Status
On this page:
Background
Proponent: Huntly Common Pty Ltd
Huntly Common Pty Ltd (Huntly Common) proposes to develop the Bendigo Creek Reclamation and Rehabilitation Project, approximately 1.2 km west of Huntly.
The Project would excavate 4 million tonnes of sludge material that covers the natural ground surface and process the material to recover gold, mercury and industrial sand. The sludge material originated from historical upstream gold mining activity in the second half of the 19th century.
The proposal includes the development of a reclamation (mining) area and a processing area. The reclamation area is located within the Huntly Streamside Reserve and Crown Land between Leans Road and Millwood Road. The processing area (including a tailings storage facility) is proposed on private land adjacent to the reclamation area.
Following vegetation removal, the sludge material will be reclaimed using a conventional excavator with initial processing on site to remove trash and the coarse sand component. The remaining material will be slurried to a processing area on adjoining private land and gold extracted through a Carbon in Pulp process.
The project includes the progressive rehabilitation of the Huntly Streamside Reserve. Following reclamation Huntly Common proposes to restore the original topography and the ecological, cultural and hydrological values of the Bendigo Creek within the reserve.
EES preparation
Consultation plan
Huntly Common will prepare a communication and consultation plan for the EES, outlining the opportunities and approaches for its community engagement during the preparation of the EES. The plan will be refined following advice from DELWP and the Technical Reference Group and will be published on this web page.
The consultation plan may be adapted or modified to meet changing community needs and requirements throughout the EES process.
Technical reference group
DELWP has established an inter-agency technical reference group at the request of the Minister for Planning to advise DELWP and the proponent on scoping and adequacy of the EES studies and documentation, as well as co-ordination of the EES process with other statutory processes for the project.
The participating organisations are:
- DELWP Impact Assessment
- DELWP Loddon Mallee Region
- Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation (Djaara)
- Department of Jobs, Precincts and Resources, Earth Resources Regulation
- City of Greater Bendigo
- Environment Protection Authority
- First Peoples State Relations
- Heritage Victoria
- North Central Catchment Management Authority
- Parks Victoria
- Commonwealth Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment
Scoping requirements
The scoping requirements set out the matters to be investigated and documented in the Environmental Effects Statement (EES). Draft scoping requirements are yet to be prepared. Once prepared the draft will be publicly advertised for a period of 15 business days.
After considering public submissions on the draft scoping requirements, the Minister for Planning will issue final scoping requirements.
Minister's decision on referral
On 18 March 2021 the Minister for Planning required Huntly Common to prepare an Environment Effects Statement (EES) under the Environment Effects Act 1978 to assess the potential environmental effects of the project.
Project contact
If you have any questions or feedback, please get in touch via the contact details below.
Huntly Common
☎ Phone: (03) 9867 650
✉ Email: info@huntlycommon.com.au
You can also visit the proponent's website for further information. Home | Huntly Common
Page last updated: 11/04/24