrick, Greens representative in the Federal seat of Capricornia, calls for the Rockhampton Council to consider more rational sites.
While Rockhampton's State Independent, Bruce Diamond, believes the current proposal makes little sense considering the State's pledge of fifty million dollars towards a western industrial corridor past Gracemere; making this a more logical location.
Carter moans that he's out of options and has no PLAN B if the current proposal doesn’t get the nod;
And – the fact remains; no one wants a dump in their backyard.
So… Are there alternatives?
The simple answer is YES.
Biomass and biogas plant renewable energy production from biomass and wastes.
Based in Melbourne, Sunspun, address this issue through:
* Basic engineering/designs for biogas plant, biomass gasification plant, ethanol fermentation from sugar,
starch and lignocelluloses, biodiesel from waste and vegetable oils and cogeneration systems
* Biogas, ethanol, biodiesel and by-product utilisation and marketing
* Biomass and food wastes evaluation and utilisation for renewable energy production
* Feasibility studies
* Greenhouse gas mitigation and carbon trading
* Recycling to achieve Zero Waste targets
* Renewable energy includes: solid biomass fuels such as wood and crop residues, biogas, biodiesel, ethanol
* Renewable energy integration with existing infrastructure
http://www.sunspun.net/
An operation like this would not only be producing a renewable ‘clean’ energy source, it would also create employment opportunities and an area for Central Queensland University students (particularly Science & Engineering) to further explore and research.
This eco-friendly alternative would prove to be hugely cost effective both in the short and long term.
For all intents and purposes, it only took me 10 minutes of cyber-surfing to find this ONE possible PLAN B for the RRC to consider.
Could someone please remind me WHY we continue to pay these councilors if the best they can come up with is waste removal practices that are out-dated and just plain don’t work – with no hope for a PLAN B.
Stop the Rockhampton Regional Council from building a shire SUPER DUMP and destroying the beautiful Hedlow Creek area.
Email all the councilors now!!
Let them know you are AGAINST this Proposal!!!!
Email addresses:
Cr. Brad Carter
mayor@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Glenda Mather
glenda.mather@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Brett Svendsen
brett.svendsen@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Bill Ludwig
bill.ludwig@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Sandra O’Brien
sandra.obrien@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Cherie Rutherford
cherie.rutherford@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Greg Belz
greg.belz@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Stephen Schwarten
stephen.schwarten@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Tony Williams
tony.williams@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Rose Swadling
rose.swadling@rrc.qld.gov.au
Cr. Graeme Brady
graeme.brady@rrc.qld.gov.au
Also, you can voice your concerns and issues regarding this proposal to:
Capricornia Greens
Paul Bambrick
Email: capricornia@qld.greens.org.au
http://greens.org.au/capricornia
Capricorn Conservation Council
President: Ian Herbert
Vice-President: Crystal Gregson
'The Hut' 1 Livermore Street Haigh Park Qld, 4700
Phone: (07) 4927 8644
Fax: (07) 4927 8279
Email: ccc@cqnet.com.au
Facebook Groups:
Stop Hedlow Landfil
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=689048861#!/group.php?gid=116250528429742&ref=ts
No Dump for Hedlow
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=689048861#!/pages/No-Dump-for-Hedlow/130168393685718?ref=ts
Capricornia Green
Paul Bambrick
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1358463296&ref=ts#!/profile.php?id=100001456165240&v=wall&ref=ts
Council Proposal Links
http://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/Upload/1471/14714-090309-124520Agenda_March_10_2009_
Health_and_Regulatory_Services.pdf
http://www.rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au/Uploads/13704/13704Agenda_April_22_2008_Commercial_
Business_Management.pdf
