Hi everyone.

The following article was published in the National Parks Journal 2000 It is now thirty years since the conservation movement started on the Stockton Bight conservation - It is time that there was some movement toward conservation.

Trusting in your help.
Doug.

Thursday, 24 August 2000
The Editor
NSW National Parks Association Journal
Dear Glyn,

Mining Stockton Bight

The proposal to mine a 16 kilometre stretch the promised Stockton Bight National Park is too extensive, too destructive and covers too long a period of time.

Prior to the 1995 election Bob Carr promised the establishment of the Stockton Bight National Park as a first step in Labor's coastal policy. He reiterated the promise for the National park on achieving office.

Had the Carr Government honoured their promise this magnificent Stockton Bight barrier sand dune system would not be under this threat.

An EIS to mine mineral sands from an extensive area of the promised Stockton Bight National Park will be determined by the Port Stephens Council in early September.(Now determined)

Less than a month before the EIS was exhibited the Honourable, Minerals Minister, Edward. Obeid revoked the Mining Reserve No 3050 which had prevented mining of the 4 Kilometre long WWII firing range immediately north of the existing mineral sands operation. This was a reckless act.

Stockton Bight is an awe-inspiring natural phenomenon containing significant aboriginal sites. It is an important acquifer recharge area and has a unique reversing dune field backed by old growth coastal woodland and captured dunes. The outer barrier system extends 28 kilometres from Newcastle to Anna Bay in the Port Stephens Local Government area.

Stockton Bight was proposed for a Nature Reserve by the National Trust in their document Hunter 2000 which was prepared at the request of the State Planning Authority of NSW in 1972. The National Parks Association of NSW and others have also supported the conservation of the Bight.

The national park proposal only extended over Crown areas designated as Water Reserves or Proposed Water Reserves and Public Reserves.

The lands had nominal conservation status prior to the incorporation of the Hunter District Water Board, after which they were transfered to the Department of Land and Water Conservation. They are now directly threatened by mining, sand extraction and urbanisation.

Please write to the Premier, Bob Carr (Parliament House), Sydney 2000). Ask the Government to halt the further destruction of this most distinctive landscape, and to honour the promise to declare the Stockton Bight National Park.