Council makes request over Douglas Pit 23

Published on 20 November 2018

Horsham Rural City Council has requested that the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (DEDJTR) continues to hold the bond for Iluka Resources’s Pit 23 at Douglas.

The Victorian Civil Administrative Appeals Tribunal (VCAT) in 2016 overturned Council’s decision to refuse Iluka’s planning permit application for the  site known as Pit 23, located 50 kilometres south-west of Horsham.

As a result, Iluka Resources were permitted to use the pit to dispose of waste material sourced from its Hamilton separation plant.

Iluka suspended operations at the Hamilton separation plant in November 2017 which has left behind a significant hole in the ground along with questions about how it will be filled and eventually rehabilitated.

At its October Ordinary Meeting, Council resolved to make representations to senior DEDJTR representatives and the Minister to advocate for DEDJTR holding the bond until Pit 23 is filled.

HRCC Director Development Services Angela Murphy said Iluka Resources had so far met conditions of the planning permit including the production of environmental rehabilitation and vegetation management plans, which has since been reviewed in light of the Hamilton plant closing.

“The major delay on the proposed agreement with Iluka has centred on the rehabilitation bond,” Ms Murphy said.

“Council has requested that DEDJTR continue to hold the bond for Pit 23 until it has been filled, on the basis that the Hamilton separation plant has suspended operations and that the monitoring of rehabilitation of mine sites is a core function of Earth Resources (DEDJTR).

“DEDJTR have advised that it is not their responsibility to hold the bond, given that Pit 23 falls under the Planning Permit.

“But unlike DEDJTR, Council does not have the skills, expertise and resources to monitor and manage the Pit 23 rehabilitation bond over many years, in the event that the filling of Pit 23 is substantially delayed.

“The interdependence between Pit 23 and the balance of the rehabilitation activities, and the efficiencies with Earth Resources holding the bond until Pit 23 is filled would be beneficial for all parties,” she said.