‘Gut-wrenching’: Farmers reporting calls on major mine approval

Dooen farmers are picking up the phone to news about a major mining project’s approval. But the state minister’s office says it is still under inquiry.

Dooen farmers have been receiving calls notifying them that a neighbouring 3546-hectare, 36-year critical minerals mine has been approved.

But Victorian Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny’s office says the project is still under review.

Crop farmer Gavin Puls had just started his harvest, when he said a WIM Resource representative contacted him citing new information. His farm is within the project licence, and his farm is one-kilometre from the proposed mine site.

“They told me they needed to let me know (as a requirement), before the minister announced the approval for the mine,” he said.

Farmer Chris Johns (right), is Dean Johns’ brother. He is pictured with his family (L-R) Mitch, holding his daughter Evie (4), dad Max (86) and Lachie on their property in Dooen near Horsham in western Victoria. Aaron Francis / The Australian

Dooen farmer Dean Johns said he also received a call from the same WIM Resource representative.

“I took the call, they said ‘Dean, just letting you know the government has made their decision. They are going to go ahead with the project as planned, with quite a lot of conditions attached to it’,” he said.

“I said ‘what now?’ and they said once the announcement comes out and conditions are clear, they’ll be in touch.”

Mr Johns said the timeframe given was within the next fortnight.

WIM Resource has been contacted for comment.

The proposed Avonbank project, near Horsham, aims to produce heavy mineral concentrate and will extract about 11-million tonnes of ore each year for about 30 years.

The mine will run 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The company’s proposal opened for exhibition in April this year for six weeks, before it went to a directions hearing in mid-June, and public hearing in July and August.

A report was submitted last Friday.

The Victorian government’s Planning Panels website said the timing of a decision and release of report would be at the discretion of Ms Kilkenny.

A Victorian government spokesperson said it would be inappropriate to comment further while a review was underway.

“We thank everyone for their patience while a review of the Environmental Effects Statement is being undertaken,” they said.

Nationals Member for Lowan Emma Kealy said she was contacted by notified farmers, and spoke with Ms Kilkenny “immediately”.

“It was about the concerns over the EES process and I encouraged the minister to halt the approval until she was certain that all evidence submitted, as part of the EES, was in line with the process and based in fact,” she said.

Mr Puls said the call had been “gut-wrenching”, and he wanted clarity.

He believed there would be detrimental effects to the Victorian wheatbelt if the project were approved.

“A lot of the grain industry will be folded, the road infrastructure hasn’t been looked at … We haven’t got enough hospitals, road infrastructure, or schools. We’ve started at the wrong end first, the Victorian government needs money and it seems to be all they’re worried about.”