Message From Doug Lithgow

Is there anyone out there.

Tuesday

Dear James,

Mining the Promised - Stockton Bight National Park From Doug Lithgow

The proposal to mine a 16 kilometre stretch the promised Stockton Bight National Park is too extensive, too destructive and for 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 StephensCouncil in early September.

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 was identified and 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.

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.

The National Park Proposal extended over Crown areas designated as Water Reserves or Proposed Water Reserves or Public Reserves.

The lands had nominal management status prior to the incorporation of the Hunter District Water Board by the Greiner Government but now are directly threatened by mining, sand extraction and urbanisation and off road vehicles not keeping to their designated area.

The Carr Government must be asked to halt the further destruction of this most distinctive landscape and geomorphologically precious area and honour the promise to declare the Stockton Bight National Park. If the park were declared tomorrow it would be twenty years too late but better too late that doing nothing until it is ..........

(Doug Lithgow is President of the Parks and Playgrounds Movement Inc. based in Newcastle)