Hamelin Bay residents feeling ‘ambushed’ by lime sand extraction bid for iconic Caves Road tourism route

Extra time has been sought to give residents the chance to comment on a sand extraction plan for a rural property near Hamelin Bay.

The Shire of Augusta-Margaret River asked for the extension after the surprise notice from WA’s Regional Development Assessment Panel an application was lodged directly with the WA Planning Commission late last month.

Due to reforms introduced by the State Government, developers now have the option of lodging applications for projects valued at more than $2 million directly with top planning authorities.

While the bid won’t bypass the shire’s scrutiny, the local government itself won’t make the decision and instead consider a Responsible Authority Report likely to go before councillors at next month’s meeting — the last of the year.

“As a community that values the environment, we understand this proposal is concerning,” a shire spokesperson said.

“We will be using the limited time available to undertake as much consultation as possible so that our recommendation takes into account the desires and concerns of our community.”

Sand mines have a rocky history in the region, often sparking concerns among neighbours but passing approvals with the mineral needed for construction and road-building industries.

Hamelin Bay resident Robyn Dennis said the proposed mine deserved a high level of scrutiny.

Ms Dennis said she and other neighbours felt “ambushed” by the short RDAP timeframe.

The concerns extended beyond environmental, with safety around truck movements and the perception of picturesque Hamelin Bay also cited.

“I find consideration of a sand mine on a neighbouring property to The Ridge development is seriously misguided,” she said.

“A major tourist route and a subdivision already exist. Cottage industry and further tourist attractions are surely the way forward rather than mining this beautiful and fragile part of our coastal ridge.”

The application was prepared by Element Advisory on behalf of McDougall Quarries which operate sites at Capel and other locations.

Element’s Daniel Lewis told the Times the location was “unique” with lime sand and limestone co-located on a site already mostly clear of native vegetation which would be rehabilitated post-use.

“The location of the proposed crossover to Caves Road was positioned on advice from the traffic consultant as the best location with the greatest sightlines for traffic safety,” he said.

“McDougall Quarries respects the concerns relating to visual amenity, having proposed operations in such a way which ensures quarry operations can’t be seen from Caves Road and by proposing a landscaping corridor which will provide an enhanced ecological connectivity onsite.”

Mr Lewis declined to comment on the reasons for the RDAP application rather than going through the local government.

He said the lifespan of the project would be reduced by the rate at which materials were demanded.

Consultation via the shire’s YourSay page closes on October 25.