EDO REPORT: Climate-ready planning laws for Rocky Hill and Beyond - CLICK HERE
ROCKY HILL ABORIGINAL HERITAGE (Written for The Law Journal) by John Watts, Jeff Kite, Michael Manikas and Ken Eveleigh - CLICK HERE
ROCKY HILL MEDIA COVERAGE:
ECHO NETDAILY (9/5/19): Gloucester community delighted that Rocky Hill judgement to stand - CLICK HERE
ABC RADIO (9/5/19): Cameron Marshall Interview with Julie Lyford - CLICK HERE
ABC TV 7.30 REPORT (19/2/19): No Country for Coal - CLICK HERE
ILLAWARRA MERCURY (18/2/19): Climate Change: The people are waiting for governments to catch up - CLICK HERE
THE GUARDIAN (17/2/19): We're collateral damage': coalmine battle drains Gloucester residents - CLICK HERE
THE CANBERRA TIMES (17/2/19): These residents stopped a coal mine, made history and sent ripples through boardrooms around the world - CLICK HERE
FINANCIAL REVIEW (8/2/19): Landmark decision blocks Gloucester Resources coal mine in NSW - CLICK HERE
ABC AUSTRALIA WIDE RADIO (8/2/19): David Watts Interview with Sinead Mangan - CLICK HERE
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (8/2/19): 'Delicious irony': How miner's challenge became a climate change win - CLICK HERE
ECHO NETDAILY (8/2/19): Coal joins tobacco and asbestos as one of the bad guys - CLICK HERE
FRANCE 24 (8/2/19): Australian court rejects coal mine on climate grounds - CLICK HERE
REUTERS (8/2/19): Australian court bars new coal mine project in landmark win for green lobby - CLICK HERE
THE AUSTRALIAN (content only available by subscription) - CLICK HERE
READ MORE ABOUT THE CASE HERE
and how Merits Appeals provide access to justice HERE
ROCKY HILL ABORIGINAL HERITAGE (Written for The Law Journal) by John Watts, Jeff Kite, Michael Manikas and Ken Eveleigh - CLICK HERE
ROCKY HILL MEDIA COVERAGE:
ECHO NETDAILY (9/5/19): Gloucester community delighted that Rocky Hill judgement to stand - CLICK HERE
ABC RADIO (9/5/19): Cameron Marshall Interview with Julie Lyford - CLICK HERE
ABC TV 7.30 REPORT (19/2/19): No Country for Coal - CLICK HERE
ILLAWARRA MERCURY (18/2/19): Climate Change: The people are waiting for governments to catch up - CLICK HERE
THE GUARDIAN (17/2/19): We're collateral damage': coalmine battle drains Gloucester residents - CLICK HERE
THE CANBERRA TIMES (17/2/19): These residents stopped a coal mine, made history and sent ripples through boardrooms around the world - CLICK HERE
FINANCIAL REVIEW (8/2/19): Landmark decision blocks Gloucester Resources coal mine in NSW - CLICK HERE
ABC AUSTRALIA WIDE RADIO (8/2/19): David Watts Interview with Sinead Mangan - CLICK HERE
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD (8/2/19): 'Delicious irony': How miner's challenge became a climate change win - CLICK HERE
ECHO NETDAILY (8/2/19): Coal joins tobacco and asbestos as one of the bad guys - CLICK HERE
FRANCE 24 (8/2/19): Australian court rejects coal mine on climate grounds - CLICK HERE
REUTERS (8/2/19): Australian court bars new coal mine project in landmark win for green lobby - CLICK HERE
THE AUSTRALIAN (content only available by subscription) - CLICK HERE
READ MORE ABOUT THE CASE HERE
and how Merits Appeals provide access to justice HERE
HISTORY:
GRL are proposing to build an open-cut coal mine on the outskirts of Gloucester township just 900m from the residential area of Forbesdale.
GRL, an 80% foreign owned company, commenced exploring for coal in the Gloucester valley in 2008. They have three exploration licences surrounding the town on two sides.
Further down the valley the Yancoal Stratford mine is mothballed and the Duralie mine will cease operations in 2019. The price of coal has plummeted but GRL are steadfast in their determination to build the Rocky Hill Mine.
GRL has been pursuing approval for the Rocky Hill mine since it first approached the NSW Government in 2012 but has strategically dragged out the approval process for the past three years as it placed its application “on hold” and pursued major cost-savings.
GRL plans to mine for up to 21 years and recover up to 2 million tonnes of coal per year. But don’t worry – it will be subject to the most rigorous regulation and monitoring!
Now things are on the move again. A revised Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was placed on public exhibition by the Department of Planning and submissions closed on 14 October 2016. An overwhelming number of submissions were opposing the mine.
Cost saving measures decided by GRL: Out goes the costly processing plant, overland conveyor and rail loop; In comes a 10km private haul road between the Rocky Hill mine and the Stratford mine – all done in partnership with a cash-strapped Yancoal.
Although GRL touts Stage 1 of the mine as being comparatively small it will be approximately 900 metres from a residential area and will place the hospital, schools, aged care facilities and many more homes and families within the 5 kilometre health impact zone.
Exploration drilling has taken place in Stage 2 – this will take the mine north towards Gloucester and extend the health impact zone to cover most of Gloucester township.
GRL are proposing to build an open-cut coal mine on the outskirts of Gloucester township just 900m from the residential area of Forbesdale.
GRL, an 80% foreign owned company, commenced exploring for coal in the Gloucester valley in 2008. They have three exploration licences surrounding the town on two sides.
Further down the valley the Yancoal Stratford mine is mothballed and the Duralie mine will cease operations in 2019. The price of coal has plummeted but GRL are steadfast in their determination to build the Rocky Hill Mine.
GRL has been pursuing approval for the Rocky Hill mine since it first approached the NSW Government in 2012 but has strategically dragged out the approval process for the past three years as it placed its application “on hold” and pursued major cost-savings.
GRL plans to mine for up to 21 years and recover up to 2 million tonnes of coal per year. But don’t worry – it will be subject to the most rigorous regulation and monitoring!
Now things are on the move again. A revised Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was placed on public exhibition by the Department of Planning and submissions closed on 14 October 2016. An overwhelming number of submissions were opposing the mine.
Cost saving measures decided by GRL: Out goes the costly processing plant, overland conveyor and rail loop; In comes a 10km private haul road between the Rocky Hill mine and the Stratford mine – all done in partnership with a cash-strapped Yancoal.
Although GRL touts Stage 1 of the mine as being comparatively small it will be approximately 900 metres from a residential area and will place the hospital, schools, aged care facilities and many more homes and families within the 5 kilometre health impact zone.
Exploration drilling has taken place in Stage 2 – this will take the mine north towards Gloucester and extend the health impact zone to cover most of Gloucester township.
MEDIA ARCHIVE
02/02/18
Rocky Hill Pain Continues for Gloucester
16/11/17
Rocky Hill Mine Owner GRL Ltd Shows Contempt for Gloucester Community
31/7/17
New Poll: Gloucester Rejects Rocky Hill Coal Mine
13/7/17
Media Release: Public Meeting
17/5/17
Forbesdale Residents tell of their Rocky Hill Pain
16/5/17
Gloucester Residents Angry about Rocky Hill Coal Mine Proposal
14/10/16
Community vows to fight Rocky Hill mine and impacts on local land and water
7/8/16
Rocky Hill Mine a Disaster for Gloucester
26/8/16
Groundswell calls on Mid-Coast Council to oppose Rocky Hill
23/4/14
Land Access Inquiry Welcomed
RESOURCES
2019: Rocky Hill Aboriginal Heritage (Written for The Law Journal) by John Watts, Jeff Kite, Michael Manikas and Ken Eveleigh - CLICK HERE
2018: Rocky Hill Refused: The Planning Assessment Commission has rejected the Rocky Hill Coal Project - CLICK HERE
Groundswell's Submission - CLICK HERE
September 1 2017: MidCoast Council Election 2017
CLICK HERE
Responses from Candidates re: Rocky Hill Mine:
• Groups A, B, D, G, H, I, J, K
• Group C
July 4 2017: Urgent Public Meeting: Rocky Hill Mine
CLICK HERE
12/10/16: MidCoast Council Rocky Hill Coal Mine Proposal
CLICK HERE
Sept 2016: Petition - protect Gloucester from impacts of open cut mining
CLICK HERE
8/9/16: Community Newsletter Rocky Hill 2
CLICK HERE
20/7/16: Community Newsletter Rocky Hill 1
CLICK HERE
4/5/16: A Zombie Staggers from the Grave
CLICK HERE
10/12/15: The Way We Could Be by Gerald McCalden
CLICK HERE
29/5/14: Aerial photo slideshow
CLICK HERE
02/02/18
Rocky Hill Pain Continues for Gloucester
16/11/17
Rocky Hill Mine Owner GRL Ltd Shows Contempt for Gloucester Community
31/7/17
New Poll: Gloucester Rejects Rocky Hill Coal Mine
13/7/17
Media Release: Public Meeting
17/5/17
Forbesdale Residents tell of their Rocky Hill Pain
16/5/17
Gloucester Residents Angry about Rocky Hill Coal Mine Proposal
14/10/16
Community vows to fight Rocky Hill mine and impacts on local land and water
7/8/16
Rocky Hill Mine a Disaster for Gloucester
26/8/16
Groundswell calls on Mid-Coast Council to oppose Rocky Hill
23/4/14
Land Access Inquiry Welcomed
RESOURCES
2019: Rocky Hill Aboriginal Heritage (Written for The Law Journal) by John Watts, Jeff Kite, Michael Manikas and Ken Eveleigh - CLICK HERE
2018: Rocky Hill Refused: The Planning Assessment Commission has rejected the Rocky Hill Coal Project - CLICK HERE
Groundswell's Submission - CLICK HERE
September 1 2017: MidCoast Council Election 2017
CLICK HERE
Responses from Candidates re: Rocky Hill Mine:
• Groups A, B, D, G, H, I, J, K
• Group C
July 4 2017: Urgent Public Meeting: Rocky Hill Mine
CLICK HERE
12/10/16: MidCoast Council Rocky Hill Coal Mine Proposal
CLICK HERE
Sept 2016: Petition - protect Gloucester from impacts of open cut mining
CLICK HERE
8/9/16: Community Newsletter Rocky Hill 2
CLICK HERE
20/7/16: Community Newsletter Rocky Hill 1
CLICK HERE
4/5/16: A Zombie Staggers from the Grave
CLICK HERE
10/12/15: The Way We Could Be by Gerald McCalden
CLICK HERE
29/5/14: Aerial photo slideshow
CLICK HERE
Rocky Hill Stage1 Footprint
Community • Democracy • Future • Participation • Action
