Tractors, trucks, utes arrive at mineral sands walk-in sessions

Farmers have driven trucks, utes, tractors and banners through Donald to protest a proposed mineral sands mining project.

Donald farmers have wielded trucks, utes, tractors and banners to protest a mineral sands mining project and its community information sessions.

About 32 community members and farmers pressed for answers at Donald during Astron Corporation Limited’s information session for its Donald rare earth and mineral sands project.

About 32 farmers protested a mineral sands project at the company's information session. Picture: Supplied

Farmer Kelvin Hepworth said they wanted to boost awareness to farmers’ concerns and gather more information about the company’s intentions.

His property is 1.5km from the proposed project’s mine, which has an estimated 41-year lifespan with 2784ha.

“People’s headspace at the moment is not good. We have transmission lines coming, we have turbine people coming at us, and we’ve been thrown another curveball of mineral sands,” he said.

Mr Hepworth said he had concerns about the timing of the sessions at Donald, Minyip and Rupanyup, which coincided with harvest and the region’s agricultural shows.

An Astron Corporation Limited spokesperson said the sessions helped the company better understand and address community concerns.

They said discussion topics included land rehabilitation, radiation, potential environmental impacts, transport, water supply, planned infrastructure, economic impacts and benefits, housing, legislation and project timing.

Mr Hepworth is the Litchfield Fire Brigade captain, and said he had concerns over water supply.

“How are they going to manage their mining allocation on a couple of dry years, who has priority on the water?,” he said.

Farmers drove tractors and heavy machinery with signage to a mineral sands project information session. Picture: Supplied

Farmer Jason Mellings also attended the sessions, and his properties are within two separate retention licences, including Astron’s. He is the Boolite Fire Brigade captain and shared concerns on water supply.

He said the region’s farms were legacies, and hoped they would be protected.

“We build these farms over generations, there’s a heck of a lot of infrastructure, blood, sweat and tears going into it,” he said.

“We’d be one of the last ones to go. We love the area, we love the people, it’s fantastic, it really is. We’ve been born and bred here, we have a lot of history in the place.”

Donald farmers drove tractors and heavy machinery to a mineral sands project information session. Picture: Supplied

The Astron spokesperson said the experts answered the questions to the best of their abilities, and the company would provide written responses for any questions not fully answered at the time.

“While we understand not everyone agrees with the project and many have concerns, we also heard from many who support the project for its potential benefits, including economic revitalisation,” the spokesperson said.

“We believe mining and farming can coexist, benefiting both industries and surrounding communities.”

They said there were two new staff available at the Minyip office, and would host more sessions in February.