No Mine in Katanning group says endangered species will be further threatened by Ausgold's Badgebup proposal
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West Australian
a day ago
- West Australian
Environmentalists opposing Katanning Gold Project ready as public comments open
The environmental group opposing the proposed Katanning gold mine is preparing it submission as public comments open thorugh the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act public portal. The No Mine in Katanning environmentalists said they are studying documents presented by developers Ausgold for the Katanning Gold Project and would have their objections submitted by the time public comments close on the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation website on July 25. The EPBC public portal opened for comments on July 11 and anyone with an opinion has until July 25 to submit their thoughts on the Ausgold plan. The mine is proposed for Badgebup, 30km outside Katanning, and the developers say it could employ up to 350 people. However, the No Mine in Katanning group say they are gathering support from people worried about how it will affect endangered wildlife in the area including Carnaby's black cockatoos and red-tailed phasogales. Documents on the EPBC portal include a fauna survey and risk assessment report by Perth-based environmental consultancy Terrestrial Ecosystems. It put cameras in several locations to record wildlife and found evidence of black cockatoos and phasogales as well as the inland form of the western rosella and western grey kangaroos. It recommended that if there was a referral under the EPBC Act, Ausgold should implement a Vertebrate Fauna Management and Mitigation Plan to outline strategies to minimise the impact on the wildlife and its habitat. A spokesperson for No Mine in Katanning said the mine would severely impact wildlife in the area. 'It is highly likely to have a devastating effect on the natural activities of Carnaby's, red-tailed phascogales and other wildlife,' the spokesperson said. 'Stands of remnant native vegetation within and close to the mine's footprint are Katanning's prime breeding area for endangered Carnaby's black cockatoos. 'They need quiet places to raise their young but this mine, with its 24-7 noise, dust and light pollution, would certainly frighten them away. 'Loss of breeding and food source habitat is the main reason these iconic birds have become endangered, but governments are continuing to allow mining and other developments to destroy crucial habitat.'
ABC News
5 days ago
- ABC News
Concerns raised about impact of new goldmine on Carnaby's black cockatoo population
Environmental groups have raised concerns about the impact a proposed goldmine in WA's Great Southern will have on Carnaby's black cockatoo populations. The Ausgold mine site is about 36 kilometres from the town of Katanning. The proposal includes the clearing of up 50 hectares of native vegetation containing 82 trees with hollows — potentially impacting the breeding, roosting and foraging of the endangered species found only in Western Australia. In the company's submission to the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Ausgold said it was exploring offset options but had yet to finalise them. The options include revegetation of woodlands in the district and cockatoo foraging habitat, as well as the addition of about 100 Cockatubes artificial nesting boxes. Dean Arthurell from the Carnaby's Crusaders said the loss of the trees would have a significant impact. "Offsets just facilitate more clearing and destruction," he said. Mr Arthurell said broader impacts of the project were also worrying with the nearby Woorgabup nature reserve one of three key habitats for the birds in the Katanning shire. "The impact on the population, they'll certainly decline, and it's not only due to the [clearing] proposal but the impacts of light pollution, noise pollution, dust, widening of roads and clearing of ancient trees that we'll see them potentially disappear from these areas for good," he said. Ausgold executive chairman John Dorward said stringent environmental checks were being undertaken at a state and federal level. "The permitting around the environmental front is very rigorous and we have designed the project to minimise our impact as much as we can, so we leave large areas of standing eucalyptus woodland intact," he said. The mine is expected to employ about 250 people during construction and 350 full-time staff when in production. Shire of Katanning president Kristy D'Aprile said the council had been working to ensure the local community could get the most out of the opportunities presented by the project. "We have a very active LCDC [Land Care District Committee] that is working with Ausgold to ensure they protect our environment as best they can." Mr Dorward said the mine was expected to produce about 1.14 million ounces of gold over the life of the mine, based on the drilling completed so far. "We're producing around 140,000 ounces of gold per annum, which is a substantial amount of production, and that will enable us to continue investing to continue expanding that mine life." Mr Dorward said they were aiming to have the first gold pour by late 2027. Ausgold is yet to make a submission to WA's Environmental Protection Authority.
West Australian
09-07-2025
- West Australian
No Mine in Katanning group says endangered species will be further threatened by Ausgold's Badgebup proposal
No Mine in Katanning group says endangered species will be further threatened by Ausgold's Badgebup proposal
