On 16 November 2020, the NSW Independent Planning Commission (IPC) approved an application from Boral Australia - a multinational building materials supply company - to dig two new sand mines in the Minnamurra River catchment.

 

This will allow Boral to extract about 1.35 million tonnes of sand over three to four years. Boral already has approval to mine up to 800,000 tonnes of sand each year until 2030 in an existing mine site.

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These new mines will destroy a large part of an ancient and endangered forest, called a Bangalay Sand Forest. 

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The largest mine pit will only be 162 metres from the estuary waters.

 

It will destroy and disrupt the delicate ecosystem, cause lasting damage to the Minnamurra River estuary and threaten protected plants and wildlife. This area holds immense and unique value as an important and ecologically endangered ecosystem and as a public space for recreation, fishing, and tourism. 

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The NSW Government has the power to freeze and review the IPC decision in the public interest. And that's what we're asking them to do.