State Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is calling for a blanket ban on mineral mining in the Northern Rivers region to protect water catchments which feed into the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed river systems

 

From the Office of NSW Labor MLA for Lismore Janelle Saffin, media release, 8 October 2021:

‘Gold, silver, copper & cobalt diggers’ be gone

STATE Member for Lismore Janelle Saffin is calling for a blanket ban on mineral mining in the Northern Rivers region to protect water catchments which feed into the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed river systems.

Ms Saffin wants the NSW Government to agree to a moratorium on mineral mining, revoking all licences for exploration or active mining, and financially compensating affected companies like it did with Shenua’s open-cut coal mine near Gunnedah.

Ms Saffin says she stands with thousands of local residents campaigning against a wave of ‘gold, silver copper and cobalt diggers’ who have our pristine back country firmly in their sights.

As Federal Member for Page from 2007 to 2013, Ms Saffin worked with local communities to repel the Coal Seam Gas industry from the region because of the threat to our water resources, and continues to support the activism of the Knitting Nannas.

And before this, as Labor’s candidate for Page, she helped torpedo Federal Coalition plans to dam and divert the mighty Clarence River inland.

“I’m proud of my track record of protecting our most precious resource – water – and our traditional industries like farming, fishing and tourism which help to sustain the economic prosperity of our local communities,” Ms Saffin said.

“’The Nationals in Government’ appear to be prepared to ignore the groundswell of anti-mining sentiment in their electorates to appease mining companies who will come and plunder for quick profits then potentially leave an environmental mess behind for future generations.”

With Parliament resuming next week, and despite COVID-19 issues expecting to dominate, Ms Saffin will speak on the fundamental need to protect our water during a debate scheduled in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, 14 October.

This debate was triggered after Ms Saffin on 9 June submitted a community petition with the Lower House, calling for a moratorium on future mineral mining, both exploratory or active, in the Clarence Catchment and surrounding Local Government Areas.

The petition was collected by the Clarence Catchment Alliance and has been signed by almost 11,000 mainly local residents of the Clarence Valley and Northern Rivers.

“I have met with Alliance representatives and agree that the risks of tailings dam failure from mineral mining, which is quite different from normal quarry operations, are too high, particularly in our high rainfall and floodprone region,” Ms Saffin said.

“I see where five councils – Kyogle, Coffs Harbour City, Bellingen Shire, Glen Innes-Severn Shire and Byron Shire -- have shown solidarity with Clarence Valley Council’s resolution seeking a mining moratorium in the Clarence Valley and which former Deputy Premier John Barilaro effectively ignored.”

For more information on the Clarence Catchment Alliance and the community petition go to https://linktr.ee/Nominesclarencevalley

Clarence Valley Council opened the door wide and invited a ravenous wolf inside

Clarence Valley Council has agreed to allow another local government outside the Clarence River catchment area to purchase a 50 per cent interest in vital water supply licenses on the Nymboida River sub-catchment.

This effort to save money on the final purchase price agreed with state-owned Essential Energy will cost Clarence Valley communities dearly in the future, as Coffs Harbour City Council continues expanding its rate base through unsustainable urban and industry development to the detriment of the aesthetic, cultural, environmental, economic values of the Clarence River system.

Clarence Valley Independent, 15 September 2021:

After many years of secret negotiations between Clarence Valley Council (CVC) and Essential Energy (EE), Coffs Harbour City Council (CHCC) and CVC will each hold a 50 per cent share of “the disused Nymboida Hydro Power Scheme and associated water licences” once the deal is settled……

Mr Lindsay clarified the ownership breakdown, given that CHCC was not party to the confidential agreement between CVC and EE.

“The actual land and infrastructure are purchased by the CVC, in name, but Coffs Harbour, by their regional water supply agreement [with CVC], will contribute 50 per cent,” he said.

Mr Lindsay said CVC met with EE yesterday (after the paper’s editorial deadline) to discuss a minor subdivision, to accommodate EE’s existing substation, and whatever else needs to be done to “achieve settlement”, including the lodgement of a development application (DA) for the substation subdivision.

Mr Lindsay said the settlement period was “lengthy” and that the “water licences haven’t been transferred yet”, so he was unable to provide an estimated finalisation date.

“Just so we are clear on the value of the purchase,” he said, “the whole process has been reviewed by NSW Treasury and they’ve given their okay.”……

Meanwhile, all references to the Nymboida power and water decisions made by councillors over past years were removed from CVC’s ‘Council Meeting Checklist – Update on Actions Taken’, following the July 2021 CVC meeting, including the investigation of recommissioning the hydro station.

When asked why the items were removed, Mr Lindsay said, “It’ll become clear when the confidential resolution form the July extraordinary meeting is made [public]; it’ll become clear then.”…..

Coffs Harbour City Council’s general manager, Steve McGrath, said the deal was an “essential step in concluding security for the Coffs Harbour City and CVC water supplies”.

“CHCC look forward to working with CVC to formalise the governance arrangements around the regional water supply scheme, through the appropriate treatment and recognition of the applicable water supply assets involved in the Nymboida power station and licences,” he said in the media release…...

Clarence Valley Council seeks allies in it fight to keep the Clarence River and its tributaries healthy and able to sustainably supply water to est. 129,378* people

"The Clarence River has the largest catchment and is the longest river on the NSW east coast, and our big river or Briemba/Breembia, is our greatest national asset."  [Issuu, from Clarence Valley Council - Draft Local Strategic Planning Statement, April 2020]

The Daily Telegraph, 24 August 2021:

Coffs Harbour City Council is being asked to form a united front with its northern neighbours over concerns mining in the Clarence River catchment could put our water supply at risk.

Mayor Denise Knight has put forward a motion before this Thursday’s council meeting to support Clarence Valley Council in opposition to mining in the Clarence River catchment, despite sounding far from resolute on the matter.

A vast majority of the more than 125,000 people in both council areas rely on water from the Clarence River catchment for drinking via the Shannon Creek dam.

Ms Knight would not confirm where she stood on the issue and said she was putting the motion forward as had been requested by Clarence Valley Council Mayor Jim Simmons. “I am just doing them a solid,” she said.

“It is important to listen to the debate and hear what councillors think and feel.” In his letter to Ms Knight, Mr Simmons outlined his council’s position, which is to seek a moratorium on mining and mining exploration.

Clarence Valley Council are also asking the state government to deem the catchment a “no-go zone” for minerals mining due its “unique natural and cultural values”.

“(This is being done) on behalf of the community who are concerned that mining will not only have detrimental environmental effects but also puts at risk our drinking water for the Clarence and Coffs Harbour Council area,” Mr Simmons said.

With the price of precious metals running hot in recent years, exploration licenses have been sought across the region which was once known for its mining.

In September 2020, Christopher Wilson Investments lodged a series of applications with the state government for exploration across 391sq km of land which included parts of Coffs Harbour and Grafton council areas.

The licence in Coffs Harbour covers an area of 198sq km and cuts across the Orara River in between Coramba and Nana Glen.

The increase in licence applications, along with a series of more advanced projects, also prompted local conservation groups to step up efforts to prevent mining in the Clarence catchment.

Clarence Valley Independent, 30 July 2021:

At last week’s Coffs Harbour City Council (CHCC) meeting, the executive summary regarding the reaching of an agreement between Essential Energy, Clarence Valley Council and CHCC – on ownership of water supply infrastructure – concluded, “The final step is to gain the formal consent of Clarence Valley Council and the Essential Energy Board to conclude the transaction to transfer the assets to Clarence Valley Council ownership.”

In an effort to inform the Independent’s readers about the issue, given all of CVC’s discussions have been confidential, here’s a full transcript of CHCC’s executive summary of the matter….

Read the full article here.

NOTE:

* the figure of 129,378  people is based on the combined Clarence Valley & Coffs Harbour City 2020 LGA population projections published by Idcommunity demograpic resources.

Two days remaining to comment on Clarence Valley Council's "Draft Water Restriction Policy - Version 5"

Clarence Valley Council - On Exhibition

Water Restrictions V5 (draft)

Outlines the triggers that we use to introduce or revoke water restrictions.

Purpose

To introduce or revoke water restrictions on the use of reticulated water in the Clarence Valley as required in accordance with the triggers nominated in the procedures and in compliance with relevant Acts.

This policy applies to all properties using water supplied by Council’s water supply infrastructure. The policy does not apply to the use of water from sources that are not part of Council’s water supply infrastructure such as farm dams, watercourses, bores, and rainwater tanks on properties that have no connection to Council’s water supply.

The Draft Water Restrictions policy is available here.

Council welcomes submissions to this policy. Submit online by 11:00 pm on Friday 25 June 2021 by clicking on the Make a Submission button below.

https://www.clarence.nsw.gov.au/cp_themes/metro/make-a-submission.asp

Alternatively, comments can be made in writing to the General Manager, Clarence Valley Council, Locked Bag 23, Grafton, NSW 2460 and clearly marked “Draft Water Restrictions Policy".

For further information about the draft policy, please contact Chris Hellyer, Environmental Officer, Education; Water Efficiency < Christopher.Hellyer@clarence.nsw.gov.au >.

NOTE: A major change in Water Restrictions V5 is that the trigger for imposition of Level 1,2, 3 & 4 water restrictions will no longer be the volume of water remaining in the Shannon Creek Dam, but the combined water volume in Shannon Creek and Karangi dams. This in effect will allow water extraction (without accompanying Level 1 water use restrictions) to continue after Shannon Creek Dam water levels have fallen below the current trigger point of 80% of this dam's water storage capacity.

On 17 June 2021 Shannon Creek Dam was 84% full and Karangi Dam was 99.2% full. This means that Permanent Water Conservation Measures are in place for the Clarence Valley -  the use of sprinklers and unattended hoses is banned permanently between the hours of 9am and 4pm every day when evaporation is at its highest. However, there are no restrictions on handheld hoses or micro-sprays and drippers/sub-surface irrigation.

Given that Coffs Harbour City LGA contributes little to water storage in Karangi Dam (water supplied by Orara & Nymboida Rivers & Shannon Creek Dam) and nothing to storage in the Shannon Creek Dam (water supplied by Nymboida River) and, with no backfeed to Clarence Valley LGA according to Karangi Dam's daily data, it will be the higher water use of Coffs Harbour, with an est. resident population 33 per cent larger than Clarence Valley's population, which will all but guarantee that a return to Level 1 restrictions will likely occur before Spring arrives - even though the entire north-east region of NSW is now drought free and expecting more rain.

However it is not just the size of Coffs Harbor City's population which makes its water extraction levels potentially problematic. It's the fact that the resident population does not live in the Clarence River catchment area which leads to widespread misunderstanding of: (i) the boundaries of the actual catchment area; (ii) the highly variable nature of rivers within the system; the actual volume of freshwater flows; and (iii) the point at which the 394km long Clarence River itself - from its rising near Rivertree to its emptying into the sea at the tidal estuary mouth - starts to become saline and increasingly unfit for human and animal consumption as well as unfit to use for irrigation. That point is approximately at the end of the first 286km of its journey to the ocean. The combined average annual flow from the freshwater tributaries as this flow enters the Clarence River tidal pool appears to be in the vicinity of 3,072,884ML, which is perhaps a better indicator than the annual water exchange that occurs between the ocean and the estuary.

Clarence Valley residents will recognise these basic misunderstandings in this quote on Coffs Harbour City Council's website:

“Regardless of whether the water supplying Coffs Harbour City Council residents comes from the Orara River or the Nymboida River, our water all comes from the same catchment.

The mighty Clarence River catchment is 22,716km2 in size, making it the one of the biggest river systems on the east coast of Australia.

The Clarence River catchment headwaters are found around Dorrigo to the south, near Glen Innes in the west, the NSW/QLD border near Woodenbong in the north and along the Richmond Range to the south of Whiporie out to the coast where the Clarence River empties into the Pacific Ocean at Yamba. It is estimated that the average annual flow of water in the Clarence River at Yamba is 5 billion litres.”

Water raiders drop the pretence and go for source of Clarence Valley's drinking water

Having degraded their own rivers and failed to adequately plan their own water security for times of drought, local governments in the Murray-Darling Basin are calling for damming and diversion of water from the Northern NSW Clarence River system.

Thus far the Maryland River and the Aberfoyle River have been identified as desirable options by these wannabee water raiders. 

This is the Clarence River Catchment.

via Blicks River Guardians

The Aberfolye River is shown in the left hand lower curve of the catchment boundary.

The river is approximately 115km in length with an annual average water flow of 19,482 ML.

The Aberfoyle River* empties into the Guy Fawkes River which in turn runs into the Boyd River which is a tributary of the Nymbodia River which itself is the greatest contributor of water to the Clarence River system and the source of at least 95 per cent of Clarence Valley drinking water.

The Nymboida River is also the source for water storage held in the 30,000Ml Shannon Creek side dam which supplies water security for a combined total of 128,198 residents (as well as local businesses and over 5 million tourists annually) in Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour City local government areas.

Ten years ago the Nymboida was supplying water for a population of 95,000 - in forty years time it is conservatively expected to supply 220,000.

Currently WaterNSW, a NSW Government agency, is investigating a proposal to extract water from the Aberfoyle River and send it south-west to the Gwydir River and Copeton Dam at an estimated cost of $1.8 billion. 

This proposal appears to be based on one of fourteen Clarence River diversion schemes 'desktop' investigated in the early 1980s - specifically a proposed dam on the Aberfoyle diverting water to either Happy Valley, Boorolong or Teatree creeks to feed the Gwydir River, or alternatively an Aberfoyle dam to feed the Gara River. 

Drawing more water from the Upper Nymboida sub-catchment will in all probability raise hydrological and environmental stress on the entire Nymboida River and, may result in water levels at the Nymboida Weir falling below the 225Ml/D low flow level pumping cutoff up to est. 80 per cent of the time.

At the time of writing the Nymboida flow was 200Ml/D.

Indeed, given that rainfall decline has been occurring in the Northern Rivers region for around five decades, any further decline in available river water to supply daily use and long-term water storage has the potential to see intractable water scarcity develop in Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour City local government areas, as well as a sharp decline in the health of the Nymboida River.

The rest of eastern Australia needs to realise that the Clarence River system is not filled to the brim with harvestable water. The 500,000,000Ml of water annually discharging into the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Clarence River was a myth from the first time it was calculated.

Even Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour City councils will have to curb their desire for continuous development, as they probably have less than twenty years of water security remaining even if the wall of Shannon Creek Dam were to be raised.

Since the Millennium Drought Clarence Valley households have been on permanent low level water use restrictions as a precautionary measure, but as this current drought** may indicate that severe drought is no longer an anomaly but an everyday fact of life, we may be facing a higher level of permanent water restrictions very soon. 

Note

* The Devils Chimney in the Aberfoyle River gorge was declared an Aboriginal Place on 8 August 1980. It is protected under under Section 90 of the NSW National Parks & Wildlife Act 1974 and can not be damaged, defaced or destroyed without the consent of the NPW Director-General. Unfortunately the NSW Berejiklian Government does allow for damage and destruction of such sites.

** The NSW DPI Clarence Valley Drought Map as of 24 September 2019:

CDI = Combined Drought Indicator. RI = Rainfall Index. SWI = Soil Water Index. PGI = Pasture Growth Index. DDI = Drought Direction Index
Data current to 24/9/2019 (AEST)

Annual Eastern Freshwater Cod three-month fishing closure of the Mann and Nymboida Rivers and their tributaries is now in effect

The Daily Examiner, 3 August 2017, p.3:

Fishing closure

ANGLERS are reminded the annual three-month fishing closure of the Mann and Nymboida Rivers and their tributaries is now in effect.

The closed waters include the Mann River and all of its tributaries upstream of its junction with the Clarence River; and the Nymboida River and all of its tributaries from its junction with the Mann River upstream to Platypus Flat.

The closure does not apply to notified trout waters.

All fishing in the specified area is prohibited until October 31 to enable the endangered Eastern Freshwater Cod to spawn uninterrupted during its breeding season.

There will be an on-the-spot fine of $500 with maximum penalties of up to $44,000 and/or six months of imprisonment upon prosecution.

Declaration of Registrable Interests of Clive Palmer MP - owner of Waratah Coal which has mining interests on the NSW North Coast

Because the new Federal Member for Fairfax and Leader of the Palmer United Party, Clive Palmer MP, appears to be the sole owner of exploration and coal mine development company Waratah Coal Pty Ltd and, because this company holds at least two exploration licenses  in the Nymbioda district of the Clarence River catchment area it would be wise for local residents to familiarise themselves with the diverse and often complex business relationships of this politician as set out in his Statement of Registrable Interests.

Clive Frederick Palmer MP - Statement of Registrable Interests, 44th Australian Parliament (10 December 201...

Say hello to the Blick River Guardians

Protecting the high country of the Clarence River catchment....

Go to http://www.blicksriverguardians.org/ for more information.

Anchor Resources granted yet another exploration lease in the Clarence River Catchment by O'Farrell Government

From A Clarence Valley Protest 4 July 2013:

Anchor Resources extends its mining exploration footprint within the Clarence River catchment area

Chinese-owned mining exploration company Anchor Resources Limited has extended its mineral tenements within the Dorrigo Plateau-Clarence River catchment area.

In June 2013 the NSW O’Farrell Coalition Government granted a further three-year exploration lease EL 8100 which connects those gold and antimony tenements the company has already extensively explored. 

This increased footprint comes with an increased risk of antimony, arsenic, and/or mercury contamination in a sensitive section of the catchment should the proposed commercial mines come to fruition.

Australian Government National Pollutant Inventory:

Both mercury and its compounds have high acute(short-term) and have high chronic (long-term) toxicity on aquatic life. Eating fish contaminated with mercury has caused poisoning in humans; birds and land animals exposed in the same manner could also be subject to the same effects. There is not sufficient data to determine the acute toxicity of mercury and its compounds on plants, birds or land animals. Mercury and its compounds are highly persistent in water and the environment and will bioaccumulate or concentrate in the tissues of fish. These concentrations will be considerably higher than the water from which the fish is taken.

* Map found at www.anchorresources.com

What mining billionaire and presumptive United Australia Party leader Clive Palmer is not mentioning to voters in the Page electorate

Clive Palmer, former Liberal National Party member and presumptive leader of the inchoate United Australia Party, is happy to tell us he is an oppressed billionaire, but he doesn’t mention his Galilee Coal Project (China First Coal) which will develop an integrated coal project including a coal mine, railway and port facility to export thermal coal to international markets.

Supporters of Bimblebox Nature Reserve had this to say:

If allowed to go ahead, this project will destroy the Bimblebox Nature Refuge, impact on our precious groundwater resources and help open up the whole Galilee Basin to more coal mines.

Over the life of the mine, the coal from the China First project will generate greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to nearly four years of Australian total annual emissions! It would need to be transported over farmland and shipped through the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

His attitude is already well known already when it comes to off-shore gas exploration leases in Papua New Guinea:

If we find gas, we develop it and make billions of dollars out of it. First we are looking at reserves, then the cost of extracting, but it looks very promising.

He also had this to say in 2011 about coal seam gas mining in Australia:

Let me be clear, I do support the CSG industry.

As Palmer has stated his intention to a run candidate in the Page electorate at the September 2013 federal election, perhaps the local media should be asking him about his attitude to mining in our region – in light of the fact that his company Waratah Coal Pty Ltd is currently seeking to renew its 3,200 ha exploration license EL 6467 and its 4,616 ha exploration license  EL 7186 centred 36 km SSW and 33 km SSW of Grafton respectively.

Both these licenses cover tenements in the Nymboida River catchment (part of the wider Clarence River Catchment) which supplies drinking water to an estimated 126,000 people in the Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour City local government areas.

This is a Waratah Coal photograph purporting to show its exploration activities in the Nymboida region:

NSW DPI Division of Resources and Energy mapping:

Anchor Resources expands its exploration footprint further into Clarence River Catchment

Chinese-owned Anchor Resources Limited has lodged a further mining exploration application ELA 4731 which will extends its proposed gold/antimony mining projects further into the Nymboida River sub-catchment of the larger Clarence River Catchment.

The Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour  local government areas primarily draw the drinking water for an estimated 120,000 people from the Nymboida River system.

ELA 4731 sits above and below EL 6465 – Anchor Resources’ Blicks Project which is targeting gold, copper and molybdenum.

Lock the Gate provided scenic route for two federal politicians in search of positive publicity

Photograph of Abbott and Hartsuyker from the Coffs Coast Advocate

According to the Mid North Coast Greens on 5 August 2012:

The route of the NAB Coffs Coast Cycle Challenge crossed the Lavender Bridge in Bellingen on its return to Coffs Harbour. Riding in the team event was Tony Abbott MHR, Leader of the Federal Opposition and Luke Hartsuyker MHR, Member for Cowper.

Waiting with the ‘Lock The Gate’ message were around 80 supporters of Lock The Mid North Coast.

The scenic route through which Abbott and Hartsuyker passed on one leg of their 5 August ride……………………

http://youtu.be/ysnK5Rg01qs

Greens renew call for Dorrigo Plateau mines ban

Greens renew call for Dorrigo Plateau mine ban

Excerpts from Media Release: 22 March 2012

Greens NSW MP John Kaye has joined the Dorrigo Environment Watch  in calling for the Dorrigo Plateau to be declared a 'no mine zone' to protect the regions river systems and water supply…...

  

Dr Kaye said: "The Dorrigo antimony mining proposals is playing Russian roulette with the environment and downstream residents' health.

"The O'Farrell government knows that he Dorrigo Plateau is entirely unsuitable for antimony mining.

"Antimony mining, high rainfall and steep terrain is a highly risky combination. 

"The Nymboida and Clarence rivers would likely suffer as toxic pollutants including arsenic and antimony are washed out of the mine and into the catchments that supply drinking and agricultural water.

"The O'Farrell Government has reneged on their pre-election promise to create mining 'no-go' zones in sensitive areas.

"The Dorrigo Plateau catchment supplies water for fisheries, agriculture and domestic consumption.

"Antimony mining would put at risk the local environment and the economy and threaten the livelihood of farmers and the health of residents.

"The O'Farrell Government has failed to rule out Anchor Resources' proposal for a revitalised and expanded antimony mine at Wild Cattle Creek, despite strong community opposition and the environmental and health risks it would create.

"The antimony mine at Hillgrove continues to leach toxic heavy metals into the surrounding environment with several spills reported last year and residents told not to pump from the Macleay River.

"The O'Farrell government should learn the lesson from contamination of the Macleay River and prohibit antimony mining on the Dorrigo Plateau.

"Dorrigo Environment Watch have been monitoring the effects that exploration and mining have had on the local environment.

"Frustrated by years of inaction by successive state governments, they are seeking international intervention. UNESCO have been asked to protect the pristine Godwana Rainforests from mining contamination.

"The Greens are calling on the O'Farrell Government  to recognise the threat that antimony mining poses to the Dorrigo ecosystem and rule out any future mining projects in the Plateau area" Dr Kaye said.

For more information: John Kaye 0407 195 455

Dorrigo Environment Watch calls on international agencies to come and see what mining will place at risk on Dorrigo Plateau

From A Clarence Valley Protest on 20 March 2012:

UNESCO & IUCN invited to see what mining would place at risk on the Dorrigo Plateau

Dorrigo Environment Watch Inc.

Our mission is "To raise community awareness of risks to human and environmental health"

Press Release

Invitation to UNESCO & IUCN to visit the Dorrigo Plateau

By copy of this Press Release Dorrigo Environment Watch have invited the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) monitoring team (who are currently visiting Australia to monitor impacts of mining on the Barrier Reef) to also schedule in a visit to the Dorrigo Plateau.

The Dorrigo Plateau has 4 different mining companies with current exploration licences and recent drilling has been undertaken for gold and antimony across the Plateau. There is concern that the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area values could be compromised if any mining developments were approved on the Plateau.

Dorrigo Environment Watch will ask the NSW and Australian Governments to zone the plateau a ‘no go zone’ for mining to ensure that the world heritage values and vital ecosystem services (which underpin our food, fisheries, fibre and drinking water) are protected for present and future generations. Australia has an obligation to abide by our world heritage agreements to protect the Gondwana Rainforests. A ‘no go zone’ would serve as an appropriate Government commitment and celebration for the 25 year anniversary of the World Heritage listing of our Gondwana rainforests.

For more information or comment please contact Trevor Deane on 02 6657 4005.

A rare frog the NSW Minister for Resources and Energy & Anchor Resources intends to ignore?

Giant Barred Frog found on the Wild Cattle Creek property

Scientific name: Mixophyes iteratus
Conservation status in NSW: Endangered
National conservation status: Endangered

Image found at

Protect & Preserve the Dorrigo Plateau

It is no secret that NSW Minister for Resources and Energy, Chris Hartcher, is enthusiastic at the prospect of mining on the Mid and Far North Coast – particularly when it comes to gold and antimony mining on the Dorrigo Plateau.

A plateau which takes in the Clarence River catchment high country which supplies fresh water to an estimated 125,419 residents (based on 2010 ERP figures) in Coffs Harbour City and Clarence Valley Shire local government areas.

Local government areas falling within a region which has a population expected to grow more than 28% to around 424,400 by 2031.

Given the ongoing exploration within Anchor Resources Limited’s Wild Cattle Creek EL 6388 lease and the corporation’s recent history of environmental degradation, one has to wonder why Minister Hartcher and his department head have not yet thought fit to insist on a formal environmental assessment of the lease area.

NSW Department of Environment and Conservation:

Description

Giant Barred Frogs are large frogs, up to 115 mm in length. They are olive to dark brown above with paler or darker blotches, and cream to pale yellow below. The skin is finely granular. The pupil of the eye is vertical and the iris is pale golden in the upper half and brown in the lower half. The call is a deep ‘ork’ breaking into a series of ‘orks’ and grunts. The Giant Barred Frog can be most easily distinguished from other barred frog species by the black thighs with smaller yellow spots, distinct barring on the limbs, dark blotches on the sides, absence of a creamy stripe on the upper lip and the distinctive eye colour.

Location and habitat

Distribution

Coast and ranges from south-eastern Queensland to the Hawkesbury River in NSW. North-eastern NSW, particularly the Coffs Harbour-Dorrigo area, is now a stronghold. Considered to have disappeared south of the Hawkesbury and there are no recent records from the Blue Mountains. [my bolding]

Habitat and ecology

• Giant Barred Frogs forage and live amongst deep, damp leaf litter in rainforests, moist eucalypt forest and nearby dry eucalypt forest, at elevations below 1000 m.
• They breed around shallow, flowing rocky streams from late spring to summer.
• Females lay eggs onto moist creek banks or rocks above water level, from where tadpoles drop into the water when hatched.
• Tadpoles grow to a length of 80 mm and take up to 14 months before changing into frogs. When not breeding the frogs disperse hundreds of metres away from streams. They feed primarily on large insects and spiders.

Threats

• Reduction in water quality, from sedimentation or pollution.
• Changes in water flow patterns, either increased or decreased flows.
• Reduction of leaf-litter and fallen log cover through burning.
• Timber harvesting and other forestry practices.
• Vegetation clearance.
• Predation on eggs and tadpoles by introduced fish.
• Weed spraying close to streams.
• Chytrid fungal disease.