Sand mine proposed on site of Rushy Lagoon

An indigenous organisation is calling on the Dorset Council to reject a proposal for a development application for a sand mine at Rushy Lagoon.

The development application for the project, which will be on Rushy Lagoon’s land, has not yet come before the council.

Proponents North Scottsdale Resources want to dredge and process between 70 and 100 million tonnes of fine sand over 35 to 40 years at Rushy Lagoon for concrete production.

The project would involve constructing a new 700m jetty for a transfer vessel to carry material further out to a larger cargo ship for transport out of Ringarooma Bay.

Dorset Mayor Rhys Beattie said he had not yet spoken to North Scottsdale Resources about the project.

“If there’s a market for it and it’s done in both a sustainable way for the environment and the community, then it’s a great resource,” Cr Beattie said.

“Let’s support them and make sure it’s done properly – it could be a valuable thing for the community.”

Mr Beattie said he was aware of the Aboriginal Heritage sites in the project area.

“As long as that is protected and the environmental work is done, then that is a positive thing.

“Hopefully there’s some local jobs from the operation”
Melaythenner Teeackana Warrana Aboriginal Corporation (MTWAC) Co-Chair 

Mark Harriss said the area was rich in cultural heritage and was concerned the mine could “materially alter the landscape beyond repair”.

“The proponents want to extract vast amounts of sand, ship it off for processing via a 700m wharf facility, and then turn the hole they leave behind into a man-made lake,” Mr Harriss said.

“This is being driven by economics and politics, with limited defined means of rehabilitation at this stage.”

Mr Harriss was concerned particularly about the sand dunes in the area.

“The reality is, once sand dunes have been extracted and removed, nothing can rehabilitate that sort of damage to a dune system. 

"The dunes slated for mining are a tapestry of ecological brilliance that have taken tens of thousands of years to create, and are an ongoing living landscape.

“To destroy these inside 40 years, then flood the area and walk away is simply not acceptable and not in the community’s interest.”

Mr Harriss said Aboriginal communities had not been adequately consulted about the project and its potential impacts. 

“This area is significant to Aboriginal people beyond modern concepts of being.

“It not only contains our lived history and our stories and lore, but it will almost certainly contain the ancestral remains of our families.

“Assessing a site for Aboriginal heritage is an imperative, but it should not be mistaken as a substitute for meaningful, deliberate and comprehensive engagement with Aboriginal people who have a lasting, strong and unbreakable connection with 

this country.”

He urged the proponents to conduct “proper engagement” with the community.

“Aboriginal people need to be embedded as key stakeholders before critical decisions are made – not as a tick-box exercise once the sand is already extracted, loaded and heading for an overseas interested party.”

Mr Harriss said MTWAC and other members of the Tasmanian Regional Communities Alliance were hopeful Dorset Council would pause the mining proposal and an associated wharf development to allow proper consultation and scrutiny. 

“To ensure the integrity of the process, all regulatory steps regarding the proposed Boobyalla silica mine must be halted until a framework of genuine consultation is established that respects the Tasmanian Aboriginal people’s right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent, a core collective right enshrined in international law under the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

“People need to be given a chance to understand the true size, complexity and impact of what’s being proposed. It must be a transparent and honest conversation with everyone involved – particularly those who have a strong connection to this place.”