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Minister steps into mining stoush

27/11/2020

20 Comments

 
PictureGrass trees excavated from the Sand Supplies quarry site
By Catherine Watson
 
PLANNING Minister Richard Wynne has called in a controversial application for a Grantville sand mine expansion, opening a new chapter in a growing stoush between miners and Bass Coast conservationists.
 
The application by Dandy Premix to deepen its current sand mine, open a new pit and expand its operating hours drew 73 objections before Mr Wynne called in the application at the request of the company.
 
His letter to the council makes it clear the state will not be thwarted in its infrastructure drive by concerns about remnant forest and endangered species. 

“The construction sands at the subject site are of strategic value as identified by the quarry’s inclusion on the Extractive Industry Priority Project List,” Mr Wynne writes.
 
“Their availability will contribute to the development of land within Metropolitan Melbourne, including the delivery of key public infrastructure projects. Therefore, I consider that the project raises major issues of policy and may have a substantial effect on the achievement planning objectives.”
 
News of the Minister’s decision caps off a bad week for community members battling to preserve Bass Coast’s remnant coastal forest.
 
A group who visited the Grantville Nature Conservation Reserve last weekend were shocked to see more than 250 grass trees, many pre-dating European arrival, had been removed and bagged and were now dying in the adjacent Sand Supplies quarry.   
 
The destruction of the grass trees was raised as an urgent motion at the first meeting of the new Bass Coast Shire Council on Wednesday.
 
Councillors voted unanimously in support of a six-part motion moved by Rochelle Halstead, the new councillor for Western Port ward, to try to save the grass trees that have already been removed and to seek assurances that work permits do not allow the removal of endangered flora. 
 
The council support is significant as the community gears up to try to protect the remnant Western Port coastal forest from an influx of sand mining companies, encouraged by the State Government to secure sand for Melbourne’s urban expansion. Proposed planning provisions would remove the right of communities, farmers and local government to object to sand mining.

"They're ripping the guts out of the country," Cr Michael Whelan said. "We can’t continue to tear down buildings and put them into landfill and then tear up pristine bush to make new buildings. It doesn’t make sense." 

After the meeting, Mayor Brett Tessari said there was a limited amount the council could do in a legal sense.

"We need to continue to communicate with the owners of the sand mine. [Robbie Viglietti] has previously been very community minded. If we can continue to work with him, hopefully we can get a result that works for everyone. But we need the state to step up and lead on this." 

The Gurdies resident Meryl Tobin, who has long campaigned to save the grass trees, called for urgent intervention by the Stater Government and the Minister for the Environment, Lily D'Ambrosio.

The Sand Supplies mine sits on a mining lease adjacent to the Grantville Nature Conservation Reserve. Many of the work orders allowing mining in the Grantville forest corridor date back to the Kennett era and earlier.
 
The forest affected, running from the Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve (Lang Lang) to Grantville is the last significant stand of riparian coastal forest in the whole of Western Port and the only coastal forest remaining in the Bass Coast region. 
 
Save Western Port’s Coastal Forest spokesman Tim O’Brien said multiple quarries operate under historic sand mining leases in the environmentally-sensitive Grantville forest corridor. Several of the mine operators have plans to expand their operations.
 
“It beggars belief that the State Labor Government seems prepared to put the tourism industry at risk in this important region, the gateway to Phillip Island and its world-famous Penguin Parade, the gateway to the spectacular Bunurong coastline, and an area renowned for its rural amenity and distinctive landscapes.
 
“Worse, that it is prepared to trade the extinction of fragile communities of endangered wildlife and ancient, rare, coastal flora, for carparks and bridges in Melbourne, is a gross failure of public policy.
 
“The question for Environment Minister D'Ambrosio is when is a conservation area actually for conserving, and a biolink corridor actually for protecting, and not just a resource to be ravaged by sand miners?”
 
Mr O’Brien said there should be no further expansion of any of the mines in the fragile forest corridor and a review of all existing work orders in sand mining leases.
 
“Where endangered populations of flora and fauna are identified, the Victorian government must begin a process of extinguishment of leases.
 
“At the end of the day, this mine is operating under a lease. The forest belt the miners are pillaging – the endangered flora and fauna, the ancient grass trees – belong to the people.”

Catherine Watson is a member of Save Western Port's Coastal Forest.
​
20 Comments
Meryl Tobin link
27/11/2020 01:52:33 pm

A great summary of very challenging times for Bass Coast, Catherine. Does the community want the peace and beauty of our scenic Bass Coast with its ancient Grass Tree forest, arguably the biggest and best in Australia in perpetuity, or does it want sand and sand trucks?
At 12.30 pm today (Friday, Nov 27), Leader of Save Western Port's Coastal Forest was interviewed on Ch9 Gippsland, Tune in to Ch 5 at 5.30 pm to see and hear him.

Reply
Nola Smith
27/11/2020 05:57:22 pm

What's the local state government member, Jordan Crugnale, going to do about the destruction of these precious grass trees?? She seemed to be keen to progress future environmental protection prospects for the Holden Proving Ground which was commendable. The sand mine area is not that far away so hoping she is as interested in this sad issue .

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Jordan Crugnale, Labor Member for Bass
1/12/2020 08:50:21 am

“In response to community concerns and photographic images sent to me, last Friday (being the 27th October) I asked the Minister that DELWP staff with Earth Resources Regulation staff visit the Grantville Quarry as a matter of urgency to assess the translocation of Grasstrees at the site.”
“I have contacted the Mr Viglietti and will make arrangements to visit the site in the coming weeks to learn more about their operations and grass tree translocation processes.’
“I encourage the new Council to request a briefing and presentation from Sand Supplies Pty Ltd.”
“I am available to also meet with representatives of the conservation group to discuss their concerns in more depth.”
The views, comments and interests of everyone in the community are important to me, we work at our best when we have all the information at hand and I look forward to having these conversations – there is a delicateness to this entire area and some work needing to be done to build relations.

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Joy Herring
27/11/2020 07:54:17 pm

How sad that these majestic grass trees are being destroyed, just when they were recovering from the bushfires. How little respect given to those who fought so hard to save the conservation area from the ravages of the bushfire.

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Meryl Tobin link
27/11/2020 09:03:56 pm

If you want to know what a politician or councillor thinks, please ask them. Then they know the concerns of the community and it gives them ammunition to fire when they go in to fight for you. When we wrote to Jordan äbout the situation this morning, she answered, I have asked the Minister that DELWP staff visit the Grantville Quarry Reserve site with Earth Resources Regulation staff as a matter of urgency to assess the translocation of Grasstrees at the site." All, please stand up and be counted on this issue. Write to councillors and politicians so they know what is important to you.
Also, if you or a group you belong to would like to go on the mailing list of Save Western Port's Coastal Forest, please write to Bass Coast Post <editor@basscoastpost.com>.

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Nola Smith
28/11/2020 06:11:34 am

Thankyou Meryl. Will do.

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Ant Gent
28/11/2020 09:39:25 am

Most definitely have and will do this. Thank you for being the guardian of the trees and the area

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Ant Gent
28/11/2020 10:22:22 am

It would have been a reasonable idea (now that they have been pulled out and bagged) if these begged up grass trees were donated to cranbourne botanical gardens. I have contacted them to see if they can step in. Maybe others following this issue could contact them to assist so we can at least salvage the pulled out and bagged trees?

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Ian Samuel
27/11/2020 09:21:58 pm

If sand extraction from our endangered native forest is approved.
Re-forestation with native species must be immediate continuous and enforced by site inspections as part of any Government approval process for the extractive industry.
There is no justification to replace native vegetation at the industries convenience it needs to an integral part of the extraction process

Reply
Margaret Lee
27/11/2020 10:48:40 pm

A great Summary of a tragic situation for our environment Catherine. We need to fight on to protect this beautiful Bass Coast where we live

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Ant Gent
28/11/2020 12:40:36 am

This landscape cathedral was burnt during the bush fires in Jan 2019, but because of their resilience and adversity to bush fires they were one of the few things that survived and thrived in the Grantville Nature Conservation Reserve and Adams Creek Nature Conservation Reserve. This never would have been allowed to happen if it was in for example in Mornington Shire. When dieback disease was affecting some of the areas in Mornington Nature Reserves, entire areas and road surrounding the one xanthorrhoea tree were closed off to the public to ensure the disease did not affect the tree. In May 2019 Bass Coast locals were invited to participate in Bass Coast as Distinctive Areas and Landscapes Project under the new Part 3AAB of the Planning and Environment Act 1987. This area was highlighted by myself and many other locals of priority significance, and when reviewing Phase 2 of the document this significant area has once again been ignored. Is it because it is surrounded by multiple quarries/sand mines, as well as our councils transfer station? These studies and engagement projects are fluff, and bluff, when in the end those in power and who have the dollars are the ones who are heard. Federal, State and local government as well as these greedy immoral businesses have dead xanthorrhoeas and the destruction of a whole ecosystem to answer for.

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Ant Gent
28/11/2020 10:31:16 am

It would have been a reasonable idea (now that they have been pulled out and bagged) if these begged up grass trees were donated to cranbourne botanical gardens. I have contacted them to see if they can step in. Maybe others following this issue could contact them to assist so we can at least salvage the pulled out and bagged trees?

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Anne Heath Mennell
28/11/2020 12:21:56 pm

Have you heard anything back from the Gardens, Ant?

Reply
Ant Gent
29/11/2020 12:19:18 pm

No, I have not Anne, I contacted them on Saturday, so I will follow up during the week.. I have also tried contacting the Save Western Port's Coastal Forest FB page with no response, which is disappointing. It would be great if those who are concerned would get behind some sort of real solution.

Meryl Tobin link
29/11/2020 12:55:19 pm

I can assure you the SWPCF, of which I am a Committee member, hasn't stopped trying to save the grass trees, Ant. I have already passed your suggestion onto Council who had moved to get Landcare involved. Use your passion to work with us - we're all on the same side.
Please, everyone who care about the Grass Trees, don't leave it to someone else to do something, because we are up against very tough opposition - including the State Govt who has earmarked the sand resource from Nyora-Lang Lang to Grantville for Melbourne's needs for decades.
Please join the SWPCF by writing to Bass Coast Post <editor@basscoastpost.com> asap to swell our numbers past the 100 groups and individuals who are already members.
Then write to the Quarry Manager/Diorector, Robbie Viglietti at Sand Supplies Pty Ltd at
<robbie@sabbiadevelopments.com.au>,
Program Manager, Natural Environment, Gippsland,
Mick D Bramwell (DELWP) <Mick.Bramwell@delwp.vic.gov.au>, Regional Manager, Metropolitan Melbourne | Earth Resources Regulation,
Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, Barry R Strong (DJPR) <barry.strong@ecodev.vic.gov.au>,
Premier Daniel Andrews <daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au>, Minister for Environment, Lily DÁmbrosio <lily.dambrosio@parliament.vic.gov.au>,
Minister for Planning,
Richard Wynne <Richard.Wynne@parliament.vic.gov.au>,
Member for Bass, Jordan Crugnale <jordan.crugnale@parliament.vic.gov.au>
and local councillors and anyone other relevant people who might be able to help that you can think of.
You only need to tell them you are appalled at what is happening to the grass trees and the Grantville Grass Tree Forest and ask them to immediately save the dying trees and stop the taking any more of the trees until after a review of the situation.
SWPCF member, Tim Herring, has checked the trees twice since last Sunday (Nov 22) when I saw them, and reports they have still not been tended to or watered.
Time is running out.

Reply
Robbie Viglietti
2/12/2020 05:36:28 am

https://sgst.com.au/2020/12/grantville-quarry-operator-rejects-environmental-vandalism-claims/

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Lawrence
2/12/2020 11:50:17 am

Robbie Viglietti, were you issued a permit to remove Native vegetation under the Planning and Environment Act 1987? and if so can you provide us with details . “We’re operating under very strict guidelines" What guidelines are you operating under? "community group known as the Environment Review Committee,” Can you provide contact details of this group? and you state that you are operating within the "guidelines", why have "Earth Resources Regulator and a community group known as the Environment Review Committee" issues a statement confirming this? thanks

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lawrence
6/12/2020 02:00:11 pm

As expected, no response. I think that says a lot.

I. Higgins
4/12/2020 09:25:25 am

Lily d'Ambrosio presented Accelerating the Circular Economy organised by the CEBIC team at Sustainability Victoria #VicGoesCircular
Instead of allowing the expansion of extraction of sand in a conservation reserve, the government should promote more glass recycling for reuse like, for example:
https://www.ammann.com/au-en/news-media/news/waste-glass-becomes-high-quality-sand

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Dayelle Fitzgerald
23/2/2021 08:55:07 pm

Absolutely outraged at this situation. Pure devistation. Im actually in shock. I actually dont have words.

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