Save the Gardens of Stone!

The Gardens of Stone reserve is part of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area – an area north of Lithgow including the current Gardens of Stone National Park, Newnes Plateau and Ben Bullen and Wolgan State Forests.

The area is of great ecological and geological significance, containing many special rock formations and features giving it the evocative name Gardens of Stone.  It is a magnificent landscape of great biodiversity and a habitat for many native plants - some like the Eucalyptus cannonii are listed as vulnerable. It is also a haven for native animals and birds including the Regent Honeyeater and Tiger Quoll which are listed as threatened. 

The most striking feature of this area is the sandstone pagoda rock formations – these impressive and unique structures emerge out of the bushland and spread across the landscape. Layers of rock and sandstone form these amazing towers with weathered crevices, ledges and turrets giving it its unique look. This “Lost City is an amazing sight and one that is currently open to the public to enjoy. The pagodas also provide a safe home for many native animals, especially providing the lyrebird a place to nest and raise its young. Moreover the Gardens of Stone area contains important Aboriginal sites and is an area of significance to the Indigenous people.

Unfortunately most of the Gardens of Stone area is not protected and now part of it is at serious risk. A mining company has put in a proposal for open cut mining in a large section of Ben Bullen State Forest.  Apart from the obvious devastation this would cause for the unique landscape, the native plants and animals and for the ecology and biodiversity of the area, there are many more reasons why this proposal should be objected to.

Firstly the nearby town of Cullen Bullen, already affected by current mining operations in the area, will face further negative impact. Residents will be exposed to health risks and lower quality of life, and children attending the nearby Cullen Bullen Public School will face serious health risks due to airborne particles resulting from open cut mining. Blasting may damage nearby homes while the town itself will become a dusty town surrounded by degraded land.

Mining operations will impact upon the surrounding Gardens of Stone area and could cause land subsidence, and irreparable damage and destruction of the pagodas. Pollution and acid mine drainage could impact on local streams, killing aquatic life and drying out the landscape as well as contributing to climate change in Australia and globally.

There are many more reasons why this mine should be opposed and why the Gardens of Stone area should be protected within the State’s conservation reserve system. Currently submissions are being accepted from the general public until 1^st June 2012. If you are moved to speak out to save this wonderful area I encourage you to complete a submission via the Department of Planning & Infrastructure’s website by going to:

http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=4332

For more information, you may like to see The Blue Mountains Conservation Society’s website by going to:

http://www.bluemountains.org.au

 DH